THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 149 



slave, and it was claimed that on some estates from one-half to three-fourths 

 of a ton of clean lint was produced for each working slave, but McKinnen 

 says that most planters were satisfied to get one-sixth of the latter quantity. 

 The best cotton was grown on the higher lands. The cultivation of this crop, 

 however, was not a permanent success, for McKinnen, who visited the Islands 

 in 1802-03, says: "The plantations on Crooked Island for the most part were 

 deserted, and the proprietors visited were generally in a state of despondency, 

 from an agricultural point of view, as to the future." This probably was also 

 true of all the other islands. The failure of cotton was due chiefly to the 

 attacks of insects, but other causes were also operative. A committee of 

 planters who investigated the problem at the time reported that besides the 

 insects attacking cotton, the other causes that could be assigned for the failure 

 of cotton growing were : the use of land unsuited to its culture, the injudi- 

 cious and wasteful methods of clearing the land, and the exhaustion of the 

 soil by unremitted tillage. Since that time the production of cotton has de- 

 creased, and upon the abolition of slavery in 1834 it ceased to be an important 

 crop. At times, however, there has been a revival of the industry, and the 

 production has temporarily increased. As late as 1898 the export of cotton 

 was 10,783 pounds, valued at £143. Besides cotton, citrus and other fruits 

 were produced. 



According to McKinnen, " Guinea corn was universally cultivated, and 

 was an agreeable and nutritious grain." He also states that the exports from 

 the Islands included salt, turtles, mahogany, dye and other woods, and barks. 

 It appears also from his report that the people were generally engaged in 

 wrecking, as wrecks were numerous among the islands, and that the earnings 

 from this source were considerable. 



Slavery played an important part in the early agriculture of the Islands. 

 This system was abolished in 1834, and the suddenness of the change left the 

 agricultural industry of the Islands in a demoralized condition. The fine 

 estates that had been built up were abandoned, the owners either moving to 

 Xassau or leaving the Islands altogether. 



Passing now to more recent developments in the agriculture of the 

 Islands, pineapples have gradually increased in importance, becoming a staple 

 product of export. Their production has increased until, in 1900, the exports 

 amounted to 7,000,000 dozens. At one time the Bahamas enjoyed a monopoly 

 of the pineapple trade with the United States, but in late years that position 

 has been lost, owing partly to the strong competition of Jamaica, Cuba and 

 Florida. 



