3 



children, about 50 turkeys are employed, and are slowly driven up and 

 down the rows by women. The birds have become so accustomed to 

 their work that they seem to know what is required of them, and they 

 destroy enormous numbers of pests. To still further diminish the num- 

 bers of troublesome pests, large bath-pans are stood on elevated platforms, 

 about six orseven feet above the ground, and are half tilled with water with 

 a little kerosine oil floating on the surface. Over each bath-pan a hurri- 

 cane lantern is suspended. The lanterns are lighted after dusk, and the 

 lights attract moths and other nocturnal insects, and large numbers of 

 them are drowned in the bath-pans. We may infer that many of the 

 insects thus destroyed are females about to lay their eggs, so that by this 

 simple, and comparatively inexpensive contrivance, much trouble and 

 loss are avoided. I may mention here that a small plot of land is being 

 cultivated in the following fashion: the bush was cleared and burnt; and 

 at a distance of 18 inches in the row, holes were dug 1 foot deep by 9 

 inches diameter; distance between the rows 3 feet. This will be planted, 

 and will receive the care usually given to the Tobacco plant, and the 

 results will be carefully noted. The tobacco curing houses are situated 

 in the midst of the plantation, on rising ground. One house was com- 

 plete, and at the time of my visit :vas being rapidly filled with tobacco, 

 another was in course of conduction; and a third one will probably be 

 necessary. Tho greatest care is taken that the tobacco leaves shall not 

 come in contact with tho ground; they are gummy, and if allowed to 

 touch the earth small particles of soil adhere to them, and these, when 

 dry, become gritty and injure the leaves, and altogether lessen their 

 value. The plants are cut, carefully strung on bamboo poles, ani are re- 

 moved to the curing house without loss of time. Ths curing houses are 

 each 109 feet in length by 29 feet in width, and will hold about 100,000 

 plants each. There is a path down the centre of about five feet wide, 

 and the sides are then divided into seven sections, each 12 feet by 12 

 feet. 



The buildings are substantial structures, made of good Pitch Pine 

 lumber, thatched with leaves of the thatch palm (Thrinax). The sides 

 are boarded, and the boards are placed upright from the sills to the wall 

 plates ; every alternate board is hinged, and they are made to open out- 

 wards and act as ventilators. A hygrometer is kept in the curing house 

 and is frequently consulted, and the ventilation is regulated according 

 to the moisture indicated by tho instrument. The mean humidity daily 

 varies between 68 o/o and 88 o/o highest 94 o/o lowest 54 o/o. 



An expert tobacco curer is now on the way out to take charge of 

 the crop during the curing process. Just behind the curing houses there 

 is an ash shed capable of holdiug 400 barrels of ashes, to be used for 

 fertilising the land for next crop. This will be for the present the only 

 form of manure, or fertiliser used for tobacco. 



I was shown some corn (maize) plants, the seeds of which were 

 sown on the 9th November ; two months later the ground was required 

 for tobacco, and the corn plants, then about three feet high, were pulled, 

 and are being dried, when they will be used for feeding stock. 



Dried Banana factory. Leaving the tobacco field, the dried 

 banana factory was visited. Visitors are not usually admitted to this 



