AGRICULTURE WITH CHEMISTRY. 233 



tion tax 011 tea, he cannot on this head, enter into 

 further detail ; and will only add, that were the tax to 

 fall heavier on that species of property than he is aware 

 of, it might be proportionably diminished, and the 

 deficiency of the tax be made up by an additional one on 

 ardent spirits, or on some other proper object of tax- 

 ation. 



Having concluded the suggestions towards the repeal 

 of the three taxes which are the most repressive of in- 

 dividual and national exertion, reference will now be 

 had to Mr. Edwards's description of the soils best adapt- 

 ed for the culture of the sugar-cane, in his History of 

 the West Indies, wherein he confirms the opinion of 

 the Author, that soils may receive considerable injury 

 by too frequent ploughings, stirrings, or exposure of 

 renewed surfaces to the action of air and sun, especially 

 where the sun's rays are so very powerful as they are 

 in the West Indies. By these Extradts it will app.ear, 

 that (wirh few exceptions) the soil in the West Indies, 

 best adapted for the culture of the sugar-cane, is a rich, 

 deep, blaJi mould. There is no soil of that colour that 

 does not contain carbonaceous or 'vegetable matter. Such 



G g soils 



