FOOD OP TT1E SLATES. 249 



half for alimentary plants and pasturage (potrero). The 

 price of land varies, naturally, according to the quality of 

 the soil, and the proximity of the ports of the Havannah, 

 ^lant an/as, and Mariel. In a circuit of twenty-five leagues 

 round the Havannah, the caballeria may be estimated at two 

 or three thousand piastres. For a produce* of 32,000 

 arrobas (or 2000 cases of sugar), the yngcnio must have at 

 least three hundred negroes. An adult and acclimated slave 

 is worth from four hundred and fifty to five hundred piastres ; 

 a bozal negro, adult, not acclimated, three hundred and 

 seventy to four hundred piastres. It is probable that a negro 

 costs annually, in nourishment, clothing, and medicine, 

 forty-five to fifty piastres ; consequently, with the interest 

 of the capital, and deducting the holidays, more than twenty- 

 two sous per day. The slaves are fed with tasajo (meat 

 dried in the sun) of Buenos Ayres and Caracas ; salt-fish 

 (bacalao), when the tasajo is too dear ; and vegetables (Pan- 

 das), such as pumpkins, munatos, batatas, and maize. An 

 arroba of tasajo was worth ten to twelve re Js at Guinea, 

 in 1804 ; and from fourteen to sixteen in 1825. An 

 yngenio, such as we here suppose (with a produce of 32,000 

 to 40,000 arrobas), requires, 1st, three machines with cylin- 

 ders put in motion by oxen (trapiches), or two water-wheels ; 

 2nd, according to the old Spanish method, which, by a slow 

 fire causes a great consumption of wood, eighteen cauldrons 

 (piezas) ; according to the first method of reverberation 

 (introduced since the year 1801 by Mr. Bailli of Snint 

 Domingo, under the auspices of Don Nicolas Calvo,) three 

 clarificadoras, three peilas, and two traines de tachos (each 

 train has three piezas), in all twelve fondos. It is commonly 

 asserted, that three arrobas o refined sugar, yield one 

 barrel of miel, and that the molasses are sufficient for the 



* There are very few plantations in the whole island of Cuba capable 

 of furnishing 40,000 arrobas ; among these few are the yngenio of Rio 

 Blanco, or of the Marquess del Area, and those belonging to Don Rat;ir) 

 Ofarrel, and Dofia Felicia Jaurregui. Sugar-houses are thought to be 

 very considerable that yield 2000 cases annually, or 32, 000 arrobas (nearly 

 368,000 kilogrammes.) In the French colonies, it is generally computed 

 that the third or fourth part only of the land is allotted for the plantation 

 qf food, (bananas, ignames, and batates) ; in the Spanish colonies, a 

 greater surface is lost in pastuntire ; this is the natural consequence of the 

 old habits of the hacienda* de yanado. 



