86 TRACTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, &c. 



the planters, that there can be any balance at the end of the 

 year in favour of the farms. That this must be the fact, appears 

 from a view of the annual purchase of provisions from the stores. 

 In 1809, i;'3540. was paid for beef and pork ; about i^oOOO. for 

 flour ; and .£3000. for rice and paddy ; in all, ^111,540. (exclusive 

 of spirits and other articles.) I have before stated that the ek- 

 ported produce of the lands was only o£6346. 



Now, if the above sum of i;il,540. could be diverted into the 

 hands of the planters, (and that it is possible, by means of com- 

 mon industry, cannot be questioned) what an improvement would 

 it make in their condition, as well as that of other individuals 

 on this island ? But even much more than this might be done, 

 by favouring- and encouraging agriculture. Every one admits 

 that the soil in many places, is excellent ; and the climate is 

 such, that the powers of vegetation seem never at rest. What 

 then is wanting to make the lands productive but industry and a 

 skilful direction of the labour of the island ? One hundred and 

 twenty acres would furnish the island breweries with about 700 

 quarters of malt, which, according to an estimate in my posses- 

 sion from one of the brewers, would cost, if imported from 

 England, about 6 or ^7000. One hundred and thirty acres of 

 wheat, rating the produce at 35 bushels per acre, would yield 

 4550 bushels, equivalent to 204,750 pounds of flower, and 68,250 

 pounds of pollards. The value of these at the English prices of 

 what are sent here, may be fairly rated at o£4000. ; and, supposing 

 that no more than 120,000 pounds of fresh pork were to be annually 

 supplied to the garrison from the farms, this, at one shilling a 

 pound for the dead weight, would be <£6000. and the whole of 

 these sums would create an addition of .£28,040. to the present 

 exported produce ; making a total of about .£34,000. a year, for 

 products that might be in constant demand from the farms of St. 



