Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-10-18
Editorial.
Editorial Notes on st. CroiI,
No. XIII.


alluded to influences now existing which oper
ate against the renovation Of the leland, an
must bar the way to it for long time to come
Some Of these will briefly notice.
In the first place the virgin soil Of the Islan'
has been for the most part exhausted Of iis or
iginal elements Of fertility, and there are Il,
measures in progress to restore it adequately
When permanent settlements we're made on thi
island-sbout one hundred and thirty years sgt
the entire island, from the fea-shore to thu
tor at ridges Of Its hills, must have been GOV
erei nth luxuriaut tropical growth, and th'
soil deeply covered and impregnatei with th'
fertllizing elements v hch vegetation long urdis
turbed always accumuiates. Protected ss the
entire surface was. the furious showers Of rain
incident to that region could effect very little
IN the way Of sweep ng these elements off into
the sea. Like all settlers in a new and densely
wooded region, the new comers to ST. Croix set
themselves first at work by FIRE and steel to des-
troy the larger vegetable growth. that the soil
below might be exposed for the growth Of sugar
cane and ,uch vegetables as could he used for
food. Not only were the lower and nearly level
grounds stripped 10 this way, but eucrosehments
on the hill sides were soon made. The power
Of the sod to retain the moisture which
fell was thus lessened, and the power Of the
same moisture, accumulated IN streamlet and
river, to sweep of into the sea the lighter par
tc!es-those most important for vegetaton-wss
corresponiingly increased. That process has
been going on continuously to the present day.
From the ignorance, cupidity or recklessness Of
owners and msnsgers. the hills, wherever they
have not been 80 prtcipitous as t. make cane
cultivation absolutely impraeticable, have been
stripped of their woody covering and made sub
ieci to the hoe.
When oy the natural irainsgs above mention
ed, OF by an exhaustive culture. the land has
become worthless for a cane crop, and has been
"turned OUT to run wild, At might be supposed
that in a few years a new growth of trees woald
follow, and that in generation or two tho soil
would recover from the waste Of lis prmvsal
power But the universal practice Of SLOWING
the young growth to be cut up as soon as i, has
reached an inch OF two Of size in the stocs, by
the liborers, 10 be soil as fuel, fr5 L. fulflmeut
ofsny such hope. It must be a steep place IN
deed which a laborer cannot reach with his bin
If he sses a chance to get bundle Of wool which
he can sell for seven OF ten cents Along the public
the cocoa trees and s very few mahog-
any trees, are protected by the goverumenr and
in few spots on plantations there are clusters
Of trees preserved for fruit or shade; also isolat
ed tamarind and msumee trees are occasionally
seen, and thibst trees are preserved that the
leaves and tender branches may be used 10 feed
the animals when drouth has cut of the supply
of guinea grass Also along the sea shore and be-
side the lsgoons growsihe poisonous msuchineel
'-~s,saseo iEnif aud fsl,sse e.,.y tuilg asoIts
but thc land crabs. and the wood ,h,oi, is uvt
handled till dead sud dried. But as r. whole the
bill sides AID deserted plantations are without
rees and onlT covered with pri ckly shrubs ana
iifereut species Of the Cactus amily-gi,h
nothing to hinder the rains from Washing avsy
what slight quantity OF 10 Sc s,il 8. lsf there
In the next place the whole Thought Of the ,
far rs agriculture is Concerned |
las always been directed TO the raising Of sugar J
zane, as the only crop from which profit is TO be
realized; and the managers Of the present dag |
iolloE in the Old ruts With too many Of the !
'wncrs there is a lack Of the knos!eige. enter /
prise. and persistent will which would be ueoes-
sar7 to force their managers into any new track I,
with sny hope Of success. Various marketable !
rop productions might be raised, u1Question-
'bly Nith profit, if skill system ami perseverance
Fere sppliei to the work; but those iudispensi-
De requisites are wanting, and 10, easily sup I;
,lied.
Now. it is notorious all the world over. that I.
Fhere the soil is subjected to the same work year
lfter year for an indefinite time. 1t requires i
more expense, skill, and effort than are often to
Dc found any where. to keep toe coil ia good |
ieArt. Its fertility rnevitsbly decays. Ia St. !
croik, much is done Of late years to turn to ac-
count whatever can be made use OF for manure; /
.nd believe something, but not much, has been J
lone in this way of bringing in fertilizers from ,
abroad. But these resources must be quite in- I
adequate to the continued exhaust on which |
mus follow the endless succession Of the cane !
ha of III
,ppc re on a field covered with full growth Of |
,aDo IS enormous. Nothing approaches it IN the !
,gr llture Of our more northern climes But !
We, little of all this eIuberant growth IS re-
luru TO the soil. The loose leaves, called !
Trash, is generally dug anew into the soil but |
The great mass Of the heavy cane stalk, after the
,sne-juice is crushed out is burned for fuel ,snd
only the triflng amount of ashes, with what ms
mare comes from the consumption Of the cane
tops by the cattle, gOes to supply the waste
The gaseous products Of the combustion are
mostly swept off the island by the winds, and
the sugar, mOlsssls, and rum are carried away
to other lands.
In the third plaee, the small size Of the island
containing, all told, hat little over fifty
thousand acres Of surface-is an obstacle to its
prosperity. Comparatively few persons Of an
intelligent and enterprising character are will
ing to confne themselves, in these later times
Of easy intercourse between different parts Of
the world, and of activity in business, to 60
small an area, ana where there is 30 little to
diversity life. The island lies outside Of the
direct track of commercial intercourse between
the different West India islands and other coun-
tries; and Its own business intercourse with
other parts is. at best, a rather limited scale.
Absenteeism even Of those who might remain
there and carry on plantations If they would, is
too common; and of those who feel the need of
be,teribg their condition by enterprising opera
tions Of their own, most resort to larger and
more diversified fields Of action As for interest
in public affairs, there Is little to excite it in