Agricultural and Commercial Society. 63 
potatoes from each bank. This will outstrip former 
records, but the condition of the cultivation fully 
justifies such a hope. 
The cost of weeding a bed of provisions in this district 
may be put down at six shillings, but rarely is hired 
labour given an opportunity to earn a livelihood in 
these farms. Plantains require about four weedings 
per crop, potatoes one, cassava and yams being generally 
placed contiguous to the plantain trees, share in the 
benefits of the weeding carried out on behalf of the latter. 
The cost of digging drains is about sixteen shillings per 
bed, while those abutting on the potato rows may be 
dug for one shilling per bank. It may be necessary to 
again state that these rates are only approximate and 
cannot be taken as a criterion for the whole colony or 
even for the entire district. 
The prices obtained for provisions vary, like every 
article of commerce, according to the relation subsisting 
for the time being between supply and demand. There 
is no doubt whatever that an adequate outlet is not 
always at the beck of the farmer. When provisions are 
plentiful, the largest bunch of plantains may be had for 
a mere bagatelle, and this unwonted cheapness, so 
appreciable to the purcliaser, means to the planter a 
further reduction of his modest income. At the present 
moment the inundation of the lands in the Pomeroon 
has led to a dearth of provisions in that quarter ; this 
coupled with a simultaneous shortage on the East Coast, 
has increased the value of plantains to an extent with- 
out parallel for some time past. Just now 1/4 to 1/8 can 
be obtained for a bunch which not long since would 
