306 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



September 30, 1911. 



interval of five years, in twelve ('(|ual annual 

 instalments, together with interest on the bal- 

 ance of purchase money then outstanding, 

 calculated at 3 per cent, per annum fiom t,he 

 date of conditional permit to occupy. 



(.5) Other applicants, if considered eligible, to pay 

 at the end of the first year one-sixteenth 

 part of ihe purchase money together with 

 interest at 3 per cent, per annum on the 

 amount of such purchase money then out- 

 standing. 



(6) 7^and reserved for a township to be laid out in 



house spots not exceeding .50 by 100 feet, every 

 allottee on an estate being entitled to pur- 

 cliase a house spot on the adjacent town- 

 ship. (House spots may also be sold or leased 

 to persons not allottees on the estate on 

 special terms approved in each case by the 

 Governor-in-Council.) 



(7) Every purchaser for 10 years to reside on his 



allotment or house spot. 



(8) Every purchaser for 16 years to carry out ,ill 



instructions as to clearing of land, area of 

 cultivation, nature of products to be planted 

 and their handling for market, etc., givi^n by 

 the Officers of the Imperial Agricultural 

 Department for the West Indies. 



(9) On failure to comply with conditions laid down, 



the Governor-in-Council to have the power to 

 forfeit without any appeal, any allotment or 

 house spot or house erected thereon by the 

 Government, and all crops and instalments 

 already paid. 



The work under the Ordinance commenced i:i 

 February 1899, at which time a Land Commissioner 

 was appointed. By the end of this year 4,380 acres ot 

 land was acquired, situated in the Cumberland and 

 Linley valleys on the leeward coast, at Richmond Hill 

 above Kingstown, and at New Adelphi and Park Hill on 

 the windward side of the island. Of these areas part 

 was restored later to its proprietor on account of diffi- 

 culties in coming to a satisfactory agreement. In 1900, 

 the work of dividing up the land was commenced in 

 the Linley Valley and also in the Cumberland Valley 

 and at Hichmond Hill. It was at the first mentioned 

 of these places that the most promising results were 

 obtfained at the beginning; the same success was not 

 met with in the Cumberland Valley and in the less 

 accessible parts of the acquired land because of the 



lack of competition and the existence of a belief that 

 the payment of annual instalments was preferable to 

 the making of an initial deposit of the purchase money. 

 Generally, in the first year, progress was disappointino-, 

 oecause of lack of enthusiasm on the part of the 

 peasantry. The results were more satisfactory, how- 

 ever, during the next year, and it was considered that 

 the scheme was now established in working order. 

 Among the efforts made in 1900 was the free distribu- 

 tion from the Botanic Station, of .5,660 plants, of which 

 3,73.5 were cacao plants; the planting of wind-breaks 

 the construction of streets, and the erection of rest 

 houses fur those engaged directly on the scheme. It 

 must be remembered that during the whole time in 

 which the scheme has been in existence, there has 

 been some misapprehension on the part of the 

 peasantry in certain quarters as to its true purpose and 

 intended results. 



The year 1901 saw the completion of the division 

 of the estates, acquired so far, into rural and township 

 lots. Toward the end of this year, j)urchase was made 

 of the estates Clare Valley, (^)uestelles and Coopers 

 Bay. Since this time no new land has been acquired 

 in the island itself for the purposes of ihe .■•chi me. 



The Land Settlement suffered no fitiaticial loss from 

 the eruption of the Soufriere in 1902, and notwithstand- 

 ing the time that had to be given by Government Officers 

 to special duties connected with the eruption, the ordin- 

 ary work ot the scheme made good progress. This was 

 retarded, however, to a certain degree, on account of the 

 suspicious attitude mentioned above, the calamity of 

 the eruption, and a demoralizing effect of the liberal 

 grants made, both in the Colony and in Great 

 Britain, to sufferers by it. At this time. Sir Daniel 

 Morris, K.C.M.G., the late Commissioner of Agriculture, 

 drew special attention to the urgent nece.'sity for 

 a careful revision of the scheme, from the point of view 

 of agriculture, to lessen the tendency of settlers to 

 regard their holdings as provision grounds rather than 

 lands to be planted in permanent crops. It was also 

 stated by .Mr. Powell, the Curator of the Botanic 

 Station, that the critical time for success or failure had 

 now arrived, and that panicular attention should be 

 given to the cultur.il matters connected with the 

 scheme. As a result, it was decided that the Agricul- 

 tural Instructor should give all his time to the teaching 

 of correct agricultural j)ractice among the j)uasantry. 



By the end of 1904, the mileage of roads made 

 available for riding through the allotments was fifty-six, 

 and there were constructed in addition nineteen cul- 

 verts, with other accomjianying works. During 190.5-6, 



