T6 RuTU Baga culture. [Parti. 



case, be one more previous ploughing, always taking 

 care to plough in dry iveather, which is an observation 

 I ought to have made before. 



98. But, why should not the plants, in this case, suc- 

 ceed some other good crop, as mentioned before 1 I 

 sowed some early peas (brought from England) on the 

 2nd of June. I harvested them, quite ripe and hard, 

 on the 31st of July ; and I had very fine Ruta Baga, 

 some weighing six pouuds each, after the peas. How 

 little is known of the powers of this soil and climate ! 

 My potatoes were of the kidney sort, which, as eveiy 

 one knows, is not an early sort. They Avere planted 

 on the 2nd of June ; and they were succeeded by a 

 most abundant crop of Ruta Baga. And, the manure 

 for the peas and potatoes served for the Ruta Baga 

 also. In surveying my crops and feeling grateful to 

 the kind earth and the glorious sun that produce these, 

 to me, most delightful objects, how often have I turned, 

 -with an aching heart, toweirds the ill-treated English- 

 men, shut up in dungeons by remorseless tyrants, while 

 not a word had been uttered in their defence by, and 

 "while they were receiving not one cheering visit, or 

 comforting word from. Sir Francis Burdett, who 

 had been the great immediate cause of their incar- 

 ceration ! 



99. As to the quantity and sort of manure to be used 

 in general, it may be the same as for a sowing of rye, 

 or of wheal. I should perfer ashes ; but, my large 

 crops in England were on yard-dung, first thrown into 

 a heap, and afterwards ttiined once or twice, in the 

 Tisual manner as practised in England. At Hyde Park 

 J had nothing but rakings up about the yard, barn, &e. 

 as described before. What I should do, and what I 

 shall do this year, is, to make ashes out oidirt, or earth, 

 of any sort, not very stony. Nothing is so easy as this, 

 especially in this fine climate. I see people go with 

 their wagons five miles for soaper's ashes ; that is to say, 

 spent ashes, which they purchase at the landing place 

 (for they come to the island in vessels) at the rate of 

 about five dollars for forty bushels. Add the expense 

 of land-carriage, and the forty bushels do not cost less 

 than ten dollars. I am of opioioD, that^ by the burning 



