194 



grown in this district by hand labour on rocky land that can grow 

 little else than guinea grass and is quite unsuitable for canes, at a 

 total cost of £5 per acre including growing and reaping. 



Hon. H. Cork's estimate. ^BdiSed upon implemental culture on a 

 100 acre scale and exclusive of all capitalised charges. This 

 estimate from a planter of wide experience of cuhivation in Ja- 

 maica, indicates a cost of £3 13s. Od. to £5 2s. Od. per acre as a 

 minimum and a maximum respectively. 



Allowing 10 p«r cent, on capital and 20 per cent, on live and 

 dead stock account the total capitalised cost of growing cassava 

 on uncleared land, on a large scale, is estimated by Mr, Cork at 

 £5 i8s. Od. to £7 19s. od., per acre — say £6 to £8. 



This estimate indicates that to start 100 acres of cassava as a 

 self-contained industry on new land, a capital £l,6oo to £2,000 

 would be required, while the actual cost per acre would be as given 

 above, viz. £6 to £8. 



The Hon. J. V. Calder estimates a rental charge of £l per acre 

 and £1 for management. Mr. Cork's estimate, based upon a fully 

 detailed account, closely corresponds to this viz. 45s. per acre. It 

 is satisfactory to find two estimates based the one upon general 

 experience and the other on actual details and cost, to agree so 



closely. 



Summary. — Cassava should cost — for cultivation only — £3 13s. 

 to £5 2s. per acre according to locality, and circumstances. Rent, 

 interest and management are excluded from this estimate. 



The lower price represents the estimated cost under the most 

 favourable conditions of broad-scale implemental culture, the 

 higher that of hand labour in rocky land by small cultivators — 

 Cassava Farming in short. 



An average of £4 per acre represents the estimated cost under 

 favourable conditions of estate cultivation. 



Yield per acre. — The data from Longville showed that yields of 

 6 to 8 tons of tubers were there obtained under somewhat un- 

 favourable conditions. 



Mr. Shore gives 8 tons as an average return from Little River 

 lands and states that he knows lands that give more. 



On the other hand, Mr. Calder sounds a note of warning'that he 

 found when growing Cassava in St. Elizabeth that it took 18 months 

 to produce 5 tons per acre. Only experience and local experience 

 can settle this crucial point of the agricultural yield of Cassava. 



If we can maintain an 8 ton standard. Cassava would be a very 

 profitable crop, if on the other hand the yield should only be 4 

 tons per acre the results would not be remarkable. 



Profit — This depends upon the yield and again upon the price 

 obtainable for the product. I have estimated that an 8 ton crop 

 of cassava giving 5 tons dry meal for shipment to England to glu- 

 cose makers would yield a profit of £700 to £900 upon a scale of 

 100 acres. Selling tubers to a starch factory at £2 per ton would 

 mean a profit of £8 to £10 per acre on the same basis. 



