, 1874-11-21
The LAWS"
G o o N L.
B A II B A D o s..
Is PUBLISHED
EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY

The weather continues to be favourable, and
the crops everywhere are in a condition which
gives every promise that Governor Rawsons pre-
diction will be verified as far as he estimates the
influence of the rainfall on the crops Experien-
ced planters everywhere seem agreed to rate the
prospect for the ensuing sugar crop at sixty-two
thousand hogsheads, the largest expectation that
has ever taken place ia q single year.
The weather has told favourably on the crops
Of native provisions which are plentiful and cheap
attording a boon to the poor and labourlng class
es. Potatoes can be obtained at Is. 3D.. per hun
dred weight, and yams, corn and other provisions
decline in price as they become more abundant.
There is the usual demand for slaves and lumber
for hogsheads for the approaching crop. but the
supply equals the demand. Labour is plentiful,
but the crop to be reaped does not yet require
iabour, and planting operations are not sufficient
ly advanced to occupy the market.
The Emigration Returns for October shew q
total of 1O5, of which "a we're males, and 81
females. Of this total 30 per cent. were agricul-
tural laborers. 30 of the emigrants are reported
as having gone to st. Lucia, and the remainder
to Demerara.
The crop reaped this year was a full average one,
the shipments amounting to: Sugar i 6,823 h~ogsheads,
Molasses, 27,286 puns,, Rum 1876 puns., 40 hhds.
which, with the quantity retained for consumption
in the island, says the Westjndian, could not be far
short ola total yield of $4,000 hhds. Sugar, giving
an average yield of hid. on $1,000 acres, the
breadth under canes. lfthe favourable weather con-
tInues, and with a good reapjng season, the WeStin-
dldn expects an average Of , hhds. for next year
in the most highly cultivated part of Barbados.
The total acreage of the island is lO6,47O; the
towns, roads, ponds, churches, barren coast lands &c.
occupy Is, 408 acres, and the remainder, 9I062,
10 IN 488 Corn estates, OF the last, 10000 acres
10000 in plant canes, and 10000 in ratoons or
shoots are in scanes cut yearly, 5000 acres in la.
bonrers, a%Iotments, and the remaining 1902 in
standovers, pasture, mill and ward, house and garden,
estate roads etc. Half of the estate acreage, stated
by a correspondent Of the B Vest Indian to COM
prise the most fertile land in the island, belongs TO
owners resident out of the colony. The division
stood thus last month 44,836 acres belonging to l43
absentee proprletors, 4597l acres belonging to
1868 resident propretors. In 1854 there were 90404
acresin ACT estates. None of the Ii parishes of
Barbados excepting St. Michael, in which Bridge
town ID situated, but have more than of their
area in cane estates. The average size of the
estates belonging to a~bsentees is nearly three times
that OF those whose owners live in the island.
The average yield over a term of years per
acreage cut Is > Il hhds in some parishes, and in
the same on a favourable year and in st. Lucy
nearly 2 hhds. The correspondents of the West
indian agree in the belief that the rotation sys-
TEN now will increase the total
yield OF sugar, though a much smaller surface
VIII III any year be under cane. The saving in
imported manure (l2OOOo E P a would be very
great, while more stock would be supported, and
q greater amount Of provision raised. Thus q
larger populationD would be needed, and could
be nourished from the produce of the soil. AS
another points out, if the fecal matter of the
town. now wasted were saved for manure (as in
ot' Crolx) still greater crops would be raised and
more mouths could be fed at least 5 times more
to the square mile than in st. Croix.
GRENADA.