Report of Society's Meetings. 425 



Bonne Intention was the polariscope estimation of the 

 juice in the villagers' canes ; he thou!2;ht a uniform price 

 per ton of the canes would be better. As for the drain- 

 ing of the villages, the difficulties were not greater than on 

 the estates. The back lands of the villages were charged 

 too high a rent — $i*oo an acre per month; this was too 

 much for cane land, for it would swallow up the profit. 

 He then went on to speak of cotton farming, which was 

 once such an important industry in the colony. He did 

 not see why, if it could be grown in uhe Southern States 

 at the present low prices, the people on the East Coast 

 could not grow it. 



The Hon. Mr. Gilzean spoke in favour of the paper 

 being referred to the Agricultural Committee. He had 

 had a great deal to do with the buying of canes at La 

 Bonne Intention and thought that evidence should be 

 taken from planters and villagers before anything were 

 done. 



After Mr. W. Cunningham had spoken of the wire 

 trolley system as a means of getting over the difficulty 

 of transferring the canes, it was agreed to refer the 

 matter to the Agricultural Committee. 



The Hon. Mr. Jones called attention to some specimens 

 of canes lying on the table, which had been destroyed 

 by leaf fungus. 



Professor Harrison said that cane fields when affe6led 

 produced less sugar, but the disease was not very des- 

 tru6live. 



Mr, Jones also gave an account of his experience in 

 the cultivation of Ramie. 



The annexed letter to the chairman, on jute cultiva- 

 tion, was referred to the Agricultural Committee : — 



3H2 



