, 1882-11-01
NOTES.

The export figures published in our last
may serve as a centre around which to
gather a few remarks on our agriculture
during the year. The sugar exported to
date has amounted to 15,5SS hhdS. We
have before us d table Iprinted in an
other column showing the sugar exports
since 1850, q period of 33 years, and
during that time the present crop has
only once been exceeded, namely in 1871,
when the crop amounted to 16, 740 hhds.
The next largest crop was i'll 1862, when
the amount was 1907, and the average
for the whole period has been 9,266 hhds.
The Out-turn of the colony this wear is
therefore exceedingly good, The chief
cause of this result is no doubt to be
sought in the heavy rainfall of last
year, which amounted TO AGA lines (5S
incheS), and has only four times been ex-
ceeded during the past 30 years, the ave
rage fall for that period having been 3@3
lines l465 incheSl Another very ~fav0ura-
bic circumstance was the dry weather
which prevailed all through crop time,
ripening the canes thoroughly, and allow
ing of their being taken off the land with
out delay. That the amount Of rain alone
does not govern the crop is Strikingly
illustrated by the table before us. We
find for example that the excessive fall
of $40 lines in 1879 gave only an average
crop /9,6l2 hhds.) in 1880, while the much
smaller quantity Of 331 lines in 1880 gave
a larger crop, 9,744 hhds., in 1881. Posi-
bly, in this case something must be allow
ed for the disturbed state of the Iabour
market in 1879; but we may find other
examples, for instance Az lines in 1851
gave only 1854 hhds in 1892, while the
smaller quantity of $50 lines in 1852 gave
the much larger crop of 9,704 hhds in
1888. Much no doubt depends on the time
aud the way in which the rain falls.
During the present year the rainfall has
amounted, down to the end of September,
to oil lines in ChriStiansted and 200 lines
in FredGriksted, or an average of POS lines.
The average rainfall through a series Of
years for the same months may be put
down at about 247 lines, consequently the
rainfall for this year has so far been con
siderably below the average, The remain
ing 3 months might have made up the de
ticienCy but October, usually the most
rainy Of them, has now passed, and has
probably not given OH the average of
localities more than about 40 lines, while
the average of years shows that October
gives about 60 lines. Hope may of course
picture the most favourable weather in
the remaining two months, and may ever
imagine such weather extended through
January and February, which are usually
dry months but unless we are favoured
with such exceptional conditions it is to
be feared that the coming crop will be
something below the average. On the
other hand such rain as we have had, has
fallen in a very advantageous way, seldom
violently, but mostly in moderate showers
at intervals; and although the canes AVE
grown slowly, the quick taking off of the
crop has given the r%atoons, at least in the
eastern half of the sugar district, a long
er time to grow in, so that from this
description of canes we may expect a fair
return. Something must also be allowed for
the increased energy of the proprietary bo-
dy, a large proportion of whom are new. and
whose efforts must tell more and more
as time goes on.
Among signs of progress which we
have noticed during the year we may
mention the introduction of weighing ma
chimes on two or three estates. Those
estates which sell their canes to the
Factory can keep a record of the
weight of canes carted from each piece,
and, supposing the acreage of the
piece to be correctly known. which we