224 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
The best economy we can aim at is that which will tend to 
increase the yield of the cacao tree. It is altogether too small, 
only 4 to /i cwt. per acre and it is only the great cheapness 
with which an estate can be worked that makes it a profitable 
investment. The prosperity of the cacao industry must therefore 
be considerably affected by the collapse of sugar, unable as it 
will be to assume any great part of the charges indirectly borne 
by sugar, and this is a point well worthy of the attention of 
(government as it is of our planters. 
Grenada at the present time is dependent mainly on cacao, 
a paying industry from the time it became of any importance 
and yet we hear that there is more distress there than in Trini 
dad. Are we certain that it will be different with us should sugar 
fad altogether? Our security depends much indeed on what new 
industries we can implant successfully, especially such as will 
thrive on old cane ands, and as this must be a question of time 
oui welfare demands that the sugar industry should live till we 
discover those alternative products which can replace it. Should 
ined ' with Ve 1106 m ° r a “ faV0 ? r o£ 8U 8 at ' mUt:h wi*U h *ve been 
gained with the new industries introduced, and though it may 
w 16 pnde ° f pkce ’ Trinidad is certain of greater 
prosperity if sugar continues to be one of its chief exports for 
tir rS P ° Wer <* industry must notLy’bfa 
ofThe colony reS ° UrC6 ’ “ lmpetUS to the general trade 
COCONUTS. — Conclusion. 
the t hnd'LTb • a3 V,' lUCh °. n l , he coconut industry, though it holds 
be third lank in the agriculture of the island It comes more 
fsX L^ r io the t Pad i° f SUbsidiary industries, and this paper 
address TOu°on°thp i° T / P °a that question. Mr. Hart will 
authority. . SU 1J6C ’ and no one can do so with greater 
nuts irTlSr^to"] 0 ! Wotool^TsgVrr “ eXp ° rfc ° f 
of the agriculture 
“ la, S <: quantities and consumed entirely |n " man " faotu , r f C 
importance of the trade cannot, he gaugedmernt \ 0ny ’ * 
Ihe excellent food for stock contained in the meal 7 T “ST 
been extracted is another valuable nrodner u’ after 0,1 haS 
and the demand for it is considerably in excess”^ S0U « bt after ' 
although its use is not yet general on „ „ f of the production, 
m coconuts is 14,000 aires.^boufone-th rd^f J he total acrea g e 
yeai ly m cane. d of the acreage reaped 
