20 TBINIDAD AND TOBAGO BULLETIN. [XIX. 1,- 



In working out the cost of implemental tillage the depreciation of 

 the implements is placed at 3 cents per acre for the Horse hoe, Pony 

 plough and harrows and 6 cents for the other implements. This is based 

 on the assumption that the implements will work 100 acres per annum 

 and last five years. 



No allowance is made for depreciation of animals as generally the 

 stock on estates is more than sufficient to perform this work out of crop 

 when they would be idle. Moreover the extra feed given to the animals- 

 keeps them in better condition for the coming crop. It may, however, 

 be mentioned that in the opinion of one of our leading sugar planters 

 the life of ixiules working in ploughs throughout the year would be 

 shortened by 3 to 4 years. 



Two mules were purchased from the United States of America, but 

 they only arrived in the colony at the beginning of May, meanwhile the 

 ■work was performed with oxen. 



AREA CULTIVATED. 



Cultivating plant canes 



Cultivating ratoons 



Cultivating, Moulding and Sub-soiling ratoons 



Breaking land, tilling old drains and levelling to 



reform beds ... 

 Breaking land (first ploughing) 



Total area worked 



Between August 8 and October 15 (69 days) the following work was- 

 performed : — 



Eeploughing, filhng drains and levelhng to reform 



beds ... ... ... ... ii-ie acres.. 



Eeploughing to plant canes ... ... 10-76 „ 



Harrowing with locally made harrow ... ... 8-20 ,,. 



Drilling with plough ... ... ... kjOO „. 



* Banking with Oalery Hiller ... ... IQ-QO 



Sub-soiling bottom of drills ... ... 10-00 ,, 



Area re-worked ... ... 60-12 acres. 



FEED OF ANIMALS. 



1- 



During this period the oxen received on each working day art 

 extra feed of 2 lb. oil meal, 2 lb. coconut meal and 4 lb. crushed corn on 

 cob costing 26^ cents per head. No extra feed was given to the mules,. 

 as they only worked in short spells and their work was comparatively 

 light. Their daily ration was 7 lb. oats and 1 lb. bran costing 31^ cents- 

 per day. Under estate conditions the extra feed of the mules would 

 consist of about 6 lb. crushed grain and 1 lb. oilmeal costing 2S cents, 

 and this figure has beenjaken in compihng the results for this report. 



