1^6 THE BEE, OR Jan. 26, 



many of them, are ufeful in this view, fuch as, the Melias, 

 fome Mimofas, the Genus Ficus, and Caffia. Perhaps the 

 cuftom of living in clay houies has prevented them feeing 

 much difadvantage in the want of timber. Thatch, in mofl 

 cjmmon ufe, of Andropogon Nardus, is light and eafily fup- 

 ported, rendering large timbers as beams of houfes unne- 

 celTary. 



But it may be conudered that the honourable company 

 are at a very confiderable expence for the Pegu Teak, em- 

 ployed in gun carriages, and other neceffary works, as well 

 as the Europeans hfere in houfe building : nor (hould the un- 

 hcalthinefs of the clay houfes of the natives in the wet fea- 

 fon pafs unnoticed, while the true riches of a country is the 

 number of ufeful inhabitants. 



It is a diilant profpeft to look forward to the growth of 

 trees •, but this affords the bcft reafon why no time fliould 

 be loft in beginning to plant them : Some vines I planted 

 here, gave grapes in thirteen months, when they were of 

 fuch a llze, that a native of the territory of Berry affured 

 me, would be deemed the growth of feven years in France : 

 and I am convinced that timber trees come to as much fizc 

 and perfection here in twenty years, as the timber trees in 

 England attain in fixty. 



Previouily however to the planting of trees for timber, it 

 would be well if the head men of every village were advifed 

 of the utility of cftablifhing a llore of bark of every differ- 

 ent kind of tree, the bark of which is in ufe, that thofe 

 who are in want may be fupplied at a moderate valuation, 

 without expofing all trees promifcuoufly to be barked. 



Another circumftance in this country merits much atten- 

 tion, being no lefs than the idlenefs of many of the labour- 

 ers from the beginning of February, when the crop is ga- 

 thered in, until the month of Auguft, that the partial (howers 

 of the feafon enable them to fcratch the ground with the 

 fmall unimproved ancient plough. 



A fufpenlion of labour for half the year, or even a fliorter 

 time, will occafion a want and difeafe amongft the lower 

 claffes in any country •, and here the extreme wretchednefs 

 that appears in their countenances, marks thofe termed Pa- 

 rajadi another call, and Tcidpu, bafe tribe, moll confpicu- 

 oully. 



