222 TRINIDAD. 



may be purchased at a comparatively low price, say £1 an acre, 

 exclusive of expenses for survey and registration. By an 

 ordinance introduced by Sir Henry Irving in 1879, the tax has 

 been rendered uniform on all lands, whether cultivated or uncul- 

 tivated, and at present no houses or buildings are exempted from 

 taxation. An impetus has thus been given to the cultivation 

 of the soil, and industrious habits fostered. 



Agriculture, nevertheless, may be said to be very backward. 

 Not only are agricultural operations difficult in lands newly 

 cleared, and full of stumps and roots, but the classes connected 

 with agriculture are not, generally, guided by any method, and 

 the most primitive routine is the sole guide of the great majority 

 of husbandmen. The emancipated negro and the Indian immi- 

 grant may be said to be ignorant, as they were always employed 

 as mere mechanical agents, and had, besides, no interest to become 

 skilful. The great majority of the planters themselves may be 

 said to be unskilled. During the time of slavery, there was no 

 necessity for the display of agricultural skill ; and since emanci- 

 pation they have been so incessantly engaged in struggling for 

 their daily bread, as to have had but little time to devote to its 

 acquisition, either in theory or as a practical study. 



What I have stated concerning agriculture is, a fortiori, 

 applicable to manufacture. Improvements in the manufacture 

 of sugar required expensive and complicated machinery ; means 

 and skill to work the same ; and, consequently, a large outlay of 

 capital, which the sugar planters had not, and could not procure 

 under difficult circumstances. 



On the other hand, the cacao planter could scarcely eke out 

 a livelihood, even with the utmost exertions ; he dared not 

 improve his article, since he might not have found, on the spot, 

 purchasers ready to pay a higher price for a more costly article ; 

 nor would he run the risk of shipping any quantity on advance 

 of money, lest he should, at a future reckoning, be liable to a 

 reimbursement. 



However, for some years past, great attention has been given 

 to the preparation of cacao, and little remains to be achieved 

 under this head. Except, perhaps, the conuqueros, or small 

 cottagers, cacao growers devote great care to the curing of the 

 seeds ; sweating or fermenting rooms are built, in which they are 

 almost hermetically heaped and allowed to undergo a thorough 



