out it. Yet the history of the migrations of the
Sugar-plant is sufficiently interesting to call for a short notice.

Its original home seems to have been in the East Indies, whence it was
imported in very early times. It is probably the "sweet cane" of the
Bible; and among classical writers it is named by Strabo, Lucan, Varro,
Seneca, Dioscorides, and Pliny. The plant is said to have been
introduced into Europe during the Crusades, and to have been cultivated
in the Morea, Rhodes, Malta, Sicily, and Spain.[286:1] By the Spaniards
it was taken first to Madeira and the Cape de Verd Islands, and, very
soon after the discovery of America, to the West Indies. There it soon
grew rapidly, and increased enormously, and became a chief article of
commerce, so that though we now almost look upon it as entirely a New
World plant, it is in fact but a stranger there, that has found a most
congenial home.

In 1468 the price of Sugar was sixpence a pound, equal to six shillings
of our money,[287:1] but in Shakespeare's time it must have been very
common,[287:2] or it could not so largely have worked its way into the
common English language and proverbial expressions; and it must also
have been very cheap, or it could not so entirely have superseded the
use of honey, which in earlier times was the only sweetening material.

Shakespeare may have seen the living plant, for it was grown as a
curiosity in his day, though Gerard could not succeed with it: "Myself
did plant some shootes thereof in my garden, and some in Flanders did
the like, but the coldness of our clymate made an end of myne, and I
think the Flemmings will have the like profit of their labour." But he
bears testimony to the large use of Sugar in his day; "of the juice of
the reede is made the most pleasant and profitable sweet called Sugar,
whereof is made infinite confections, sirupes, and such like, as also
preserving and conserving of sundrie fruits, herbes and flowers, as
roses, violets, rosemary flowers and such like."

FOOTNOTES:

[286:1] "It is the juice of certain canes or reedes whiche growe most
plentifully in the Ilandes of Madera, Sicilia, Cyprus, Rhodus and Candy.
It is made by art in boyling of the Canes, much like as they make their
white salt in the Witches in Cheshire."--COGHAN, _Haven of Health_,
1596, p. 110.

[287:1] "Babee's Book," xxx.

[287:2] It is mentioned by Chaucer--

"Gyngerbred that was so fyn.
And licorys and eek comyn