8 8 Timehri. 



GENERAL POSSIBILITIES. 



Cattle. 



10. It is certain that both on the coast savannahs and the interior 

 beyond the forest belt both very small and very large capitalists can find 

 a profitable investment in raising cattle and many hundreds of the African 

 and Asiatic races can make a handsome living. The stock on the coast 

 ranches doubles itself every four or five years and the death-rate over the 

 last eight years has averaged under three per cent. So far the export has 

 been in practice confined to Surinam and Cayenne and is as yet unimpor- 

 tant. We could, however, in a short time supply Trinidad (which suffers 

 from special Venezuelan imposts on West Indian trade). A cattle track 

 has now been cut to the Eupununi Savannahs and will soon be available 

 for the passage of cattle to be fattened on the coast ranches for the market. 

 Brazilian cattle will also find a market. 



Balata. 



11. The balata industry now employs about 3,600 hands. One firm 

 alone would employ 500 more men of the African race if it could get them. 

 The return of a good bleeder is about $250 for a season's work (or $150 

 after repayment of advances for provisions and wife's allowances) after 

 which he can work on the coast lands or on his own farm elsewhere. Super- 

 intendents of course obtain still better pay. Bleeders are almost invariably 

 employees but they work on a commission basis. The death-rate in this 

 industry is even less than one per cent, showing that our forests have 

 none of the dangers to health of African or other South American forests. 

 There are large areas still only partially tapped and the grants held for 

 years by local firms are only partly explored owing to the vast areas of 

 territory. 



Mining. 

 12. The scope for the independent expert miner or prospector is enor- 

 mous. The indications point to magnificent mineral resources in bauxite, 

 gold, iron, other metals and diamonds. There is room for the individual 

 worker and the small capitalists of all races especially white, black and 

 Chinese. 



Timber. 

 13. The lumber industry in this colony is practically in its infancy 

 and owing to the demand for timber for war reconstruction, papor pulp 

 and other requirements offers great advantages to large capitalists who 

 can command an access to an existing market. Greenheart and Mora and 

 other valuable woods exist in large quantities but cannot be handled 

 without considerable expenditure and a greatly increased labour supply 

 especially of blacks. We have over seventy thousand square miles of 

 accessible virgin primeval forests. 



The possibilities for local working men cither independently or in 

 employment are countless. The independent woodcutter could vary his 

 employment by taking up coast work at certain seasons. He could also 

 engage in the balata industry. 



