, 1874-07-22

O.OU TICS PEI IOO hlOS' ACCOful1g W VIC
Customs Regulations, however, 1000 kilos
Muscovado are only supposed to give 600
kiIos refined sugar, whereas in reality
they give about 800 kilos. Surprising
then a refner to import 1000 kiIos Mus
covado and produce 500 kiIos refined, he
can export 600 kilos and gain the duty on
ITO kllos. This statement may serve as a
refutation of the assertion that much Of the
profit of the Usines is derived from protec-
tive duties. A practical proof is given by
the Usines having sold this year some OF
their sugars in England.
The next day, goth June, we made an
excursion into the Dillon and Pointe
Simon Factory district, with the view of
ascertaining the opinions of planters rela-
tive to the comparative value of the old
and new systems to them, as we'll as to
examine their mode of cultivation AID
comparing the properties of those who
deliver their canes to the Factories, with
those who carry on their own works.
Near the Dillon Factory lies the small
property called Chateau Boeuf, which is
under contract with it. The proprietor
is a rich banker living in St. Pierre, and is
q shareholder in the Factory to an amount
of nearly 10000 tres. The manager, a
black man, gave us all the information we
sought His opinion is that 81 p. CT. is
too little for the grower, unless he comes
in for a share of the profit. He however
admitted that they were doing much better
under the Factory System than in the old
way, even where they got but s p. CT.
The Estate labourers here aud every
where all over the island work by task.
Their daily earnings are from to II trcs.
per day. There was an apparent want
of hands, and the cultivation of the
estates around was most unsatisfactory,
the cane fields being choked with all kinds
of weeds, especially Para Grass. Their
pIoughs were also inferior, and cows are
sometimes used for pIoughing. The area
of the estate is about 90 acres and it IS
worked with 30 Iabourers, 20 Of whom
live on the estate, the others have their
own little houses and patches of land, and
come to work when called upon, doing
their own work on Saturdays and Sun
days.
One of the Dillon Factory's railways
passes llTOuSl lhIS lhOp6iCy' Inc lduu
for it was given, in this case, as is custom
airy, by the property. The road is about
4 miles long and 4 feet wide, running
through a very mountainous part of the
country and presenting extremely sharp
curves. The sleepers are here, as else
where, of a kind of hard wood resembling
black cinnamon. Logwood is considered
the best.
The next estate visited was La Rivi9re
Monsieur, belonging to M. Paris who also
delivers his canes to the Factory. The
cultivation of the estate was rather better,
but still the want Of labour was mani
fest. It is situated in the central por-
ton of the island, and partly owing
to the comparatively fair rainfall, and
partly to pretty heavy m%anuring, NJ. Paris
manages, in spite Of a neglected culti-
vat on, to make 2 tons of sugar to the acre.
In opening the land for planting only a few
scores of the plough are run and there is
no hauling up or cross holing. The
manures applied by him and others around,
were stated by him to be the following,
which are sold and manufactured at St.
Pierre, Martinique, at the prices annexed
Tourtaux Anima1ises ROM ST Pierre