TRACTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, &c. 127 



about 500 acres of wheat annually, would suffice for the island 

 consumption. 



The import of malt this year was 790 quarters (say 800) or 

 6400 bushels. This quantity might be produced from the barley 

 wheat, which is undoubtedly the very best for malting-. (Register 

 for March, 1812, page 4.) Supposing 50 bushels to be the ave- 

 rage produce from an acre, 130 acres would annually supply the 

 breweries. It may therefore be inferred that 6 or 700 acres in 

 the cultivation of corn, would render the import of wheat and 

 malt almost unnecessary, and the landholders might not only by 

 this means retain among them the sums that are annually sent to 

 England for flour and malt — but they might also derive ample 

 sustenance for their cattle. The fodder of straw from the 700 

 acres, may be rated at twelve hundred tons. This added to occa- 

 sional green crops of fodder, which, (after two months from sow- 

 ing the seed), would yield from 12 to 14^ tons an acre, (Register* 

 for April 1812, page 4) would place the proprietors of cattle be- 

 yond all risk, when the grass lands are bare and parched by the 

 sun's heat. 



Now supposing the wheat to be, at first, sold at 3d. per pound, 

 or 15 shillings a bushel, f and that 900,000 pounds is the annual 

 quantity required, the value would amount to ^£1 1,250 

 6400 bushels of barley wheat when malted, if) o d^a n n 



K^ 



sold at 12«. a bushel, would be 

 And, 1200 tons of straw, at ^2. - - 2,400 



i:i7490 



As the St. Helena beer is in high estimation at the Cape of 



* The experiment referred to was with Cape oats. 



t After the first three years of cultivation, the island price should keep pace with the 

 London market. 



