AUGUST, i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
9* 
the finest estates are worth from 110s. to 140s per 
cwt., averaging 120s. to 125s.; eight average 90s per 
cwt., eight more 75s. per cwt.; eight are worth from 
54s. to 65s.; and two about 47s. There are also 
twelve samples of Peaberry from 70s. for the lowest 
to 105s. for the best; and two samples of Liberian 
worth 56s. and 50s. per cwt. St. Kitts, Antigua and 
Montserrat sent coffee, good quality to ordinary, value 
60s. to 50s. per cwt. 
Dominica. — Ooffee was, at the beginning of the 
present century, the leading article of export from 
this island, and it was then considered one of the 
best kinds produced in the West Indies. The trees 
however, were attacked, some forty years ago bv 
an insect blight, which spread devastation among' the 
plantations, and destroyed the greater portion of 
them, so reducing the production that at the present 
time it is hardly equal to the consumption of the 
island. Cultivation is now reviving to some extent 
and it appears that the Might, although still in 
existence, is comparatively harmless at high elevations 
The. Liberian variety has also been introduced There 
is an abundance of fine forest land and rich soil on 
the slopes of the bold mountains which cover the 
country, with plenty of moisture, conditions which are 
eminently favourable to the growth of coffee. Of the 
ten samples exhibited, two are of very small hard 
heavy, greenish bean, worth about 70s. per cwt one 
pale native kind 60s., one Liberian 52s.; the remainder 
are of a good size, greenish to rather good green 
colour, and if properly picked and prepared would be 
worth from 63s. to 76s. per ewt. 
Barbados.- -One sample, ordinary pale uneven native 
sort, 52s., and one sample of very well prepared good 
bluish plantation, of even size, though a little rough 
80s. per cwt. b ' 
Grenada.— One sample, large pale greenish, useful 
quality, 54s. 
Tobago — Two samples of dull greenish and brownish 
Creole coffee, not sized, but good of its kind, 56s to 
58s. per cwt. 
Trinidad.— Ten samples are exhibited. Two of them 
consist of very common dull brown and red badly 
prepared coffee, worth 47s. ; four are Creole, or pale 
native kind, of a useful quality, ranging in value from 
o2s. to 54s.; the others are better, and, with more 
care m their preparation, might be turned into good 
coffee, worth probably 60s. or 70s.; but being imper- 
fectly picked, ana of a brownish colour, their value 
is reduced to 58s. to 60s. per cwt. There appears to 
be a good deal of land suitable for opening into coffee 
gardens or plantations, and planting has been carried 
on lately on a larger scale. It is to be hoped that 
the botanic gardens which supply plants from their 
nurseries will endeavour to provide . none but those 
grown from the best seed of Cnffea arabica, which 
can easily be procured from Jamaica or from New 
Grenada. In an island where the cultivation and 
preparation of cocoa has been brought to such a 
degree of perfection, there ought to be no lack of 
skilled labour to prepare coffee much better than is 
apparent from the samples exhibited. The shape and 
size of the berries show that the soil and climate 
are favourable, and that it is only labour, care, and 
value Whl ° h arerequired to 6 ive the cof Jee its proper 
In concluding this report, it is difficult to avoid 
alluding to the extraordinary treatment to which coffee 
subjected at the bands of tho British Government. 
Were the same amount of fair play and protection 
against fraud extended to it as is accorded to tea 
»t is probable that the greater portion of the 35,000 
tons of British-grown coffee would be retained for 
Home consumption, instead of a paltry 14,000 tons 
or at the rate of about 15 ozs. per head of population 
per annum, against 24 lb. per head in France, 5 lb. 
would almost seem as if the Treasury, which is 
<Hr.v ly n-.pons.ble for tho legislation on the subject, 
™L A. UP ° U tlisc ou raging, by every means in its 
power, the Me of one of the most delicious and 
bene h.-eni ot tho non-alcoholic drinks, by the sanction 
Wflren it gives to its adulteration with any vegetablo 
matter ; it is impossible to recognise coffee in the 
wretched mixtures which are sold in every shop and 
store, or in the thick, dark liquid which is served 
under that name in many of the coffee palaces and 
temperance houses throughout the kingdom. No 
wonder that consumption decreases year by year, not 
of coffee alone, but even of chicory and mixtures. 
The Local Government Board and the Board of H.M.'s 
Customs join, in their annual reports, in ascribing the 
diminishing revenue from coffee, and chicory to adulter- 
ation, and in condemning the present legislation 
on the subject. Surely those who are engaged in 
the cultivation, importation, and trading in coffee, 
ought to combine to make an effort to obtain redress 
for what is acknowledged almost on all hands to be 
a crying injustice. 
Tobacco. 
St. Lucia Tobacco. — From the size and development 
of the leaf, it would seem that the soil might be made 
suitable to the growth of tobacco, provided great care 
and attention were paid to the choice of the seed 
and the selection of the site. The sample exhibited 
indicates that, with careful cultivation, very saleable 
tobacco might be produced. 
Trinidad Tobacco is too thin for English use. The 
sample grown by J. J. St. Hill wants body to produce 
more elasticity in the leaf. The sample grown by 
C. Fabian and Son has more body, but from the 
size of its leaf would only be suitable for fillers. The 
tobacco used in the manufacture of segars from 
Barbadoes and Antigua, is hardly (in comparison with 
segar tobaccos of other growths) suitable for anything 
but very common descriptions, and limited to local 
consumption only. The specimens from Jamaica and 
Trinidad exhibit better material and workmanship, 
and may be classed as good medium sorts, but, as 
such, their production can only have a local interest. 
The segar manufacturers in England, and in Europe 
generally, have at their command a great variety of 
the best growths which the world supplies, and of 
the best skilled labour. A genuine import trade in 
anything but certain specialities, such as finest Havana 
and Manilla segars, cannot be looked for as possible 
in England or the Continent, and, apart from the 
disadvantage of differential duties which some imports 
would have to encounter, even the best specimens 
from these islands could not compete in quality or 
economy with ordinary medium goods manufactured 
here and elsewhere. I may mention, however, in 
spite of this report, that Trinidad segars sold well 
at the Exhibition, as did those of the Bahamas, made, 
however, in the latter case, from Cuba leaf. In 
referring to these Bahamas manufactured segars, 
which are equal to the finest Havana, I may here 
give an illustration of the shrewdness of our American 
cousins in all matters connected with the introduction 
of new industries into any portion of their possessions. 
Their tariff puts a very heavy duty on segars from 
Cuba, whilst the leaf tobacco is admitted at a much 
lower duty. As a result, Key 'West, an island off 
the Florida coast, belonging to the United States, 
has monopolised all the segar trade of the Cubans 
with the United States. A large number of Cubans 
have settled and established factories there ; the 
population has increased twenty times during the 
last ten years, land has been bought up, and more 
enhanced in value, and a most thriving community 
now exists. Cubans are ready to do the same work 
for Nassau, if some concession on the duty could bo 
made by the Home Government, on British Colonial 
manufactured segars imported into Euglaud. I fear 
it is hopeless to expect this, but with tho bounty 
system in foreign countries continued for long, the 
time will come when we shall have to win back our 
prosperity by such a process, and up-hill work will 
it be. Thero are good grounds for the conclusion 
that many of our West Indian Colonies possess the 
capabilities necessary for the successful cultivation of 
marketable tobaccos, and even, in some instances, of 
the higher and more costly classes, suitable fur tho 
manufacture of segars. The tobacco leaf, wheu grown 
in couutrios far apart from each other, varies greatly 
