, 1877-04-04

in evaporating vessels, the cheap rate at
which Goals can be supplied from Great
Britain in quantities, and when, moreover
the cost of the Goals is saved by the reduc-
ton in the expenses of wedding, and of
drying the megass for fuel, to say nothing
OF the expensive process OF making and
applying manure, now rendered unneces'
sary, the plan of returning the megass to
the soil, must appear calculated to effect
an important benefit. It is also manifestly
to the advantage of the shipowner and
merchant as well as to the planter, by CIV
ing an additional employment for shipping.
and rendering the trade more profitable,
by ins1ring full cargoes both ways.
There is one advantage, moreover,
which the covering of the earth with
megass presents, which is of moe impor-
tanc9 to those Colonies which are liable
to have their crops destroyed by severe
droughts, than any which l have enumer.
ated, and which must appear clear to al!
who have considered the subject. The
thick covering of megass laid on the
spaces between the cane rows, prevents
the great evaporation Of moisture from the
earth, which takes place in dry seasons.
AuICCus llIC OGJt1G vi CONcIlllS llO Ouuu
for this purpose is we'll known to some
planters, who are at the expense of cutting
grasses, aud carting field trash to cover
tho surface and when even so imperfect
a covering as this is found useful in avert
log, III some degree, the evil, it is mani
test bow great the advantage of such o
covering as megass. In fact, there would
be a certainty of securing, 10 amy year,
however dry, a remunerating crop. l
have IOlg been convinced of the necessity
Of following out this plan with megass,
but have never had an opportunity of
doing So except on O small scale, which
WIS, however, quite sufficient to verify its
c0rrcctrPss,
Mr.. Wfay also advocates the returoing
Of the mPguSs TO the soil, and using coal
BILE suggestion in his book. He does not
seem however to be aware of the advan.
tages which it would present, as q shield
from the effects Of droughts, for he speaks
Of burying it in the earth, and allowing
it to rot, which would be a troublesome
as we'll as useless operation, because it
would as surely resolve itself into its
elements, although more slowly, if placed
en- the surface, as If buried under it.
l remember q remarkable instance of
the good efrct If covering the banks Of
cane.boles, in O fila uointed out to me
on an estate in Bae cados, which had
borne u very large oro9 Of canes in a dry
year. The soil Of me field was SO shall
low, that large quantities. of stones had
been broken up with pickaxes from the
bottoms of tie cane-holes, and had been
disposed upon the banks; and the stone
having a SORT Of schistose fracture, giving
hattish slabs. formed tolerably complete
covering for them. This prevented much
of the evaporation which would other
wise have taken place; and many jests
were current at the time on the peculi-
arity Of the manure as it was joculafly
called, and its remarkable effects.
1t is supposed by some persons, that
placing q thick coat of vegetable snbstan-
ces upon the earth, will give shelter to
numbers of insects, and so nurse q source
Of injury to the young sprouts. We do
not, however, find that che thick covering
of field trash left upon some Of our ration
fields, is productive of this species OF
injury.
But ever should it be found that this
does occur, it is easily corrected after TAX
ing off the last crop of ratoous by burn