210 On Norfolk Is land , 



true, but it is understood that sufficient will be left to main- 

 tain the stock for the new residents. 



Whilst a convict station, upwards of 1200 acres have 

 been brought under cultivation for agricultural purposes. 

 The chief produce has been rye, oats, and Indian corn. The 

 soil and climate are not adapted to the growth of wheat ; 

 several times it has been tried unsuccessfully. The crops 

 were most uncertain, chiefly owing to rust and smut. The 

 fungi of these diseases were speedily developed, and proved 

 destructive by their rapid dissemination. The farm operations 

 have always been effected by manual labour ; yet that it has 

 not been unproductive is shown by the returns for three 

 consecutive years, obtained from the Commissariat-office. 

 There were harvested in 



1845 425,305 lbs. of maize, or about 8507 bushels. 



1846 421,790 ft)S. ditto 8435 bushels. 



1847 711, 296 lbs. ditto 14,225 bushels. 



There were two large gardens belonging to the Govern- 

 ment : one at the Cascades, the other at a lovely spot called 

 Orange Yale. In these, as well as in the private grounds 

 of the civil and military officers, the variety and luxuriance 

 of produce were extreme, the chief labour arising from the 

 necessity of constant weeding. At the dinner table of some 

 of the residents I have observed seven or eight different 

 kinds of vegetable obtained the same day from their gardens. 

 It may be well to enumerate some of the things cultivated, 

 in order to show the capabilities of the island in this respect. 



The Coffee-plant thrives well, and yields berries of small 

 size and good flavour, 



The common or round potato is cultivated, but not with 

 success, although four crops are produced yearly from the 

 same soil. There is a great tendency to run to stalk, from 



