304 
PROCEEDINGS OF the VICTORIA institute. 
. Rice , and I notice it is being rapidly extended. 
‘ , , a i®. produced is treated for local consumption in a 
somewbat primitive fashion, but if the industry grows as it pro- 
Demerara 1Ila ^ ^ 866 ^ r * C6 our midst, as they now have in 
crnw^f*? 8 i t0 me that ltfuch more provisions ought to be 
vnul . i° r l0Cal cons umption, and from what I see in all the 
i 8 y "‘ s neai t !e populous districts, any industrious man, 
„ i ™ a 'e a very good living by turning his attention to this, 
stuff. * 7 entreating the soil. Why should so much food 
i V e ?i UUe ° i )e nnp oi 'ted, when they can profitably be raised 
here by the people themselves ? 
p Th 1 e ! e , ar ? other , Agricultural products which might be 
* red t0 . hut tmie does not permit. I will say nothing of the 
frn Ur ff s 0 .-Trinidad as a commercial centre, these are great 
“ m t he geographical position of the island alone ; and I hope 
the Matn'land 866 ° Ut Ca T^ ta ^ tbe emporium of great trade with 
^ I 3 ” 1 a ^' ;U< ^ J 10w I? ver ’ that if the proposed scheme of under- 
groundsewerage for Port-of-Spain is carried out, with the inevit- 
• onsequence of typhoid and other fevers, which must re- 
n a r0 P lc al city where there is not a very large supply of 
t ’ - ?nc " ®£ e germs will luxuriate in the obscurity essential 
1 , e ” ® r ,°. w 1 a " d . reproduction ; this dream will take a long 
p, 1 ea ize. This matter is one which greatly interests me 
16I +e S ’ ‘i n< * may P oss 'hly ask your permission to give a 
paper on the subject at some future date. 
bifnJ; he m ' nei ' a l resources of Trinidad are so far confined to 
U1, 0US ffia er f L AH of you know better than I can say 
e vast amount of wealth contained in the famous Pitch Lake 
errin’ a v d fr °“. the geological construction of the island I 
manv ^ S °e j n various forms can be found in 
w on in . 0 *he island, but whether in such a form as 
reauires fn t, 1 i, U ° j ta ’ f to w ork them, is a problem that still 
inp n ii , e so ve d. A great deal more could be said regard- 
allow n er '" r0Und resources i than the limits of this paper will 
more, 1 narHnn?Pi inade( l uatel y endeavoured to give you my ideas, 
mainlv rpl 1 P re g a rdmg Agriculture, on which we must 
and the annl^ “ n ° doubt > bufc with proper cultivation 
expected TnmfT ° f knowledge, much more may be 
In dfe pLt r S 6 ?!, m the futUre than bas b een obtained 
permission coni' i • ave nofc wearied you and may with your 
pei mission, continue this paper at a later date. 
