TRACTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, &c. 129 



whole proposed extent of cultivation on the island of St. Helena, 

 and from which so many advantages might be obtained, could 

 easily be managed by fourteen ploughs or fourteen petty far- 

 mers;. that is, if they confine themselves to one crop only in 

 the year. 



I would not however propose that any one should, at first, 

 attempt the cultivation of 50 acres. I would have all to do a 

 little — to feel their way — and to proceed gradually, according to 

 the extent of their means. In this, there can be no hazardous 

 speculation ; and as there are between 60 and 70 landholders, 

 and above 200 blacks attached to the farms* — surely among these 

 collectively, the 700 acres proposed would require no very extra- 

 ordinary degree of exertion. 



For carrying into effect the plans I have here recommended, 

 there is a sufficient number of horses, and many cattle, that usu- 

 ally remain idle on the pastures. These might soon be trained, 

 as well as the slaves, to the several purposes of husbandry. Those 

 who have only small patches of land might use the spade, or hire a 

 plough, as suggested by Sir John Sinclair in his paper on Cottages. 

 Others who have a greater extent of land might begin with only 

 8 or 10 acres of their choicest land. In both cases the new lands 

 should be inclosed with good fences, the process of paring and 

 burning adopted, and after the soil has been well cleaned and pul- 

 verized, there should be two or three successive crops of potatoes 

 taken ; and, at the time the new lands are under this manage- 

 ment, I would recommend, that the present old potatoe grounds 

 should be ploughed, and sown with barley wheat, or Cape barley 

 or oats, in the proportion of two bushels per acre for the first crop 

 — this would yield a weighty produce of green fodder, which 



* In addition to these, the farmers can hire Chinese labourers from the Company's 

 establisliment, at two shillings per day. 



s 



