, 1882-01-07
TO TIE EDITOR OF THE "ST CR0K AVIS.
SIR

SIR
/ hope this will be the last time I shall
have to tresspaSs on your kindness IN now
asking room for al answer to DE-
Neumann's question "By whom the
bounty to c|ultivators of canes among the
labourers in East End should be paid
contained in his article of oath ult.
1t is obvious that those nearest to the
Factory in East End among the owners OF
estates are expected first to take an inter
est in the question and they may Tor all
know to the contrary be doing so now, by
renting out land at a very low price. Next
/ should expect those owners farther oil
would assist either in the same way, or
even by giving the land free Of rent for a
time. Then there might be men with
public spirit enough to subscribe towards
a bounty for the purpose indicated in my
last communication and lastly II the
subject were brought properly before our
Government, it might perhaps be OF suit
cient Importance to take the question, III all
its bearing, into consideration.
A limited outlay now, might be a yearly
income to the Colonial Treasury hereafter.
How would a drawback on the export
duty on sugar, grown by the lab0urerS IN
East End, be for the further Development
Of industry in that now nearly uncultlya-
ted part OF the island d!
But should all the propositions fail to
effect the hopcd-for assistance, l know that
the labourer will not give up planting
canes in the hope that he may be better
off by planting vegetables These he IS
aware will only be OF g0odInSo tar as hemaE
have Them for consumption, while working
at his cane cultivation, and, partly Tor h
sale the local market can afford him.
FTLo+ -,,,, a1, In. eotH than that winch Is
now produced, is an error, and st Thomas
market is neither in such want OF supplies,
that it ever could be available for our
labourer to risk paying his passage to and
from that place, on the uncertainty OF
selling his produce there. And beltrcmem-
bered at the same that, that vegetables can
not be kept on hand IN the hope CT obtain
ing remuncratiye prices, but must be sold
at any price offered, or perhaps be lost
altogether.
For q finer grade Of vegetables, ST..
Thomas offers no market, even II our
labourcrs could raise them they having
received no special training as gardeners
the consumption is fully supplied by a
large garden outside the town OF Charlotte
Amalia. This information | have from
undoubted authority.
That boats from other islands should
BRING. vegetables TO our mldIhct, muSu 10
another errGr. l know that they bring
bananas and cocoanuts sometimes oranges,
when dry weather has prevented ours from
prospering, and a kind Of yams requiring
deep and very moist soil to grow in and
which therefore are not planted here. The
want Of moist land is also the cause why
the banana is not grown in larger quaint
ties III our island.
The planting of cOcoanuts cannot posi-
bly come under the notice of the labourer,
who only is a renter of land generally. 1t
must also be kept in mind that the cane is
the hardest of all plants cultivated here,
and that vegetables cannot resist the
effect of dry year, nor, in many instances,
the scourge of the caterpillar.
The long and short of it is, that the sugar
cane is the only cultivation which in Santa
Cruz has a chance of prospecting, all other
ATTEMPTS will result in. loss 'of labour.
Give the labourer in East End a helping
hand, and his industry will lead to the
erection of a station there as soon as the
Factory can spare the requisite amount OF
money for | take it for granted that the
original idea is not given.up, viZ.-of afford
ing the owners of land in that quarter a
chance of bringing their estates back into
cane cultivation. -.
The labourer at his present work may
be said to be the pioneer of that future.