FOOD OP THE SLATES. 
249 
^'alf for ahnientary plants and pasturage (potrero). The 
price of land varies, naturally, according to the quality of 
tile soil, and the proximity of the ports of tlie Ilavanuah, 
Hlantauzas, and Mariel. In a circuit of twenty-five leagues 
round the Havaunah, the caballeria may he estimated at two 
or three thousand piastres. For a produce* of 32,000 
arrohas (or 2000 cases of sugar), the ynge.uio must have at 
least three hundred negroes. An adult .and acclimated slave 
is worth from four hundred and fifty to five hundred piastres ; 
a hozal negro, adult, not acclimated, three hundred and 
seventy to four hundred piastres. It is probable that a negro 
costs annually, in nourishment, clothing, and medicine, 
forty-five to fifty piastres ; consequently, witli the interest 
of tile capital, and deducting the holidays, more than twenty- 
f'vo sous per day. Idie slaves are fed T-ith tasajo (meat 
dried in the sun) of Buenos Ayres and Caracas ; salt-fish 
(bacalao), when the tamjo is too dear ; and vegetables (vian- 
das), such as pumpkins, muuatos, batatas, and maize. An 
arroba of tasajo was worth ten to twelve re-.is at Guinea, 
in 1801- ; .and from fourteen to sixteen in 1825. An 
yngenio, such as we hero suppose (with a produce of 32,000 
to 40,000 arrohas), requires, 1st, three machines with cylin- 
ders put in motion by oxen (trapiches), or two water-wheels ; 
2nd, according to the old Spanish method, which, by a slow 
fire causes a great consumption of wood, eighteen cauldrons 
(piezas); according to the first method of reverberation 
(introduced since the year 1801 by Mr. Bailli of Saint 
Domingo, under the auspices of Don Nicolas Calvo,) three 
^^arijicadoras, three peilas, and two traines de taclios (each 
train has three ^/c«as), in all twelveyb«i7os. It is commonly 
Asserted, that three arrohas of refined sugar, yield one 
barrel of miel, and that the molasses are sufficient for the 
* There arc very few plantations in the whole island of Cuba capable 
of furnishing 40,000 arrohas ; among these few are the yngmio of Rio 
l^laiico, or of the Marquess del Area, and those belonging to Don Rafael 
^farrel, and Dofia Felicia Jaurregui. Sugar-houses arc thought to be 
"'’Dry considerable that yield 2000 cases annually, or 32,000 arrohas (nearly 
368,000 kilogrammes.) In the French colonies, it is generally computed 
that the third or fourth part only of the laud is allotted for the plantation 
/oorf, (bananas, ignames, and batates) ; in the Spanish colonies, a 
greater suiface is lost in pasturage ; this is the natural consequence of the 
^id habits of the haciendas de yanado» 
