AGRICULTURE IN 1820. AQ 
_A prevalence of northerly winds after the blossom, in- 
fallibly produces what is called the blast; this is known 
by the pod becoming full of red spots, afterwards turning 
» black, and, on opening all such pods, the wool will be 
» found destroyed and discoloured, and the seeds rotten. | In 
some. seasons, not an estate in the whole colony escapes 
the blast, and of late years the country, being more 
cleared, and the cultivation consequently less sheltered 
in such situations, it has not been possible to keep up 
| the cultivation in consequence. 
In the month of June or July immense flocks of 
a palish yellow Butterfly, the males of which are of a 
bright gold colour, may be seen flying from the-east to 
the south-west. 
These deposit their larvez in the grass of the savannahs 
and cotton fields, and when the grub comes out another 
pest makes its appearance, fully as destruétive as the 
blast. This is called the shrivel, and so rapid is its 
ower of destru€tion that in 48 hours an estate in full 
prospeét of a great crop will appear as if fire had gone 
through it; not a leaf, a blossom, or a pod being left 
upon the trees, which appear like a desert of dry sticks. 
Cotton, however, is of quick growth, and with all its 
uncertainty gives a fair return if its value in the market 
be one shilling per pound, or if negroes to cultivate it can 
be procured at less than £100 per head, the expenses of 
its cultivation being very trifling. 
The British Government has often declared its objeét 
in keeping possession of these Colonies to be the pre- 
servation of the cotton cultivation, And the steps they 
have taken for this purpose may be duly appreciated 
when it is known that shortly after their becoming 
G 
