22 



TBINIDAD AND TOBAGO BULLETIN. [XIX. 2. 



acre would be 8-80, an advantage still of 2'48 labourers in favour of 

 implemental tillage. 



After the land bas been forked it is left in a much rougher condition 

 than when worked with implements and in the subsequent weeding it 

 takes 2'36 labourers less to work an acre with an equivalent saving of 

 71 cents i.e. a total saving of 13.10 and from 4'81 to 9-24 labourers 

 per acre. 



If mules had been used instead of oxen, these 9J acres could have 

 been worked in 9;^ days by a inan and a boy with one mule at a Cost of 

 #0-92 per acre, including depreciation of implements and extra feed of 

 mules. This would mean a saving in favour of implemental tillage of 

 ?J4"36 per acre and 12-42 or 7*02 labourers according as the forkers 

 worked, one or one and a half task a day. To this must also be added 

 the saving of 2'36 laboui'ers and 71 cents per acre on the subsequent 

 weeding. 



Ratoons. — Cultivating Flat. An eleven acre field of which 6 acres 

 were first ratoons and 5 acres were third ratoons was worked as shown in 

 the table below. The canes were cut at the end of April and beginning 

 of Maj'. In order to work the land with implements the trash had first 

 to be hauled in the drains and afterwards it was respread over the 

 land and the drains cleaned by hand labour. 



Eatoons. — Field 1, St. Augustine— 11 Acees. 



The horse-hoe was passed over the 5 acres of third ratoons a second 

 and a third time at an hiterval of 15 days and at a total cost of about 

 44 cents per acre for each additional operation and this is likely to save 

 a subsequent weeding. 



