SUGAK. 



187 



6 10s. per ton, and worth on the spot, according to advices received from 

 England and the Cape, 15 per ton, at the lowest estimate, or 600. 



The greatest expense, you will perceive, is the article of tops for planting ; 

 but this ought not to discourage persons. The plants which I imported from 

 the Mauritius some years ago, cost me, on account of many of them not vege- 

 tating, at the rate of 30 per acre. Parties who begin planting now have the 

 great advantage that they can get plants, every one of whioh, if properly 

 treated, will grow, at one-sixth of that price. 



How many crops cane will give on good soil in Natal, I am of course unable 

 to state, as the oldest cane I have got has been cut only three times the last 

 yield (second ratoons) was much finer than the preceding ones, and by adopt- 

 ing the improved manner of cane cultivation, viz., returning all but the cane 

 juice to the soil, I am confident that replanting will be found quite unnecessary ; 

 the expenses for the second and following years will therefore be very trifling. 



Comparative Statement of the ruling Prices at Natal and the 

 Mauritius of Land, Live Stock, Implements, Labor, and other 

 requirements connected with the cultivation of the Sugar Cane. 



MAURITIUS. 



LAND, per acre, 3 10s. to 

 KENT OF LAND. It is not 



customary to let land at 

 the Mauritius, except on 

 the system of an equal 

 division of the produce. 

 MANURE. Guano, com- 

 monly used in its dry 

 state, also other ma- 

 nures or composts, per 

 ton,Gto 



LIVE STOCK. Mules, 5 of 

 which are required to 

 each load of 3,000 to 

 4,000 Ibs., 30 each . 

 Keep of Mules each, per 

 annum 



LABOR. Drivers, each, 

 per month 

 Coolies, including keep, 



each . 

 White labor, each 



FUEL. Cane trash or wood 

 MILL POWER. Steam or 



water . 



IMPLEMENTS. All agricul- 

 tural labor is performed 

 by the hand-hoe, very 

 expensive in its nature. 



PRODUCE of the Cane. 

 Average from I to 4 tons. 



CANE. Periodical renewal 

 of the cane, according to 

 the quality of the soil, 

 every 3 to 10 years 



700 



150 

 700 



1 



NATAL. 



LAND, per acre, 10s. to 

 RENT OF LAND, 6d. to 



CATTLE MANURE in abun- 

 dance, according to dis- 

 tance, per load, Is. to . 

 (None required on virgin 

 soil for the first three 

 years of cultivation.) 

 Oxen, of which 12 are re- 

 quired to each load, 3 

 each 



Keep of oxen, on pastu- 

 rage . 



Colored driver, each, per 

 month . 



Kafir leader, ditto 

 Kafirs, including keep, 



ditto . 

 White labor, each per 



month, 3 10s. to 

 Cane trash or wood 

 The same . 



All agricultural labor is 

 performed with the 

 plough, harrows, and 

 scarifier, with oxen so 

 much less expensive than 

 the hand labor at the 

 'Mauritius 



From 2 to 3 tons . 



Not yet ascertained, and 

 depending on the soil . 



026 



36 



free. 



15 

 10 



10 

 400 



