, 1880-02-25

&4A 49, 49,
could make two blades Of grass grow where
one formerly grew, was considered a pene-
factor of mankind. "a laugh.) The reso-
luton he had lust read stated a fact, which
he could s~ubstantiate from his own eypeli-
ence. There were no new or unoccupied
lands in Barbados. Tt was that which
helped to raise the value of those under
cultivation, and to make them more pro-
ductiye by the application OF la3cur. LII
was labour that V value to land, and
the delegates would see a cultivation that
was unsurpassed in any c0unGry. 1t was
a mistake to say that ia old countries tie
soil became exhausted by constant crop
ping. Barbados was an old country, COM
paratively speaking the soil had been un-
der cultivation for geo years, and what was
the fact with regard TO the capacity OF the
soil to produce sugar. Tie return Ter acre
now was as great as ever betore. with
generous treatment and in skilful hands
by good tillage, and the application OF
foreign manure, it was made TO produce
much larger crops than formerly. me
Young generation of planters would we
with their fathers and grandfathers; indeed
if the latter could see the crop upon the
ground at this moment it would astonish
them. So much for the absurd talk OF the
exhausted soil of Barbados. Bet there N0S
room even 3N this matter for lmpr0reG'enJ IN
the til0ge and mGnartnJ Of the SOL. we
stood more in need OF improvement III our
methods of manufacture than Of agroul-
ture. Especially was this the case with
regard to the machinery used tor crushing
the cane. The windmill had had It's day.
The experience of the reaplng or the crop o.
this wear Showed the great need OF SUbStl-
tuting steam fer wind power, for It appear
ed to him the seasons had quite changed OF
late: in the months OF March ana April
instead of fine breeze9 and sunshine Tor
making sugar. we nave calms and frequent
showers, which proved very detrimental to
the crop reaped this year. BY improved
agriculture and machinery tOC the manu-
facture of the sugar, he believed that the
ANNUAL crop of the island might be lncreas-
ed from $4,000 and 10000 hhds. to 10000
or ever $4,000 hhds. This was an oppor-
tunity which we should hail as the only
path of SAFETY, and promise OF dehverance
from the danger that threatened US. Let
lis assure the delegates we not only wei
come them cordially, and join in their
efforts with heart and hand, but we are
ready to put our hands into orr pockets
and subscribe q purse to assist tnem IL
their expenses. (Cheers).
Mr.. S. +. HEWITT, in secondlng Tie
resolution, said the manufacture OF sugar
had been practised here since the middle OF
the 18th century, and the sugar cane had
become, in commercial Importance the IS
lands most valuable production. The SUI
gar works III operation numbered over 300
OF these only some So employed steam
power, and the rest depended on wind
mills. When it was remembered that ov-
cry one of these wind mills occasioned e3-ch
year a loss OF at least % per cent. or moIe
on the value of a crop, by ret&rdlng reap
ing operations, it would Che tlorght) be
admitted that there WIS room IN this di-
rection for the employment of additional
capital in the island. But to secure this
capital, confidence and security were ne
cessary. 1t was fer this reason, as far as
Barbados was concerned, that Legislative
enactment at the hands Of the Imperial
Government was desired, for the solution
of this foreign export bounty system. This
matter once adjusted, so that the full doc
trine of free trade should reign supreme
in British markets, undisturbed by fiscal
advantage to any competitor, we should
naturally expect the introduction Of add
tional capital into the island for the re-
quired improvements. Tie delegates 'cReN
they returned home 9co,Id be conferrinJ @tG-
vour on the colony If they aoOuld bring to the
notice of capitalists Tie need there qcaS for
central sugar factories throughout the island.