Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-11
THE STORY OF SUGAR
CHINA SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN THE
FIRST CANE CULTIVATION.
History Of One Of the Worlds Great
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES by the
Ancients as Medicine.

carly niStOTy OF sugar IS wrapped IN %
security. Formerly chemists called every
thing sugar" which had a sweet taste.
but the term In its scientific sense soon
came to be restricted to the sweet prin-
ciples in vegetable and animal juices. Only
one of these, cane sugar, was known as a
pure substance until 1919. when an Italian
chemist isolated the sugar Of milk and
proved its individuality. The original habi-
tat of sugar cane is not known. but 1t
seems to have been first cultivated In China
Arabia at a compare lively late date. Sugar
Is not mentioned by either Grecian or
Roman writer's until the time OF Nero, and
sugar candy was the first and only species
known to the European ancients. 1t was
the original manufacture OF the east, par
ticularly China, and found its way into
Europe. as raw sugars did in after ages. by
way OF India, Arabia and the Red sea.
country was used only incidentally AL
most all physicians. beginning with the
Arab leeches, employed 1t originally to
render unpleasant and nauseattng medi-
cines grateful to the sick. and recommend
ed 1t in complaints of the chest and lungs
That which preserveth apples and plums
Will also preserve liver and lungs.
Is an old adage But the use of sugar in
Sirups and preserves came later, while bare
ly three centuries have elapsed since 1t be-
came an ingredient in the popular diet OF
Europe
Sugar Trade Of Venice.
The Venetians were the fathers Of the
European sugar trade. Anterior to the
year 1148 they both imported considerable
quantities OF sugar from India and planted
the cane in the Island Of Sicily. With tho
produce of this island and the Indian Inn
ports the Venetians carried on great trade
vt1l- ,nr1r1 -
this commodity. However, the exact date
when sugar was first introduced into Eng
land Is difficult to ascertain. One of the
earliest references to sugar in England Is
that OF 10000 pounds of sugar being ship
ped to London in 1919 by one Loredanao,
merchant of Venice, to be exchanged for
wool. In the same year there appears In
the accounts Of the chamberlain of Scot
land payment at the rate of Is. 912d.
pound for sugar Writing in 1880. Chaucer
mentions the sweetness of sugar allegort-
cally.
The art of refining sugar and making
what is called loaf sugar was invented by q
Venetian citizen toward the end OF the If
tenth century. This same art was first
practiced in England In 1914, the adven-
turers being Thomas Gardiner and Sir VIII
liam Chester, assisted by three Venetians.
They were proprietors Of the only two SUI
gar houses In England, but the profits aris-
ing from this concern were at first small.
as the sugar refiners at Antwerp could sup
the LONDON cheaper. ENSulu-
ally war stopped and intercourse between
London and Antwerp, and these two houses
supplied all England for space OF twenty
years and greatly enriched the proprietorS,
whose success induced many others to en-
bark In the same trade In 1886 Sir Thomas
Midway tried to create a sugar trust. On
the pretext that frauds were practiced In
refining sugar, he petitioned Elizabeth to
grant him license for the exclusive right
Of refining sugar for a term Of years, but
the queen refused the request.
Cane in Spain.
Meanwhile, the Spaniards had become,
in their turn. the great dIsseminators Of the
sugar cultivation. The cane was planted
by them in Madeira in 1920; 1t was carried
to the West Indies in 1906. and it spread
over the occupied portions Of South America
during the sixteenth century. Yet sugar
continued to be a costly luxury. an article
subject to the control Of the physician and
confined to the apothecary's shop. till the
increasing use of tea and coffee in the
eighteenth century brought 1t into the list
Of principal food staples.
Sugar was believed to be an antidote to
alcohol. Bacon warmly supports the theory
of the power of sugar not only to render
wine less intoxicating. being mixed there
with at the time of drinking 1t. but also
fects of too copious nbations Of unmingled
wine. Falstan, 1t may be remembered. al
ways took sack and sugar" A curious
echo Of this theory cropped up at the Lam
that the sugar brought into the room to
serve as a suitable vehicle for the aconi-
tine which he intended to administer to his
victim was really introduced to counteract
the influence OF some strong sherry they
were drinking. The great Duke of Beau
fort, who was a heavy drinker, for forty
years before his death used pound Of
sugar daily In his wine.
ocodr nf r
with having extinguished the plague in
Europe; it certainly contributed to suppress
the native malady of England, the scurvy.
There used to be custom In Wales on AS
cension day for children to form parties to
take sugar and water at neighboring well.
Each child was provided with sugar and
cup. The day was usually designated su-
gar and water day. The superstition was
that all who drank of the mixture there ON
that day would be proof against Illness and
protected from evil spirits for twelve
months. Hone mentions similar custom
being prevalent In Derbyshire on Easter
Sunday under the name of sugar cup
ping"
Queen Anne's Sugar longs.
Sugar tongs at meals came In during the
reign of Queen Anne. and the use of them
was long confined to British households.
Dr. johnson is commonly supposed not to
have been overnice about his table man.
ners, but he pronounced the French IAN In
delicate people because they knew not the
article when he visited Paris in 1775. The
incident that excited his disgust oc-
CURED at party at Nine. Du Bocaze's.
The footman took the sugar in his fingers
and threw 1t into the doctors coffee. II
was going to put IT aside" said the doctor:
but, hearing 1t was made on purpose for
me, cen tasted Toms fingers" A famous
anecdote hinges on sugar.
Pitt (Lord Chatham), when speaking. prob
ably on the West Indian slave question. be-
gan his speech: Sugar, Mr.. Speaker" the
popularity of its commencement eliciting
roar Of laughter from the house. Nothing
daunted, Pitt began Sugar Mr.. Speaker"
The laughter was renewed, but not so vehe-
mently. A third time the great orator re-
iterated the same formula in voice OF