44 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO BULLETIN. [XIX. 1. 



Food Crops. 



Another matter on which you hava often been adviser!, is not to 

 plant every incli of your land up in c\eao. Keep a part for food crops. 

 Whilst cacao is hic,'h in price and crops good, you can perhaps afford to 

 buy food, but when cacao drops, or crops are poor, you may not have 

 the ready money and that often means borrowing at the shop, and too 

 ■often leads to debt, and possible loss of your property. If you grow 

 more ground provisions than you need for your own use, you can sell 

 them, especially now that there is the Ground Provisions Depot, 

 ■offering a ready market without much trouble. Mr. Mota has told you 

 all about this. 



Credit Societies. 

 There will be times when you need money to carry out improve- 

 ments, or to extend cultivation. In the past the small man was practically 

 bound to go to the money lender and if unfortunate enough to meet 

 with bad seasons and poor crops he stood chance of losing his property. 

 Now there is a government system of Agricultural Credit Societies doing 

 useful work in Trinidad and Tobago. There are 23 of those Societies at 

 work with 1,350 members. Many districts have not formed one yet. 

 This is one such district to make use of Credit Societies as a means 

 of keeping free from the grip of the money lender. I have always 

 spoken to you about these Societies : if you think they will be useful, 

 make an effort to start one here at Rio Claro. 



The Future. 



The judges have reconimended and the Board has drawn up plans 

 for a continuation of the competitions not only to include Rio Claro and 

 Poole but also Mayaro and Guayaguayare. Particulars of the new com- 

 petition will soon be issued, and I hope a large number of you will enter. 

 Everyone who works well and follows the advice given him, can gain a 

 prize in the form of better crops and healthier trees, and some of you 

 will get good money prizes as well. Prize Competitions, Credit 

 Societies, are all part of a general scheme of the Government to improve 

 the position of the peasantry of the Colony, and of the large estates as 

 well. It is better for every one that there be a contented and pros- 

 jperous peasantry, making a comfortable living out of the land, and looking 

 forward not only to remaining there themselves but also of bringing up 

 their children to live on the land. With improved prospects on the 

 land, less people will be enticed away to try their luck in tlie towns or 

 in other countries. The prosperity of the Colony depends very largely, 

 on Agriculture, and for Agriculture a large country population is essential. 

 To ensure this there must, under our present conditions be a prosperous 

 peasantry working your own lands and providing the necessary assistance 

 to the large estates. Your interests are bound up together and the 

 Government by those Competitions is endeavouring to help all cultiva- 

 tors both large and small. 



Mr. Lazarri, at the conclusion of the prize giving, moved a vote of 

 ihanks to His Excellency for coming such a long distance a fact which 

 showed the great interest he took in the general welfare of the people 

 .and particularly the peasant proprietor'. 



