﻿



M 



DC 



A. 



13 



means of redreffing them mud be the peculiar work of that wife body, to whole 



the fupreme power is committed ; and yet I am afraid that many of its members 



will think themfelves too 



warmth on 



occafion 



ly 



efte 



fider the public happinefs 



For my own part, I can think of no method whereby 

 this grievance may be now redrefled, befidesthat of laying a heavy tax (a) on uncul- 

 tivated lands, and reaffuming the forfeited without favour : fuch a behaviour would, 

 I am fatisfied, oblige them to ufe their utmoft endeavours, and in a fliort time, aug- 

 ment both the imports and exports of the colony, to double or trible the ufual quan- 



and yet every fettler inclined to referve fome unopened land, which he may 



titles 



be immediately able to plant with the more ufeful commodities of 



may be allowed 



fonabl 



ountry 



proportionate number of acres, to be regularly plant 



ed with the moft ufeful timber trees (b) i of which they are now deftitute in the 



though they may be reftocked at a very fmall expence, and kept up without 



any prejudice to the other manufactures, for the ufe of which they 



anted ; and often prove a very 



branc 



their exports : Such a reg 



requently 



would introduce another piece of induftry among them, which is now but too muc 



glected 



I mean 



of manuring 



greatefl part of them rather too rank and 



open 



s 



for though they now think 

 and fpare that labo 



where moll apparently wanted, becaufe they can open frefh ground ; they would upon 



of this fort, (which may be eafily done in one 



adds a warmth 



the foil 



d maturates 



well 



riches 



) find, that dung 



whence 



that extraordinary produce where fuch methods are daily put in ufe with judgment 



But though this Ifland be not as well cultivated as it might, or ought to be 

 produce, from which alone it derives both its wealth and affluenc 

 enough to engage our attention for a time ; and to give a very juft account of 

 afy matter: by the books in the public offices of that Ifland, the expor 



its 



iideiable 



fi 



the beginning of the year 1737, fhould be as follow 



viz. 







(a) This method was 



formerly 



in Antlpua, where they had for a time la* 



boured under the fame inconveniencies, to which 

 of its lands : But the legiflative body of that Ifland, having obferved how much the keeping of uncultivated 

 lands, contributed to prevent both induftry and the growth of the fcttlement ; Jaid a tax of five /hillings 

 per acre, on all manurable lands that fhould not be forthwith opened and cultivated : The effe& anfwered 

 their expe&ation fo well, that moft of the richer lands of the Ifland were foon after in cotton, or canes i 



hole ftrensth* and 



he could have no 



comer 



(V 



g free from the tax ; and thefe were distributed again 

 as well as thofe of the inhabitants that had no pofleflions before. 



every 



Braziletto, fuftic, lignum vitae, ebony, 



and the cedar and mahogany, as well as the other valuable timber trees, may be raifed with a 



the Ifland 



little care in all the wafte hilly lands. 



I have known the planks cut out of a fingle well grown mahogany tree to be fold for upwards of yo/. 

 currency, and a fingle acre of ground will raife about forty of thefe; 2nd maybe under-planted with pie- 



orcanelhu orufed as oafture cround befides : Thefe* at the moft moderate computation, will. 



mento 



worth 



ery 











i & 







Quantities 



