, 1889-06-12
Barbados News.

LIE Weather LOT TIE pdSG tOrIulSuU HAS
been hot and dry, with the exception of
Wednesday, when a nice shower fell i'll
town. This rain, we understand, was spread
over other parts of the principal parish. hnt
we have not yet ascertained it's extent.
From the appearance of the clouds, how
ever, it is safe to conclude this boon to the
thirsty earth was not confined to ST. Mi
CHI aplS. 1t is now nearly eight months
81 nee, with the exception of some fine rains
owardS the end Of March, there has been,
comparatively speaking, but little rain.
Ana. not to mention any eXtraOl binary
IalntalIS, it is pretty safe to conclude that
dn ing the last eight monrhs1 we have not
had more than about Ome-halt of the usual
average OF rain for the same period. This
long drought fOr it may almost be so
called, has told with terrible effect both
upon the crop which is being now brought
to a close, and upon the young crop tor
next year. The falling off in the returns
for his year from what were reasonably
expected at the end of September last year
from the general appearance of the canes,
will be fully 20 per cent. The Island will,
however, still make a fair average crop, and
we must be thankful for the unexpected rise
i'll the prices OF sugar to make up the differ
ence. In those parts of the Island around
the coast the reaping of the crop has been
brought to a close but on the higher
lands there is still a fair amount of sugar
to be made. The stanchiOnS, and even the
streets, in the ntighbOurhood of the Wharf,
are filled with produce, and the exports to
date have been, 29,l39 hhdS. Of sugar, and
1886 punS. Of mOlaSSeS, against 1909
hhds. of sugar, and 10, 100 puns. of melasSes,
at the corresponding period Of last year.
AS regards the young crop, it is not uni
t0rmIN what it generally is and il liked to
be seen at this time Of the " ar. The
young canes which were planted at the
end of November, or early in December,
are, IN spite of the dry weather, green and
vigorous, and on the whole regular. The
covering in of the banks, which has been
very eXpeditiOuSly effected as fast as the
OLD canes have been reaped, has protected
their roots from the excessive heat which
has prevailed since the close Of March.
But the Young canes which were planted
at the incoming of the year are very ire
gular, from the facts, o. that only about
0lt-halt OF the plants grew, owing to the
want of rain, and (2) The extensive supplies
which were put in at the end OF March are
only just beginning 10 show their sprouts
above the banks. However, rain and some
early planting cane manure will fast
enough give these ID lift in the world
and time is on their side.
With respect to native provisions, we
have little to write, as there is not much of
them to be seen. there has been a slight
increase in the supply of the potato market
from the reaping of some of those which
were planted in the lands from which early
plant canes We're cut, and this ~eSculent is
now being sold at the rate of 6lbs. for 10
cents. AS regards other provisions, we
may almost go 40 far as to write the word
nal. And it is said by those who ought to
know, that the island has not felt the
want of native provisions SO much for the
last thirty years, as it has this year"
American foodstuffs are in active demand,
and in fair supply, at moderate rates.
A crying evil from which Bridgetown is
now suffering, and which calls aloud for a
speedy remedy, is what we must term the
"beggar plague" The streets of the City
are literally infested with hegsars,-a state
of things which is not only a disgrace to
our boosted civilization, but disgusting and
annoying to the respectable portion of the
public, and especially to strangers visiting
the Island. There is quite enough law on
the Statute book to put down this nuisance,
but the Police and Parochial Authorities
look on quite ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
agricultural Reporter, "a May.