required to spin and weave the same, tered from the northern winds by our and the managers' wives will be expected to give particular attention to this department, so essential to economical management. 12th. A vegetable or kitchen garden will be established and well cultivated, so that there may be, at all seasons, an abundance of wholesome and nutritious vegetables for the negroes, such as cabbages, potatoes, turnips, beets, peas, beans, pumpkins, &c. 13th. A horn will be sounded every night at nine o'clock, after every negro will be required to be at his quarters, and to retire to rest; and that this rule may be strictly enforced, the manager will frequently, but at irregular and unexpected hours of the night, visit the quarters and see that all are present, or punish absentees. 14th. Each manager will do well to organize in his neighborhood, whenever practicable, patrol parties, in order to detect and punish irregularities of the negroes, which are generally committed at night. But lest any patrol party visit his plantation without apprising him of their intention, he will order the negroes to report to him every such visit, and he will promptly, upon receiving such report, join the patrol party, and see that they strictly conform to the law whilst on his plantation, and abstain from committing any abuse. In a late number of the Manchester Guardian appears a paper upon the Cultivation of Cotton in Trinidad, in which the author, whilst he admits the appropriateness of climate, considers the present free negro population of the island as untirely unfit for any profitable industry, and proposes to obtain laborers from Barbadoes and from the United States. He says: The failure of Mr. Walkinshaw's experiment does not determine the question of the policy and feasibility of establishing cotton growth to any desired extent in the island. From Point Galeota to Point Icacos, that is to say, the south ern coast of this island (nineteen-twentieths of which are, at the present moment, in the hands of the crown) presents a cotton field of seventy-five miles, along the windings of the coast, in length, varied by a breadth of from one to six miles say three miles of the finest cotton land in the known world. Through out its entire breadth, the lands are shel southern chain of mountains; and on the spot already exists every necessary for buildings. The only drawback that exists to its occupation would be the difficulty of reaching it in the present unopened state of the country; but as the attention of the government is already seriously directed towards making a road from San Fernando to the mission of Savannah Grande, it would not be a very gigantic undertaking to connect the spot where they terminate their labors with Moronga; and so connected, the whole seaboard would then be "come-at-able" with ease. Another apparent, but not real, disadvantage of this locality is, that it is almost destitute of population. I say this is not really a disadvantage; because if sugar is still to continue the staple of this colony, it would be impolitic to trespass on the present laboring popu lation for a supply; in fact, the planters want twice the quantity they now have. But even supposing this population available to the cotton grower, I much question the policy of using it. Our peasantry is decidedly the most apathetic and lazy in the world, and, more than all, they are not only unskilled, but manifest a decided objection to the proper use of agricultural implements. Hoe husbandry, and hoe husbandry alone, is their forte; and I am of opinion that, although the young may hereafter be convinced of the utility of implement assistance, you will never get the adult population to adopt it. Now, without implemental husbandry, to grow cotton at a paying rate anywhere would be impossible, simply because it would have to compete with the implementary husbandry of other places-and there is no doubt of the result of such a competition and hence, I contend that, even if available, it would be impolitic to employ our present population, lazy and unskilled as it undoubtedly is, where nothing but energy and intelligence can hope for success; and I view the isolation of our southern coast as an advantage to any cottongrowing undertaking, inasmuch as the population brought to work the soil would stand less chance of the contaminating influence of our most inferior peasantry. The people in the northern section of the United States would be much less adapted for such a cultivation than even our own population; but a finer peasantry, skilled in the most improved agricul Cotton in Trinidad--Cultivation of Grasses. tural implements, than the colored population of the slave states, are not to be found: and although they decidedly refused to go to Trinidad as the serfs of the sugar planter, they were ready to migrate, to a considerable number, if placed in a position of being independent of the whim and caprice, to say nothing else, of our proprietors and their managers. I took some pains to ascertain their feelings with regard to a migration to Trinidad, as cotton growers, and am well satisfied that arrangements might be made with them to move in large numbers-in fact, I had several propositions from them to that effect; and at a public meeting at Baltimore, they carried a resolution, requesting me to act as their agent here, to obtain them some concessions from the colonial government to this end; and I think that a comparatively small capital would annually command an immensely increasing population, engaged in cotton growth in this island. 179 yielded us a fine crop of grass, and is now very nearly ready for a second mowing. It is frequently cut five or six times in the course of one season, and yields a large crop of hay each time. During the last season, we measured a small lot in which it was growing, as accurately as we could by stepping it off, and found it to contain 1000 square yards, which is a little over one-fifth of an acre. After the grass which was cut off of it was sufficiently cured, we shocked it till it was dry enough to stack, and weighing an average shock, we found that the piece of ground had yielded 1,000 lbs. of hay; which, though not entirely cured, was sufficiently so to allow of its being safely stored in a house. This would make an acre yield nearly 5,000 lbs. at one cutting. This was the second or third cutting; and it yielded four crops, but none as heavy as the one we tried the experiment with. The soil in which it was grown was a deep sandy loam, highly manured, and The Cultivation of Grasses should originally rich. It is in vain to expect receive at the south much more at any land to yield so large a crop of any tention than it has in the past. The vegetable product, unless it is amply support of stock from the crib or grana- supplied with rich, stimulating manures. ty, is an expensive affair. We cannot "The method of propagating it is by expect northern grasses to thrive among the roots, which resemble very much us, but should adopt those of southern the cane roots of the country, but more latitudes. Dr. Withers, of Alabama, nearly the calamus root. In the West has sent us a paper in which he recom- Indies they propagate it by seed; but in mends the Guinea Grass as altogether this country, as far as my experience adapted to our wants: extends, the seed do not vegetate. I see in some of the books, however, that it is said to be raised from seed, but that is not my experience with it. My original stock was brought from Virginia, by Gen. J. H. Cocke, and consisted of about a double handful. By bedding them in a rich loam, we observed roots enough in the season to plant about an acre during the next. As it does not propagate itself by seeds, and is not liable to be taken up and scattered by the birds of the air, the wheels of vehicles, or the hoofs of animals, it spreads very slowly, and may be entirely eradicated by cultivating the land; or more effectually by turning hogs on it in winter, as they are very fond of the roots, and go to a great depth to obtain them. It spreads, however, gradually into the adjoining lands, and should not be planted near a garden, or any place into which hogs cannot be turned, when you should wish to eradicate it. "It is true, that it does not flourish in perpetual verdure here, as it does in Jamaica, but it grows luxuriantly for eight months in the year-and at a time when almost all our other artificial grasses are parched up by the heat of the sun. Being a native of the tropics, it rejoices in the genial heat of the summer's sun. Springing up in our climate with the first harbingers of spring, it bears repeated mowings till the chilling frosts of the fall. As is known to all of us, we had on the 7th April this year a severe freeze, which destroyed much of our corn, and all the cotton which was then growing. The Guinea grass was at that time high enough to mow, but it was killed nearly to the ground. Subsequently, the location on which it was grown was entirely overflowed, by the unprecedentedly high freshet at so late a season as the first of May, and remained upwards of a week under the water from the river; yet it has already "The method of planting is to lay off furrows about two feet apart, and drop is very tenacious of life, and bears transa piece of the root about as long as your planting well. finger, at two feet distance in the furrow. "The ground designed for the strawThis can be done at any time during berry bed should be plowed or spaded the winter, and it must be covered deep as deep as tools can well make it. If enough to protect it from the cold. A the soil is light and thin, a thick coat of slight working in the spring will give it swamp muck, or partially decomposed the start of the weeds and grass, and it leaves, with leached or unleached ashes, will soon root out every thing else. The will be fine to turn under. After the land on which it grows should be top- ground is pulverized and levelled, mark dressed with manure every season; and it off into rows two feet apart. Now when you perceive the grass is declining plant eight rows of Hovey seedling and from getting too thick, or by exhausting one of the early scarlet, two feet apart in the land, it should be well manured and the rows, and so continue until the bed deeply ploughed. I trench-ploughed is finished. We speak particularly of mine a year or two since, with evident these two varieties, as we should conadvantage. It is generally recommend- sider it labor lost to cultivate a variety ed to cut the grass for soiling, or for hay, which only gives fruit three or four when it is about two feet high. It is weeks in the season. And we have then very tender and succulent, and never found a finer fruit, in point of size stock of any kind will leave the finest and flavor, than the Hovey, and none blade fodder to eat it." finer flavored than the early scarlet. In our advertising columns will be Care should be taken that the plants are found a card from the editor of the "Soil put into the ground just as they came of the South," offering to supply STRAW- out of it-that is, with all their laterals BERRY plants, in the culture of which he spreading, and not all gathered together has obtained a very deserved celebrity. and crammed into a little hole. Now, We recommend his method below to if the object be to get a large number of the attention of our readers, and trust plants for another year, keep them well that this delightful fruit will hereafter worked with the hoe, and let the runnot be so rare among us. On another ners take root. The whole ground will occasion we shall give the experience be full by fall. But if fruit be the obof Mr. Longworth, of Cincinnati, whose ject, cover the whole surface of the success has been recognized by the ground with partially decomposed leaves horticultural societies of the whole coun- or straw-and as the first runners begin try. to show themselves, take them off. Care must be used in taking off the runners; they should be cut, and not pulled off, as careless servants will ruin many plants. When the vine has once commenced fruiting, it will show but little disposition to run, as its whole effort is to make the fruit-particularly if the vine is not over-stimulated. It is not enough that the strawberry bed is in a moist, cool location-for if the ground is moist, the plants want water to set the fruit, and to swell the fruit when set. It is asserted by some English cultivators that the plant should not have water when in bloom, as it washes the pollen away. This may do for England, but it does not do here. We care not how much water they have when in bloom. If the season proves dry, we give water to set the fruit by artificial rain; and unless it rains twice a week, we give artificial rain to swell the fruit, and then we give artificial rain to form the next fruit stems, and so on. Fear not to give "The secret of strawberry culture is, to cultivate for fruit, and not for vine or blossom. Much depends upon the locality of the strawberry bed. No tree or plant should be near it; the strawberry loves shade, but not a shade that sucks its very life-blood out. The lowest part of the garden, the bank of some little stream of water, are proper localities, and, where it is possible, select new land. As to the soil, our beds are on as poor pine land as gopher or salamander ever built into pyramids, and we believe it is pretty generally conceded now, within a circle of a few hundred miles, that we do occasionally have a strawberry. We do not know but a stiffer land may suit them better-but ours does well enough, and we are not disposed to act like that foolish healthy man, who was well, wished to be better, took medicine and died. The strawberry may be transplanted any time from September until March. The plant, properly taken up, Strawberry Culture-Hovey's Seedling. 181 too much water-water morning and beds. The leaves cracked under our evening. If grass and weeds show tread like glass. We picked a handful themselves, use the hoe freely. After it of large, shining, crimson berries, as is no longer an object to gather fruit, let solid as marble. Farewell, thought we, the vines run and mat together. In the to strawberries for this season. But in winter go through with the hoes, thin- fifteen days the beds were again crimson ning out from twelve to eighteen inches, with the fruit, and the market wagon leaving the cut-up vines to decay where daily supplying the market, which, in they were cut, and then cover the whole the absence of all other fruit, brought bed with leaves, straw, swamp-muck, fine prices. This demonstrates that the &c., but use no animal manure. Let strawberry crop is the most certain fruit the proportions of male and female crop cultivated at the South, and, taken plants remain the same as when first with its continuous bearing, certainly planted. We are astonished that in the makes it the most valuable. moister, colder latitudes of the North, "We have frequent applications for they do not have strawberries from frost strawberry seed. Strawberries will grow to frost again. The heavy frost the six- from the seed, but they do not produce teenth of April, three years ago, took their like. All the new varieties which our strawberry grounds in full fruit. We are sold as choice varieties, have been made an early rise the next morning, hybridized. There have been many and walked out with a long countenance, new seedlings produced from Hovey's to look at the destruction. Trees, shrubs seedling, hybridized with the greatest and plants were stiff in the cold embraces care; but as yet they bear no compariof Old Jack. Alas! the fruit was all son to that "ne plus ultra" of all strawgone. We strolled into the strawberry berries." ART. XI.-COMMERCIAL PROGRESS--HOME AND FOREIGN. COMMERCE OF SPAIN-LOUISIANA SHIP-BUILDING-COMMERCE OF MOBILE-STATISTICS OF SUGAR TRADE-COMMERCE OF CINCINNATI; OF CHARLESTON; OF SAVANNAH, ETC.-PROGRESS OF PITTSBURGH INDUSTRY-PHILADELPHIA AND NEW-YORK-GOLD TRADE OF GREAT BRITAIN REVENUE OF CANADA-LAKE TRADE-FREEDOM OF THE ST. LAWRENCE AUSTRALIA-CHILI. THE Commerce of Spain appears to be increasing, and in 1851 it reached, for imports, 687,648,640 reals, (for the value of this currency see art. on Cuba in present number,) and for exports, 497,507,432 reals. Of the imports, 259,165 reals were from America, and of the exports, 190,592,803 were to America. The American shipping engaged in the trade with Spain and her colonies, is as follows: Entered Spain on the Atlantic. 46 Mediterranean.. Canaries.. Manilla and Philippines. Porto Rico Cleared, Spain on the Atlantic.. Men and Vessels Tonnage Boys 68.. 15,101.. 599 2.. 309.. 13 ture of LOUISIANA granting a bonus of $5 per ton for every vessel over 100 tons burthen, which may be built in the state of Louisiana, and $4 per ton on every steamer. The bonus should attract foreign capital to our midst, for ship-building, since we have all the materials abundantly at hand, and the act will only be in force for five years. In our December number we presented some statistics of the commerce 391 of MOBILE for 1851-1852, and have condensed the previous years in " Indus21.. 9,993.. 289 trial Resources." For the last crop the .1548.355,545..14.700 average of prices was, in October, 6 to 294.. 48,336.. 2,217 94; November, 6 to 8; December, 6 40.. 14,688.. 513 to 81; January, 614 to 84: February, to 8; March, 6 to 834; April, 314 64 to 9; May, 6 to 101; June, 8 to 10%; 1627.361,732.15,252 average for season, 611⁄2 to 911⁄2 ; average 231. 36,320. 1,675 1850-1851, 834 to 12; 1850-10 to 12; 1849-5 to 7. 66 Mediterranean.. 41.. 9,676.. 376 Canaries Cuba Porto Rico.. An act has been passed by the legisla 614 OF MOBILE FOR TWO YEARS, TO DATE. 1850-1. COMPARATIVE EXPORTS OF STAVES FROM THE PORT spirits turpentine, 40 cents per gallon: 799 crude do. $1 75 to $2 per bbl.; 482 do. pitch, $3 per bbl. ; 258 do. tar, $2 per bbl.; 20 bbls. bright and varnish at 20 cents per gallon; and 3,019 bbls. rosin, $1 25 to 3 50 per bbl. 1851-2. Cuba Other ports. ...177,681. Costwise.. 50,800. 105,826 .360,779 1850-1. .2,104,862 Bagging .17,012.. 268,523 Bacon.. Bale rope. 12,420 Coffee .4,430,240 Corn. 18.928 .79,038 6,816,054 Hay. Flour 70,570 .23,189 .10,562 19,322 Molasses .18,042 Oats 12,429 .16,248. 20,243 .15,589.. 1,491. .154,351 ..6,083.. ...15,597.. Lard Salt. Sugar Whisky ..23,949...... 8,016 1,832...... 1,387 .128,700.....154,183 6,634...... 7,760 .23,868. .21,440 The trade in Naval Stores, though only Lime. about four or five years old, has met with unprecedented success. Constant improvements are making in the manu- Pork facture of the various articles; the Rice.. quality of spirits of turpentine is much better than at the commencement, and has commanded 40 cents per gallon for a medium article. Very little naval In addition to the full statistics and stores have been sold in this market. historical sketches, etc., upon the subject Most of the crude turpentine, and A No. of SUGAR, its manufacture, commerce, 1 white rosin, was shipped to New-York, etc., which run through the volumes of and the balance westward. The receipts the Review, and appear in the "Indusand prices are as follows:-1,460 bbls. trial Resources" complete, we append Candles... .120,416,071....15,723,748 7,885,067....66,093,202. 9,597,781. 139,200,705....14,678,238 70,286,903.... 9,848,738....86,681,537....15,783,149.... ..182,540,327....12,690,946 48,127,706.... 5,413,316....45,576,480.... 8,838,531....107,155,033. 90,384,397 9,070,626....60,838,901.. 5,659,259....165,963,083. 67,586,332.... 6,822,217. ..68,179,055....12,328,234....155,414,946. .*31,628,319.... 1,915,115.. .31,475,613. 4,515,284. 69,434,331 114,362,368.. 2,709,099. ..54,763,060.. 7,932,964....179.857,491 51,699,108. 6,258,288. ..46,571,976.... 6,532,720....111,967,404. 61,624,973.. 4,926,304. ..50,057,329. 9,656,444. ..126,731,661 .169,274,024.... 6,896,447....45,366,660. .174,979,362.... 6,003,609....54,035,761. 179,754,020.... 9,516,004 .127,767.543... ..56,710,138. 3,642,895. ....226,683,261 .12,934,552 18,233,579 .16,464,290 1,098,025 4,731.516 1,162,674 1,043.836 9,196,106 .13,182,395.. .248,201,117. 6,007,008 7,835.323 ...253,815,495.... 5,103,741 7,033,366....49,530,181....13,320,729....197,651,819....19,997,312 .275,327.497....14,557,699....62,883,757....10,768,908....364,537,861.... 4,786,437 |