AGRICULTURE iN 1829. 377 
to deter the unwary and ignorant from using them, Astrin- 
gency seems to be the predominating quality ‘of three- 
fourths of all the vegetables and, from the infusion of their 
leaves in the pools and creeks, persons unaccustomed 
to the use of such water are frequently, in first drinking 
it, seized with a violent cholera morbus; this is however 
merely a transient inconvenience. One would suppose 
that nature had so generally diffused this principle to 
counteraét the predisposition to laxity of the solids pro- 
duced by the heat of the climate. Be this as it may, the- 
Gallic Acid is here without a competitor in the work of 
vegetable analysis. 
The rainy season is the period of quickest vegetation ; 
from March to June succulent European herbs may be 
raised with great success, and indeed throughout the year 
the kitchen garden in careful hands may be brought to 
produce a daily supply of most European vegetables, 
which form a pleasing variation from the usual indige- 
nous produétions, highly salutary and gratifying to the 
palate. 
SCIENCES AND ARTS. 
This is rather a barren subje&t in Demerara; indi- 
viduals of talent and abilities are not rare, but no public 
establishments exist to give the Arts and Sciences “a 
local habitation and a name.” The Essequebo Agricul- 
tural Society has indeed latterly been making consider- 
able efforts to reverse its former fame, having hitherto 
been little more than a Mutton and Madeira Club. The 
late promulgation of certain rewards and prizes for im- 
provements within its sphere, gives great hopes that it 
will become as respeétable as a body as it has ever been 
in the charaéters of the individuals that compose it, 
NN 2 
