, 1892-03-23

es. This gave 1852 600 pounds of
water per acre containing 212'8 los
of chlorine, as ammonia 2.2l lbs. nj
trogen as ammonia, and 2.52 lfb. IS
nitrates. Taking the different reto5-
missed divisions of the colony the rain
fall was:-Essequibo, l 1926 in. Esse-
quibo Islands 1877 Al in: Demerara
lit. O8 in; and Berbice l0O'98in. The
theory is urged that this record in IL
Gates a gradually diminished rainfall
from north to south Of the colony. The
highest occurred at Aurora planta-
ton, Essequibo, 1922 in, and the
lowest at Albion, Berbice, less than
half'that amount, 84.68 in. Bright
sunshine was recorded on 351 days
less than in the previous year, the
mean daily duration being 6 hrs. 81
Minis. The temperature was rather
lower than in the previous year, the
mean daily being 2 deg, less and
nightly / deg. less. The highest
temperature recorded in the shade
occurred, as usual, in October, VIII ch
on two days reached SO deg. The
lowest night temperature reached
was SO deg. which occurred once, in
July =
The heavy rainfall of the year, being a con-
tinuation Of an equally heavy rainfall during
the preceding year, created conditions the most
unpropitious to agriculture and all agricultural
work Of any that have been experienced for
many years in the colony. The result was
that in caneields there was a general stagna-
ton IF growth throughout the year, from
which only such districts as the east coast of
Demerara to a partial degree, and the east
coast. Berbice, more fully, in which the ram
fan, az before stated, WAS lighter than in the
rest of the colony, were exempt. The DIS
tricts mentioned as exceptions to the prevail
ing rule suffered as a matter OF fact little
either in excess of rain or consequent shrink
are of crop. The Berbice coast estates gave
an average Weld so did also some of the east
coast DemerAra estates. In other parts OF
Demerara and in Essequibo the yield as a rule
was much below the average, and in some IN
stances fell az low as half, q third, or even in
some instances to a fourth of the average.
The old adage that extremes meet was curious
" exemplihed, for the conditions produced by
the excessive rain were exactly those which a
prolonged drought produces. In seasons Of
drought the canes are generally slender, short,
short-iointed, hard and deficient in juice, the
latter, however, being rich and giving no
trouble to convert into sugar. These were
exactly the conditions produced by the heavy
continuous rain OF last year, and they were
general ever the whole region embraced IN the
heavy downfall. Besides the conditions men
toned, = curious colour-ohange was produced
in the Bourbon cane. Instead OF being green
or yellowish-green, it's normal colour, it was
characterised every whore by a general red
dish-pink tinge. This was so markell as to
strike everyone connected with sugar estates,
and in some cases to deceive men acquainted
for many years with this variety OF sugar
cane. tt
Plantains and ground provisions
were also greatly affected, and there
was an exceptional scarcity of these
articles of food such as only occurs
after a severe season of drought, or
an unusual demand for labour sufi-
Gent to induce farmers to neglect
their cultivation and hire their la
bour out. This latter condition
having prevailed throughout the
year, the scarcity is in part ascribed
thereto. Cattle farmers suffered by
the excess of water on their pastures