, 1877-03-17

collection of reliable statistics and accurate
information on every detail of tropical
agriculture, of sugar culture and manu-
~facture, under the authority of O popular
yet scientific ASSOCIATION, carefully collated
and freely disseminated amongst those
interested must prove of incalculable bene-
1T. It would accordingly be the duty
OF the Director Of the Institution with
such clerical assistance as may be required,
to be furnished in the manner subsequent
~ to be described) to collect such infor-
nation as may be most serviceable. The
greatest attention would have to be paid,
for a time at least, to everything connec-
ted with the sugar industry. The neces-
sary collection in the first place, OF such
data as would lead to q Just estimation of
the state Of the industry ia the island,
might meet with some unreasoning oppo-
sltiOn In some quarters, and it is to be
feared no small amount Of prejud CO would
require to be overcome. There is, unfor.
tunately, no more marked characteristic Of
planters as 3 class than what has been
aptly but rather severely termed their
"egotistical individuaIism." ~ Almost
every planter one meets is under the i'm.
preston that he possesses greater practical
knowledge and experience than others.
Nearly every manager of an estate profess
ses to have his little secrets, which he is
happy in the belief, than which there
could scarcely be a more mistaken one,
that nobody knows but himself. Their
successes and their failures are alike, in
many instances, cocceaied from their
nearest neighbors. And unfortunately the
deluslOn is contagious for it extends down
wards, past the Overseer aad the sugar
boiler, down to the very coolie who tends
the mule pen. Yet no fact is more firmly
established, than that the most sklltul men
are constantly deriving profit from the
experience Of others-the wisest gaining
most valuable Information f:oIn the
most ignorant. Humphrey Potter, the
little Cornish boy who tended the taps OF
Newcomers rude steam engine. however
humiliatirg such an acknowledgement
may be, as NJ. Arago remarks, first invent
ed the self acting valve to enable him to
join his companions at rlay. Strut, the
p~atentee OF the stocking frame, found
Arkwright one day Iamenting that he
could not, with all bis ingenuity, prevent
the tendency of the rollers of his spinning
machine from holding the fbres of the
cotton /; and Struts offer to cure il"
on condition Of receiving half of the profits
being accepted, he took a bit of chalk
from his pocket on the spot and, by Just
cbalking the rollers, effected the desired
object. Few, however, it may be added,
are as generous as Abernethy, who remark.
ed of Sir Charles Bells discovery of the
true functions OF the nervous system,
what blockheads we all were not to
have thought of this BEFORE" He, then,
who adds a knowledge of the experience
OF others to his own, augAents enormously
his own abilities and consequent worth
while an attitude such as has been des.
cribed is, perhaps, one Of the most certain
signs of ignorance. There are many
planters amongst US, however, who would
set the example, which the others would
quickly fn4 1t to be to their interest to
follow.
The Institution would also enter into
and maintain correspondence with similar
societies and eminent men in other sugar
producing centres, with the view of OBJ
tanning and supplying early and authentic
information or all matters relating to cane
cultivation and sugar-manufacture. (9)
Tbo e%ot;k;1c Ado on1 ikonoS ~ infornoo