44 tlMEHRI. 
when taking in land in the river disti6ls for provision 
growing, would at the same time plant cocoa trees 
and attend to them, they would in time greatly im- 
prove their position, and doubtless establish a paying 
industry. The coffee industry at one time flourished 
in this Colony. The coffee plant thrives in well drained 
loamy soils and grows readily if suitable localities are 
sele6led for its cultivation. It is difficult to under- 
stand why our farmers do not grow all the coffee re- 
quired for local consumption. They appear, generally 
speaking, very unwilling to take up the cultivation of 
any plant that requires to be tended for years without 
giving any return, preferring the quicker, if less satis- 
fa6lory, results obtained by growing plantains, cassava, 
sweet potatoes, and such like crops. The tobacco plant 
grows readily and luxuriantly in this Colony, and exper- 
iments in growing it are constantly being made. Much 
difficulty however has been experienced in curing the 
leaf, and the quality of the tobacco made leaves a good 
deal to be desired. The services of a competent and 
pra6lical expert in cultivation and preparation should be 
secured, and an endeavour made to arrive at a definite 
conclusion as to whether tobacco of a good quality can 
be grown and manufa6lured here. If this Society had 
surplus funds at its disposal it might vote a sum suffi- 
cient to cover the expenditure necessary. Many fibre- 
yielding plants grow in the Colony, and experiments in 
cultivation, &c., have been made, but so far with little 
success. The most promising is ramie fibre, but the 
severe droughts experienced here would render its culti- 
vation unprofitable. When at Home last year I saw 
jnegass in the course of being manufa6lured into paper 
