, 1877-12-12
HINTS TO PLANTERS.-NO. /

The following ID the urSt OF Soue ietCetS
that have appeared in the Barbados West
Irdian.
Sir.-As one possessed of considerable
experience in what we call our profession
/ venture to invite the attention Ut my
brethren to several matters OF importance,
in which I believe much error 10 prevail;
in the hope of conducting, in some small
way, to iuster views as to some points OF
the theory of our calling; but, more
especially shall I hope to modify In some
degree what appt ar to me to be prevail"
ing faults in practice.
Now and again. though not often, the
improved price of Sugar in one year, and
the prospect of the price remaining good
in the next, induce a man to increase his
cultivation /; hut even it the two years IN
question real; re his expectations, The time
son comes OF reduced prices but does he
then reduce his acreage under canesf
/ think not. There is naturally a general
reluctance to retrograde, and the cOnse-
ouence has been that most of US, may |
rot saw all of usf have yearly un-
der canes, q greater breadth of laud
than we can probably cultivate without
NkbtHlhHSO IOH lOtC'Sn nuIuiN ONNCd
these circumstances we ought either to
diminish our cane cultivation, or use
foreign manure with, at least, such a de-
gree OF freedom as shall ensure profit to the
operation but / fear hat sume of us,
hating between the two opinions, fail to
do either we neither abridge the planting
nor buy manure enough TO make i. proita-
be to continue the extended cultivation.
From the following considerations | advo-
cala the maintaining of the present culti-
walton, aud even contemplate its extentlon.
An acre of land planted without manure,
either native or foreign, if otherwise in
tolerable heart and cultivation, will, the
first time it is so treated, yield about o
hogshead of sugar, worth, with molasses,
ssy Els Another acre, similarly treated,
.yca pt that a pound OF Guano is given to
each cane hole, divide planting,) will pro-
duce W hogsheads, value say .36, the
Guano-dressi g (half a tony having cost
97 10. Taking away tte cost Of
the guano, we have Of first sight,
eos 10 as the value of the return
O. sugar from the one acre, against ELS
from the other, the difference, 9lO 10,
being solely due to the manure. But the
additional hogshead of produce involves,
for reaping aud manufacture, o cost Of Ell,
and an equal expenditure for the cask.
Freight, interest on the Guano outlay and
other charges, not worth enurerating,
i nav absorb another twenty shillings, and
thus. roughly. we reduce an apparent
profit of Flo 10 to a real gain of 81 10.
The additional ,%canetops and feld-trash
are advantages on the other side +; but
ahese I will throw against the freightage.
and distribution expenses of the manure
] Il appears then. that it is not extrayagant
to estimate that the judicious expenditure
Of s7e1O 10 foreign manure will give a
return Of cent per cent-in other words
the money i doubled. and thus is realized
lhe Gospel model Of successful manage
ment Thou deliEsredst unto me five
talents, behold. I have gained beside them
Ave- talents more.
TkS6uusefioDs . to what extent. and
~ Wso1anshio1. lie will be most adj
S1exSo0eaoAepp!y ausiliasy mapnres,
Mn, &. Editor, with ty0lv1 kind per-