April i, 1884,;] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



141 



of regret that its resources in this respect have not bfen 

 more fully appreciated. 



During the period when the East India Company held 

 the island, omug to its being so important a station on 

 the then route to India, '• it was reared in the lap of luxury." 

 Merchauts and officials pesses,sing large incomes were settled 

 in the island ; they occupied handsome residences situated 

 in the country parts, and public works and buildings were 

 maintained in a high state of efficiency. The number of 

 vessels calling at the island were reckoned by t!iousands 

 in the year. Being sailing ships they remained a considerable 

 time in port re-fitting and re-victualling, and they spent 

 annually large sums of money which circulated amongst 

 all classes of the community. 



When, however, the Suez Oanal was opened and the Oape 

 route was jjractically abandoned by the largest and best 

 ships to India and the East, and when again the naval 

 and military establishments were reduced to the lowest ebb, 

 then there tet in a period of financial depression and general 

 distress wljich has extended to the present day. 



The island has never been able to produce any article 

 of exports, ; and owing to its geographical position and its 

 close connexion with shipping, the attention of its inhabitants 

 has been called away from any serious attempt to cultivate 

 the soil for the sake of profit. 



' Hence now, when the number of ships calling at the 

 island is becoming yearly less and less, there has settled 

 upon the inhabitants a hopelessness of fighting against 

 cu:cumstance3 which is most distressing. Before they fully 

 reahzed that they must look to local uidustries and to the 

 resources of the soil for the true prosperity of the island, 

 the spirit of enterprise, and with it the necessary capital 

 for developing thosL' resources, had fled. 



I append herewith a returu showing the number and 

 tomiage of vessels which have called at St. Helena during 

 the last 10 years: — 



From this returu it will appear that the falling-of in 

 the number of ships calling at the island during the la^t 

 10 ten years is very considerable. As compared with 1873 

 there is a falling-off of 220 in the number of ships which 

 called in 1882, and a falling-off of 55.237 as regards the 

 tonnage. The gradually substitution of large steamers for 

 sailing .ships is another very serious blow to St. Helena. 

 And again, although steamers continue to call, they seldom 

 require anything, as with the new improvements in ice- 

 ohambers and refrigerating machinery, they can carry sup- 

 plies of fresh meat and fresh vegetables to last a long 

 voy.age. 



Under these circumstances the outlook in St. Helena is 

 a very serious one. 



TTnless the Home Government i.s prepared to give the 

 island some assistance aud to support it while endeavour- 

 ing to develop the resom-ces of its soil, I fear there is 

 little hope in the future. 



In the endeavour to keep the expenditure within the 

 income, and to pay off a debt contracted some years ago, 

 the present governor has been most careful in hu.sbanding 

 every penny paid into the exchequer, but in spite of his 

 utmost endeavours the income is becoming less aud less every 

 year; public buildings, roads, and public works generally are 

 suffering from want of funds; the establishment, reduced 

 to its lowest standard, is small, iU-paid, and sharing in 

 the general depression ; education, religion, local institutions, 

 and in fact all that make up the moral, social, and com- 

 mercial machinery of a community are .suffering from want 

 of means, and are yearly less and less able to meet the 

 demands made upou them. 



I feel it my duty to speak thus plauily of the present 



state of affairs in St. Helena, as I trust that some means 

 may be demised for bringing about a radical and decisive 

 change in them. 



Spealdng from my point of view, and after a careful 

 consideration of the soil, climate, and general resources of 

 the island, I am led to take a hopeful view of those re- 

 sources, provided they ai-e developed in such a manner as 

 to place the island in fair competition with other countries. 

 I look entirely to the soil for the elements necessary 

 to brmg ^prosperity to St Helena. But the people require 

 to be shown what those resources are; they need to be 

 taught how to use those resources aright, and they requu-e 

 to be cncom-aged and assisted, while so engaged. 



I would recommend, in the first instance, shat an in- 

 teUigent aud competent gardener be sent to the island 

 to take up- the entire question of the revival of agi-i- 

 cultural pursuits, and that if the local government is unable 

 to support such an officer and a small stiitf, that a grant 

 be made for the purpose by the home government. 



"With regard to suggestions for the improvement of the 

 general agricultm-e of the island, I shall, in treating of 

 the plants now under cultivation there, offer such hints as 

 may be conducive to their better treatment, aud to a better 

 retm-n from the areas under ciUtivation. 



Taking into account the remoteness and comparative 

 isolation of the island, the reduced con<lition and great 

 want of knowledge which characterises most of the cultural 

 operations undertaken by the smaller settlers, as well as 

 the need of the 'assistance which only a practical aud well- 

 trained gardener can give them, I am disposed to recom- 

 mend that a small establishment be agaiu organized with 

 Plantation House as a centre, and that a good gardener 

 be placed in charge of it. The work of such a mau would 

 combine the maintenance of nurseries and of a small garden 

 at Plantation House with a keen interest in the general 

 development of all cultivation undertaken in the island. 

 He would introduce aud raise for distribution the numerous 

 valuable plants not already in the island; he would show 

 experimentally the best methods adopted for their suc- 

 cessful cultivation, and he would give every assistauce to 

 cultivators in teaching them how to prepare the land and 

 plauttrees; how to prune them and keep them in good health; 

 how to treat the numerous diseases which imhappily have 

 appeared and been allowed to attack micheckcd the numerous 

 industrial plants in the island; how to prepare the produce 

 of plants for exportation; and, in short, to promote by every 

 means in his power the revival of cultmral operations iu St. 

 Helena and to endeavom- to place them in a healthy aud 

 prosperous condition. 



Under present circumstances I am unable to suggest any 

 other meaus of accomplishing the objects above enumerated, 

 and I fear tliat eveu with these meaus it will take a long 

 time to bring tilings back to such a condition as will have 

 an appreciable effect upon the finances of the island. 



The probable yearly expenditure iu connexion with the em- 

 ployment of a trained gardener will amoimt to about 400/. 

 per annum. This would include his owu salary aud the wages 

 of three or four men. There is a small cottage at Plant- 

 ation House which might be converted uito a residence for 

 the gardener, aud there is a propagating house and land 

 suitable for nurseries close at hand. 



At first Uttle, if any, reimbursement in aid could be ex- 

 pected. Later, however, as plants became ready for distrib- 

 ution, and a keener mterest was created iu the cultivation 

 of new products, a small charge made for plants sold to 

 cultivators might bring in about 50i. per annum. Ultimately 

 the wages of the men might be covered by the sales of 

 plants; but in any case the estabhshment could not be ex- 

 pected to be self-supporting amongst so small and com- 

 paratively speaking so poor a community.* 



In addition to the work above mentioned the Governmeut 

 gardener might do much towards placing the Crown lauds 

 in a position to bi-ing in a larger revenue, and to assist in 

 the planting of the large areas of denuded land which at 

 present are becoming less productive every year. 



It was noticed more than a hundred ye^irs ago that the 

 excessive cutting down of the indigenous f < 'rest had had an 

 appreciable effect upon the climate of the islaiul; and especi- 

 ally that the sprmgs rismg in th e liighlandsof the central ridge 

 » At present there is a small sum expended in the 

 maintenance of a small garden in Jamestown which might 

 be added to the above for working thffj) under cue officer. 



