, 1892-11-05
PRO 7 E. E;,lDIN GS
COLONIAL COUNCIL
FOR 81. Cf&OIX.
(Meeting of Gath OCTOBER

District (Bla ckwoodJ said he considered this
proposal for an Agricultural Laboratory as q
step in the right direction. AS His Excelleney
Just remarked, we must produce more sugar
per acre, if we are to exist at all as = sugar
growing country this fact is one which he,
for his part, had been urging for g long time.
1t is evident that it is impossible to continue
our work in the same way as our great grand
fathers did, by the rule of thumb but we must
progress, or else 90 behind. We have seenthe
sugar prices at a low stand there is but very
little probability Of their ever reaching be-
yond what they have been Of late years; with
prices not beyond 81 cents per lb.of Muscova-
do, there has been, and could be, but half a
dozen estates in this island that could be said
to have met their bare expenses. When the
molasses is done away with, on account Of the
more advanced processes to be employed IN
manufacturing the sugar, that off-fall viii be-
lost and the returns usually expected thereof;
for Rum there is no demand and on tbs
whole it is not profitable to turn the mOlasses
into rum; hence, in the case of muscoyados we
have to-day only the sugar and a little rum as
the produce of estates how we can continue
with a price Of 2, cents per lb, is a thing he
cannot see at all events on small estates, It
cannot be done, if we are to have them pay.
But this unfortunate result has been existing
for years, with exception only Of l686-o9, =
when we had good prices and a large crop. 1t
is natural to be supposed that when we have
good prices, fair weather, and the land strong,
such as it used to be when cultivation first be-
gan in olden times, then VIC can go on with
the production in the usual way and make
money. But unfortunately. those things do
not always last, and we have 10 contend with
Just the very reverse and then it is that we
must improve the cultivation to .countersct
those Deficiencies, and we can only do thy Civ
ing the soil a greater proportion Of manure
TO make the production SO much greater. . is
true, that With only + Of the Island in Guilt
walton, we have now more returns than form
erly, and why ? because formerly the grass
and canes grew together; to-day it is mostly
the canes, because we are bound to grow
cane and to Try to make it pay assbest it can.
1t is 50 then that although there is les land in
cultivation now, still, IS much sugar is pro-
duced as formerly with the larger area; and in
that respect we have Of course been fayoured
with ample SUI ply Of labour force here Of late
and Their, has been no trouble in managing es-
tates. This way is, however, only one III
which we must help to increase the produc-
ton Of the land the necessity and utility Of
returning adequate and proper manure to the
soil has been discussed and decided elsewhere
years ago. In Louisiana, for instance, it was
believed by cane growers up to some few
years aback, that they knew all about the cane
growing they have since found out that they
were very far behind the march Of Improvement.
We must not overlook that the Beet Root
Crop had, from a production of barely 100000
tons 20 year, now grown up to upwards Of
100000 and had outstripprd the cane sugar
production with upwards Of 1~O0,000tons. The
cane growers had all along depended on the
cane being the natu. al best sugar producing
plant, and they had not paid attention to its
development and improvement; they had re-
manned on the old stand since then those
men have seen and must admit that
science and skill applied on a plant which
they considered of less account, has brought
his up to a higher standard and to outstrip
the cane. We cannot depend On the natural
production of the soil, nor must we depend
upon practical Judgment atom. when dealing
with the soil we must conbin science with
Judgment and practice. The measure before
this Council to-day is one which aims at Sc
curing this Island the benefits Of science APP
piled to our field work, he was glad to see
it and he will support it all practical men
must support it. At the same time there were
a few remarks or suggestions he had to make
to the Bill. If the Chemist could DO his work
on the spot. it might be most convenient to
all parties now, We see that 1t is intended
to unite the chemists duties under this bill
with the duties of Chemist at the Central