, 1872-04-03
70 the Editor Of the "St. CrOix Avis"
Dear Sir:

With Your permission | shall iii continuation
Of my former communicating beg to remark
that the Chinese have more practical know
ledge It The USc, application and preparation
of manures than amy other people existing
every animal and vegetable refuse, every thing
Of disgusting appearance and offensive l~f1lv;a,
they carefully collect and use as beneficial
agents in vegetation, thus converting the loa;h.
some and revolving into The wholesome and in
Viting, they make a mixture Of their night sgi.,
form it into cakes aud dry i, by exposure to the
sun. These cakes h,ye no dlsagrceDtia SIN Il,
and form a common article OF cJmacrte Of the
empire. Our Planters might auyAutageousIy
follow the eXam pie Of the Chinese IN tas
branch OF husband y, as great il prOVid nee and
taste are too often p~ractised, and tie lands as
n necessary consequence suffer trom such
neglect. The cane trash, which is used as fuel
makes excellent manure, ii is therefore Of great
Importance to be very economic l in It's use as
fuel, and always prevent, as far as possible the
removal Of it from eff the fed, where it serves
not only as a manure but also as a cooling pre-
rector TO the young cane sprouts 't'ing tho
season of the parching n~orthcrly wind, and also
from the s~corchiog rays of the sun during 4 long
dry spcr. Therefore keep heavy trash on your
lands.
CNh ~ az O. P'SSN'D W. AL tNAACNL1
manured owing IN a great measure to this want
of knowledge in the preparation, use and a3pli-
cation OF such manures, as We have at our com
mand in this little Island. There is more than
enough on the spot to be found, ii only looked
after, without being under the necessity Of i'm
porting from abroad, and with = little more en-
crgy on tho part Of our planters, we could be
made to stand side by side with the best sugar
producing countries, when he weather has been
favourable. We have for example. Lime,
Mari, ashes, Sand, Blood, Ofakt from tie
slaughter houses, CarcasSes Of dlfereat klndS Of
dead animals and lastly, but not least, Night
sol tuis is well kn0%H 10 be 4 very powerful
manure, very liable to ~decompose and when
properly prepared IN a dry powdered state 1t
Is called "PoudrcHc," this can be applied mnch
more advantageously than "GRano,' as it lasts
with full effect during three successive crops; rs
a fertiliser it has been very much appreciated
o. late in other sugar growing places. [ am
sure it could be made here with great facility
and very little outlay, and if protected by laws
Of our sanitary department, it would prove a
benefit and blessing to the community.
To Judge from the statistical reports sent in
by our planters to the Government there must
be a very respectable amount Of live stock in
the Island, such as Horses, Mules, Asses, Horned
Cattle, Sheep, Goats and Hogs, these ought (by
the common rule of three) to produce a vast
quantity of excellent vegetable and animal
manure daily, that is, provided more attention
was paid to the feeding Of them in proper places
where such manure would be required. Move
able pens could also very easily be introduced
here and I feel almost convinced that they
would become the chief dependence of our plan
,ers, after q fair and impartial trial had been
given them, there would be a saving Of labour
IN the shape of carriage etc. as the food and
other stuffs now carted to the pens in the yard
wouldthen be carried directly to the spot whereit
was required as a fertilizer. These movable
pens could be constructed very simply; say anuH-
Der of light ratings fitted up, SO as to be convent
emily carted to any field, also a number of strong
R~ortised posts, which should be planted firmly in