Notes on the Society's Work in 1897-1918. xliii 



" north-west to the west bank of the Corentyne river in the east is 

 " 531,000 acres exclusive of the area already empoldered on sugar estates. 

 " Sixty-four thousand acres of this may be at present beneficially occu- 

 " pied by products other than sugar leaving 467,000 acres available for 

 " the extension of sugar-cultivation. At the Ipresent proportion of land 

 " yearly cropped with sugar to the total einpoldered area this would give 

 "in round figures 177,000 acres to bs reaped each year yielding a mean 

 " annual crop of 320,000 tons of sugar. 



" If 50 percent, of the area (233,500 acres) were reaped each year 

 " the yield would be, in round figures, 420,000 tons. 



" If the proportion of the area cultivatable in sugar-cane were similar 

 " to that indicated by the Planters' Association as so cultivatable on the 

 " empoldered sugar estates its annual possible yield of sugar would be 

 " increased to 580,000 tons. 



" The possible annual crop of sugar in districts in British Guiana 

 " where sugar-cane has been cultivated could with sufficient capital, 

 " labour, progressiveness and enterprise be increased to 446,000 tons of 

 " sugar as a minimum ; to 563,000 tons if 50'^ of the laud was yearly 

 "cropped or by utilising the highest possible proportion of the suitable 

 " lands for cultivation to upwards of 800,000 tons, which by fully apply- 

 " ing modern scientific methods in cultivation and manufacture might be 

 " increased to upwards of 1,000,000 tons. 



" The enquiries as to the amount of sugar produceable by the existing 

 " labour-supply are very difficult to satisfactoiily reply to. What pro- 

 " portion of the labour-supply will work on the production of sugar ? 

 " The present production is largely limited by this. It is also limited by 

 " the energy, the enterprise, and the progressive less of the proprietors ; 

 "their willingness and ability to make use of mechanical cultivation 

 "wherever feasible; by the progressiveness, both agriculturally and 

 " mechanically, of the managers of the estates ; by their knowledge of, 

 " and their application of such knowledge to, problems of selection of 

 " varieties, manuring of plants and control of fungoid and insect pests. 

 " The productive power of a labourer is governed not solely by his indus- 

 " try but also by the capital and the braiu-power of his employers and by 

 " their ability and willingness to supplement his labour by the most 

 "efficient mechanical appliances. A labourer may produce 2 to 2i tons 

 " of sue ar a year where capital, progressiveness, and ability are not con- 

 " spicuous in his employer ; he may produce 5 to 6 tons where these are 

 " present in a marked degree ; whilst he may produce 6 to 8 or even 

 " more where those directing his work have and utilise all possible 

 " advantages of capital, modern appliances, and agricultural and achniuis- 

 " trative ability. 



" The sugar-producing power of any well-cultivated area of land on 

 " the maritime districts of the colony is directly governed by the supply 



