Ixx. Timehri. 



an important industry for British Guiana. It is, however, one of the 

 potentialities of the colony which we trust will be very successfully 

 exploited in the near future. 



Live-Stock. 

 There is not any estimate available as to the live-stock of the 

 colony in 1897. Our earliest returns are for 1902, but these probably 

 represent fairly the 1897 position as the severe droughts of 1898 and 

 1899 proved very inimical to increase in numbers of live stock. The best 

 obtainable comparisons of the live-stock on the coastlands in 1902 and 

 for 1918 are as follows : — 



1902-3. 1918. 



Horses ... ... 1,423 970 



Cattle ... ... 70,150 99,000 



Buffaloes ... ... U 368 



Goats ... ... 15,600 13,750 



Sheep ... ... 11,850 22,000 



Swine ... ... 11,900 11,800 



In 1897 the great majority of the " Gentlemen in charge of Sugar 

 Plantations " possessed large herds of cattle but a change in the policy of 

 the proprieters of such plantations now restricts the managers from 

 having on the estates herds of milch and other cattle. This restric- 

 tion may be in the interests of the proprietors of the estates, although I 

 have my doubts if it is so at the present time when nitrogenous manures 

 are unobtainable, but it has been and is very detrimental towards the 

 improvement of the live-stock of the colony, having done away with 

 excellent object-lessons given by highly skilled agriculturists and 

 stock farmers to small farmers and cattle-keepers. It is greatly to be 

 regretted in the interests of the colony at large that proprietors of sugar 

 estates, having deprived their managers of a highly valued perquisite 

 do not carry on a cattle and especially a swine industry as subsidiary to 

 sugar manufacture. 



There is, in my opinion, a great future before the colony as a stock- 

 raising country and hence the cessation of many of the important 

 cattle- raising enterprises which were being carried on in 189 7 along 

 the frontage of the coastlands from Skeldon in the east to Hampton 

 Court in the west is much to be regretted. Their place has been taken 

 to some extent by companies formed for ranching purposes. 



Still the increase of the cattle in the front lands of the colony from 

 about 70,000 head in 1897 to upwards of 99,000 head for 1918 has 

 been noticeable ; and is the more satisfactory because it has taken place 

 during a period in which the great outbreaks of anthrax in Berbice and 

 East Demerara occurred, whils tthe disastrous effect of the great droughts 

 of 1898 and 1899, and of 1911 and 1912 were accompanied by very high 

 rates of mortality amrug the coastland cattle. It has been estimated that 

 the low-level coastlanus and river savannahs could supply pasturage suffi- 



