, 1888-03-03

CARDS the yield of sugar on those estates
which have been trimming round.' the re-
ports vary much. The returns, as they have
reached US, being 3, 2, II and I hhds as
the result from each acre Of trimmings. In
the case of one estate in the Parish Of st.
Andrew, the result of the reaping which has
taken place has not been encouraging. But
is seems that in this case the sugar made
was from the canes known as transparent"
which were planted as an experiment" 1t
certainly occurs to us that the planters would
do we'll if they guided themselves IN their
planting operations, more than they do, by
the results of the experiments made at the
Dodd's Reformatory; and not experiment"
on their own account. On one estate IN the
upper part of St. Michael welearn that as much
as 5000 gallons Of juice were boiled in the
manufacture Of one hogshead Of sugar. Our
readers will gather from what we have SO
far written, that very little has as yet been
done in the island in the way of reaping.
But except the weather should continue
unpropitious, we may expect a large number
of estates to make a fair start by Monday
next, and that reaping operations will have
been generally begun by the lst of March.
The young cane crop hasimproved Wonderfully
during the last fortnight. The rather
unusual heavy rains of January had destroy
ed q large proportion Of the young plants, SO
much SO that in some places as many
as 900 ''suppliers," per acre had to be put in,
and indeed in very heavy lands some fields
had to be almost re planted. These sup
plies" have had favorable weather during
this month, and growing so quickly as al
most to have overtaken the earlier grown
plants, have improved the regularity OF the
appearance of the fields, and the, spliHg of
young canes is now looking exceedingly well
The plants which were put in, in the month
of November have stood the excessive vet
very we'll indeed, and the spring IN such
fields is pronounced "eXcellent". We may
here mention that the 1buts' from which
plants have been manufactured into syrup,
have turned out exceedingly well, and the
syrup has sold in the local market at IA
cents to l6 cents per gallon (whoIesale).
Nearly all the yam crop, and q large potion
of the eddoe crop, have been taken in. The
former crop has varied considerably in diff
erent districts. In some places the o.dest
inhabitant has no recollection of L@rnp
ever seen better returns, whist in some
others little better than mere seeds
have been gathered. On very many estates
the plan has been adopted Of selling the
yams by the hole at three to 4 cents, and the
return has proved very satisfactory. On
one estate nearly 5000 have been realised by
the sale of yams. AS q whole, the yam crop
has turned out fine, and in consequence
these roots are selling cheap,-at IS cts to
so cents per 100 lbs. Eddoes have also
yielded'a good return, and are quoted at 10
cents for 5 lbs. Potatoes are, comparatively
speaking, scarce, and are selling at 800 per
100 lbs wholesale. The Indian Corn and
Guinea Corn crops have both turned out well.
American provisions have advanced a trihe
in prices in the country districts but, native
provisions being plentiful, this has made
little, if any, difference in the purchasing
power Of the laboring classes. On those
estates where trimming round" has not yet
begun, fodder is very scarce, being confined
principally to sour grass, which, from the
excessive moisture, is not very palatabIe.
Labor is in fair supply, and those laborers
who have for some time been engaged upon
the repairs of the roads readily leave this
occupation for the more congenial one Of
taking part in reaping operations where they
NAV he rn0ulrad.