260 TRINIDAD. 



Guinea pepper (Amomum granum Paradisi). — These plants are 

 only cultivated for domestic purposes, not for exportation ; but 

 they succeed very well. To the above catalogue of useful 

 plants might be added as great a number ; such as the musk 

 ochro {Hibiscus abelmoscAus), which grows wild here, and the 

 seeds of which are extensively used for perfuming in France, 

 under the name of "Ambrette;" the senna plant [Cassia 

 obovata), which is cultivated by the inhabitants of Mayaro, 

 Erin, and some other places, for their own use ; the noyau 

 (Primus), the seeds and leaves of which might replace, for 

 distillation, the cherry laurel. Many others might be given, 

 but their enumeration would swell this sketch to too large 

 a volume. 



The following dye-woods may, however, be mentioned, viz., 

 log-wood {PLamatoxylon campechianum) ; this is not indigenous 

 to the island, but grows very well in dry spots. Arnotto (Bixa 

 orellana) ; the arnotto is indigenous, and thrives best in good 

 soils and cool localities ; it is very prolific, but is used here only 

 as a condiment. Fustic (Broussonetia tinctorid) is indigenous, 

 and thrives best in good soils and hilly districts ; it is used here 

 in wheelwork, especially for naves. 



Commerce. — The commercial movement consists mainly, if not 

 entirely, of imports and exports. In the year 1713, the whole 

 trade of the island was carried in a vessel of 150 tons, a little 

 cacao and indigo being bartered for some coarse cloth and other 

 necessaries. In 1797, fourteen years after the granting of the 

 second cedula by Charles III., the colony exported 7,800 hogs- 

 heads of sugar (1,000 lbs. to 1,200 lbs. each) ; 330,000 lbs. of 

 coffee, 96,000 lbs. of cacao, and 224,000 lbs. of cotton— the 

 produce of 159 sugar plantations, 130 coffee, six cacao, and 

 103 cotton farms. In 1802, the number of sugar plantations 

 had increased to 192, producing 15,461 hogsheads; quantity of 

 coffee exported, 358,000 lbs; of cotton, 263,000 lbs.; of cacao, 

 97,000 lbs. ; tonnage, 15,000. In 1809, the exports had in- 

 creased to 18,235 hogsheads of sugar; 460 gallons of rum, and: 

 100,000 gallons of molasses: quantity of coffee, 500,000 lbs. ; 

 of cacao, 358,000 lbs. ; of cotton, 800,000 lbs. 1819.— Exports : 

 30,205,724 lbs. of sugar; 534,626 gallons of rum; 545,401! 

 gallons of molasses; 1,205,445 lbs. of cacao; 258,220 lbs. ol 

 coffee, and 131,990 lbs. of cotton. 1829—59,089,421 lbs. oi 



