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the birds, it has taken possession of the cane-pieces, 

 whence to eradicate it is an utter impossibility, the 

 roots being as strong as those of ginger, and in- 

 sinuating themselves under ground to a great 

 extent; so that the only means of preventing it 

 from entirely choking up the canes, is plucking it 

 out with the hand, which is obliged to be done 

 frequently, and has increased the labour of the 

 plantation at least one third. This nuisance, which 

 is called " Vassal's grass," from its original in- 

 troducer, has now completely over-run the parish of 

 Westmoreland, has begun to show itself in the 

 neighbouring parishes, and probably in time will 

 get a footing throughout the island. St. Thomas's 

 in the East, has been inoculated with another self- 

 inflicted plague, under the name of " the rifle- 

 ant," which was imported for the purpose of eating 

 up the ants of the country \ and so to be sure they 

 did,but into the bargain they eat up every thing else 

 which came in their way, a practice in which they 

 persist to this hour ; so that it may be doubted 

 whether in Jamaica most execrations are bestowed 

 in the course of the day upon Vassal's grass, the 

 rifle-ants, Sir Charles Price's rats, or the Reporter 

 of the African Society ; only that the maledictions 

 uttered against the three first are necessarily local, 

 while the Reporter of the African Society comes 

 in for curses from all quarters. 



