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JAMAICA — 
 
 PLANTER’S GUIDE. 
 
 i ——- ee 
 
 es 
 # 
 
 
 
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 (cee 7 
 Fea ee oy 
 
 jie ge 4). LONDON: == ce 
 Printed by A. & R. Spottiswoode. 
 _New-Street-Square. | 
 
 
 
THE 
 
 JAMAICA 
 
 PLANTER’S GUIDE; 
 
 OR, 
 
 A SYSTEM FOR PLANTING AND MANAGING 
 
 A 
 SUGAR ESTATE, 
 OR OTHER PLANTATIONS IN THAT ISLAND, 
 
 AND THROUGHOUT 
 
 THE BRITISH WEST INDIES 
 
 IN GENERAL. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED WITH INTERESTING ANECDOTES, 
 
 By THOMAS ROUGHLEY, 
 
 NEARLY TWENTY YEARS A SUGAR PLANTER IN JAMAICA. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR 
 
 LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, 
 PATERNOSTER-ROW. 
 
 1823. 
 
 BOSTON COLLEGE LIBRARY 
 CHESTNUT HILL,MASS, sd 
 
 S\ 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 PREFACE. 
 
 
 
 Ar any period, but more especially the 
 present, when Jamaica and West India 
 produce is so much depreciated, and the 
 heavy expenses attending the cultivation 
 of the land, and the manufacture of its 
 produce; together with the capital laid 
 out in the establishment of a plantation, 
 and its annual disbursements, is considered, 
 a system of practical cultivation, combined 
 with proper economy, will, it is presumed, 
 be readily adopted by every proprietor. 
 An. attention to. such a plan will doubtless 
 appear necessary in all cases of the non- 
 residence of the owners, and where the 
 management of estates is intrusted to 
 agents. Many circumstances may concur 
 to render such care indispensable — the 
 failure of crops, the unusual decrease and 
 

 
 Vi PREFACE. 
 
 loss of slaves and stock, the exhaustion of — 
 land, inadequate and trifling returns by 
 shipments or sales, a consequent diminution 
 of capital, and the inevitable alternative 
 (after many years of toil and anxious hope) 
 of borrowing money by mortgaging his 
 estate, to sustain his ‘credit. To these 
 contingencies may be added law charges, 
 interest’ of money, and per centage to 
 agents; and at last’ a consignment of the 
 produce to a mortgagee, or putting him in 
 possession of the estate, thus perhaps a 
 ing his prospects for ever. 
 
 The author of this work has spent many 
 years ‘in the Island of Jamaica, in the occu- 
 _pation of a planter, and in the management 
 of several estates, principally in the north 
 side of that productive,’ delightful island. 
 His knowledge of the prevailing system of 
 culture has been matured by experience, 
 and he has, he trusts, discovered ‘some. of 
 those errors which have occasioned both 
 expense and failure. He has therefore 
 ventured to arrange such a method of 
 

 
 PREFACE. Vil 
 
 plantership (especially for the sugar de- 
 partment) as is best adapted, not for Ja- 
 maica alone, but for the West India islands 
 in general. He has introduced some use- - 
 ful, comprehensive, and beneficial modifi- 
 cations, which he doubts not will be con- 
 ducive to the interests of the proprietors. 
 He presumes that sucha plan will meet 
 with the approbation, countenance, and 
 support of the independent, non-resident 
 owners of land, and capitalists, and all 
 who are interested in the welfare of that 
 species of property. He has endeavoured 
 to make it simple and of easy acquisition, 
 particularly so to the beginner; yet, -he 
 trusts, of equal value to the old prac- 
 titioner. In the work he has also in- 
 serted some interesting anecdotes founded 
 on facts, which have either fallen under 
 his own observation, or been received from 
 credible testimony. He trusts that his work 
 will be found by the impartial and un- 
 biassed of general utility, and that it will 
 therefore meet with approbation. 
 

 
 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
  CHAPSk 
 
 Of Plantation Attorneys or Agents, = - - 1 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 The treatment of Slaves, - - - =e 60 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Choice and treatment of Stock, - - ~- 128 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 The Works and Overseer’s House, - s 182 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Planting and Cultivation of the Sugar-cane, &c. 215 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Cutting of Sugar-canes, and manufacturing 
 Sugar, - - - - - - - 820 
 
 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 Making and distilling of Rum, 
 
 y LORE 
 
 | CHAP. ‘VII. 
 
 
 
 
 
THE 
 JAMAICA 
 
 PLANTER’S GUIDE. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 OF PLANTATION ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 In treating of the management and culti- 
 vation of a sugar estate in the island of 
 Jamaica, it will be necessary to take into 
 consideration a great variety of subjects, 
 and to reduce them into such a system as 
 will enable the speculator to approve and 
 adopt it, and the practitioner to understand 
 and realise it. ‘The plan here offered to 
 public attention is intended to unite proper 
 economy in every branch, with such re- 
 quisites as may ensure (under the blessing 
 of Providence) a suitable return from the 
 land, and yield the proprietor a reasonable 
 and adequate compensation for the employ- 
 B 
 
2 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 ment of his capital. The first and prin- 
 cipal object to be contemplated is, the 
 course which is at present followed in the 
 island of Jamaica, with respect to the treat- 
 ment of slaves and stock, the culture of 
 the land, the manufacture of sugar and 
 rum, and the necessary and unavoidable 
 expenses connected with its produce. An 
 accurate view of these subjects will deter- 
 mine, whether improvement and retrench- 
 ment may generally and successfully be 
 attempted. If this should be found the 
 result of the investigation, an increase of 
 the crops, the preservation of the capital, 
 the improvement of the quality and quantity 
 of sugar and rum, may be obtained; the 
 comfort of the slaves, the food and care of 
 the live stock, and the good order of the 
 buildings and manufacturing utensils may 
 be secured; the shipment of the produce 
 in proper condition, with little reduction 
 of value for repacking or ullage, and the 
 disposal of the whole in as speedy a manner 
 as possible, tothe advantage and satisfaction 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 8 
 
 of the proprietor, without diminishing the 
 salary or happiness of the white people 
 resident on the estate, may be expected. 
 
 The author of this treatise disclaims all 
 idea of personal reflection, though it is 
 possible that some may invidiously con- 
 jecture this to have been his intention. If, 
 indeed, by any recital he has made, it 
 should appear that any abuses are found 
 to exist, the representation is given as 
 growing out of a system of management 
 which has for many years been adopted in 
 Jamaica — a system tenaciously retained by 
 the old planters; patronised by the new; 
 and become so formidable by long use and 
 custom, as scarcely to admit of innovation 
 or improvement. Useful modification too 
 often, therefore, is condemned with sarcasm 
 and ridicule. 
 
 The person styled in Jamaica, and the 
 West Indies in general, by the planters, an 
 Attorney, is so important an object in the 
 detail of plantership, that I should be grossly 
 deficient in describing the old customs and 
 
 B 2 
 

 
 4 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 habits of those islands, if some account was © 
 not given of him. ‘These officers were 
 first appointed there in consequence of the 
 absence of the proprietors. This malady 
 became so epidemical as to affect and 
 carry off from Jamaica seven eighths of 
 the landed interest, substituting in their 
 place, during their absence, some gentleman 
 of their acquaintance, or a person recom- 
 mended to them, to conduct the business 
 of the plantation. ‘The enjoyments which 
 the mother country affords, its elegancies 
 and refinements, frequently became so al- 
 luring, as to induce a protracted continu- 
 anceinit. ‘Their affairs in the West Indies 
 were, therefore, necessarily confided to the 
 management of an agent or attorney, re- 
 sident on or near the estate, who acted ac- 
 cording to his own discretion and pleasure. 
 Some gentlemen of this class possessed only 
 a slight knowledge of plantership, and others 
 none at all. But being armed with des- 
 potic power, they became the ruling agents 
 in the affairs they were intrusted with; and 
 
 ~ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. ; 5 
 
 enjoying an extensive connection with mer- 
 cantile men in the islands in general, and 
 the parent country, they were looked up to 
 with reverential awe by the overseers and 
 book-keepers. - Sometimes they paid a 
 casual visit to the estates over which they 
 presided, with lordly pomp. This, however, 
 was seldom done oftener than once a-year, 
 and the plantations were governed without 
 being actually inspected. Persons of merit 
 were frequently discharged from their sta- 
 tions without sufficient cause, and others 
 employed instead of them, of whose qualifi- 
 cations they were ignorant. Plans were 
 formed, from the adoption of which, pro- 
 lific crops were anticipated. But the fairest 
 prospects were sometimes made to vanish 
 by an arbitrary stroke of the pen, so that 
 happy results and promised returns yielded 
 to the destructive consequences of ill- 
 concerted schemes. Such conduct was 
 more the effect of malignant caprice, than 
 the solicitous effects of honourable inten- 
 tions, for promoting the welfare and in- 
 
 BS 
 
 } 
 
 </ 
 
6 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 terest of the proprietors. These were the 
 primary causes of the failure of the crops, 
 and the springs from which all the subse-_ 
 quent evils flowed, — “‘ the very head and 
 front of the offending.”? This occasioned 
 the spreading the cane cultivation over an 
 immense tract of land, instead of keeping 
 up the stamina of the old grounds. ‘The 
 cattle and mules were overworked, or suf- 
 fered to grow too old without being re- 
 placed by younger beasts. Hence a great 
 loss was sustained: the introduction of 
 endless jobbing: the eating up of the crops 
 by divers island disbursements, which might 
 have been avoided or diminished: and the 
 immense supplies sent out by home mer- 
 chants, a great part of which were left to 
 rot, or were buried at the wharf. The 
 sugar and rum were suffered to remain too 
 long on the estate or barquadier without 
 shipping, requiring sometimes one quarter 
 to make up loss by ullage. These gross 
 errors are solely the fault of the resident 
 attorney, arising from his connivance or 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 7 
 
 ignorance. The consequences, however, of 
 this misconduct, and of these improprieties, 
 fall on the owner of the estate, obliging 
 him to borrow money, not only for his own 
 support, but to pay off the debts of his ill- 
 managed and unproductive land. I would 
 not indeed assert, that in the island of 
 Jamaica in particular, no gentlemen are to 
 ‘be found, properly qualified by nature or 
 education, to render, as planting attorneys, 
 the most excellent, durable, and beneficial 
 
 services to those who employ them. There . 
 
 are many who are fully adequate to dis- 
 charge such a trust. Governed by honour- 
 able motives, and assiduously employing 
 their cultivated talents, by persevering in- 
 dustry, they secure the welfare of their 
 constituents; and actuated by humane and. 
 liberal principles, they extend the ad- 
 vantages they obtain, to all who are de- 
 pendent upon them. The major part, or 
 five sixths of this class of representatives, 
 are men who are engrossed by their own 
 interested speculations, attentive to what. 
 B 4 
 
8 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 will promote their own selfish views, making 
 every other object within their grasp sub- 
 servient to their ambition. Though per- 
 haps they are too ignorant to be planters, 
 they are too ostentatious, proud, and supine, 
 to contribute to the good of their consti- 
 tuents. Nor is it the least of their defects 
 that they clandestinely prefer the inter- 
 est of a mortgagee or affluent merchant, 
 (who may possibly have some secret design 
 upon the estate) to that of the owner. 
 This is sometimes done, because such a 
 mortgagee or merchant, becoming power- 
 fuily connected in the island, may be the 
 means not only of continuing the attorney 
 in his agency, but of advancing his in- 
 fluence, authority, and wealth, by procuring 
 for him commissions for the management 
 of other estates. By this means, a fruitful 
 West India island is converted into a de- 
 vastated. mortgage. Sometimes it happens 
 that the attorney, consulting his pleasure, 
 fixes his residence on one of the ‘estates of 
 his constituents, with far greater regard to 
 
 % 
 
 Re 
 
 A a le 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 9 
 
 save expense to himself, than his absent 
 employer. He looks about for a healthy 
 eligible situation; a large house well fur- 
 nished; sensible, clean, handsome slaves 
 as servants; grounds delightful and pleasing 
 to his eye; a flower garden to refresh his 
 
 weary senses; a kitchen garden to furnish — 
 his table; but, above all, where small stock 
 are numerous and thriving, that he may 
 have an abundant supply for his own con- 
 sumption without expense. He cultivates 
 luxuriant grass pieces, and corn for his 
 horses and cattle, without any deduction 
 _ from his per centage on the sale of the 
 | crops. Thus his establishment is secretly, 
 and with mercenary meanness, supported : 
 the proprietor of the estate in this manner 
 contributing to his aggrandisement. The 
 contribution thus levied, is not less, con- 
 sidering all circumstances, than 700/. a 
 year. What, however, is still more surpris- 
 ing, is, that this very person, who thus 
 reposes upon the substance of his con- 
 stituents, in superabundant plenty, very 
 

 
 
 
 to. ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 often does not know the limits of the estate 
 he is empowered to manage, or even a cane 
 piece within a musket shot of the house he 
 inhabits. He cannot tell whether it is 
 attached to that or any other property. 
 The poor overseer, dependent on his will, 
 is in constant jeopardy, and his mind fre- 
 quently thereby estranged from the proper 
 duties of his station. If any deficiency is 
 discovered in the supplies required for the 
 house or retinue of the attorney, he is re- 
 proved by harsh notes, and suppositious 
 faults are imputed to him. Whether an 
 ample crop has been. taken off, and a pro- 
 
 mising one is advancing, with little loss of 
 
 slaves and stock (the true criterion of good 
 
 management) signifies little. This meri- — 
 torious, industrious servant, is discharged, 
 
 and his place filled up with perhapa’ an ob- 
 sequious novice. 
 
 Some proprietors of West India estates 
 are so profuse, or rather overcareful of 
 their property, as to suppose that their ad- 
 vantage is not sufficiently attended to, 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 11 
 
 unless they have two guardians on the spot; 
 one termed the planting attorney, the other 
 the commissary, factor, or mercantile at- 
 torney. ach of these receives a commis- 
 sion of five per cent. .on all sales or net 
 proceeds. ‘These two persons frequently 
 pursue a separate interest, and clash with 
 each other. ‘They profess to discover 
 blunders or abuses in their different de- 
 partments, and so greatly confuse the 
 general affairs of the estate, by their mutual 
 variance and opposition, that the ordinary 
 and requisite materials and business of the 
 plantation is neglected. Their personal 
 interest being separate, they conspire to 
 supplant each other, at the risk or even 
 ruin of the proprietor. It often happens 
 that the power of these men is so pe- 
 culiarly vested, that under particular cir- 
 cumstances they can appoit each other 
 to office: either the planting attorney ap- 
 pointing the factor, or, on the contrary, the 
 factor nominating the planting agent. In 
 such cases, the disease is equally mortal to 
 

 
 bb ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 the owner. For one of these persons pre- 
 dominating over the other, of course, 
 orders, dictates to, and rules the other. 
 The merchant will enlarge the prospects, 
 and contribute to the interest of the plant- 
 ing agent, from motives of gratitude to his 
 benefactor, the planting agent; he will 
 ship round and consign to the factor, a 
 great part of the produce of the estate, 
 instead of sending it home. In the place 
 of this the superabundant supplies, and a 
 quantity of worthless lumber, and salt pro- 
 visions, are transmitted back. This abuse 
 of the trust reposed in them is ruinous to 
 the estate. By this means, a great part of 
 the crop becomes as it were sequestered ; 
 destruction is added to defalcation. The 
 property which is disposed of in this man- 
 ner is converted into bills of exchange. 
 These are sold at a high premium, though 
 they virtually and intrinsically belong to 
 the land owner. By this twofold strata- 
 gem, designed to fill the coffers of the 
 agents, a great portion of the produce of 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTSs. 13 
 
 Jamaica is sold in Kingston, either by pri- 
 vate contract or by auction, in as summary 
 a manner .as possible, to make quick re- 
 turns to the factor. By these methods he 
 becomes the proprietor of it at a cheap - 
 rate, which is indeed the object he had in 
 view throughout the whole of his transac- 
 tions. ) 
 
 Some short-sighted people may, perhaps, 
 indulge the idea that it is contrary to the 
 interest of the acting attorney to be in- 
 fluenced by principles, and to pursue mea- 
 sures contrary and detrimental to his 
 constituent. I will indeed allow that ho- 
 nourable motives, and views characterised 
 by integrity, should predominate with every 
 man so entrusted, and whose connections 
 enable him to promote the welfare of his 
 employer : and that if the agent is ignorant 
 of plantership, he should decline the office ; 
 or if he feels himself competent to the task, 
 he should discharge it with faithful as- 
 siduity : but whoever forms this honour- 
 able view of the subject has seldom, or 
 
 
 
 
 
14 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 possibly never enquired into the cause of 
 the absence of the proprietor, or traced the 
 source from whence the power of the at- 
 torney is derived, nor has he properly 
 considered the sordid and selfish views of 
 these agents. When a mortgagee finds an 
 unfortunate proprietor embarrassed and in 
 trammels, he has immediately an interest 
 of his own to secure, and appoints an 
 agent who will be subservient to his pur- 
 pose. A letter, enigmatically expressed, 
 but well understood by the resident agent, 
 is despatched to him. The list of supplies 
 is augmented; the ordinary expenses are 
 increased to double or treble the former 
 amount; the interest of borrowed money 
 accumulates ; the crops are diminished ; 
 shipments are delayed, by which great loss 
 is sustained, though affectedly deplored; 
 an overseer, indifierent as to events or re- 
 sults, not only suffered to remain on the 
 estate to manage it, but frequently encou- 
 raged in his misconduct; the mortgage is 
 foreclosed, or a decree in chancery issued 
 20 
 

 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 15 
 
 for the sale of the estate, which is disposed 
 of for a trifling consideration to some per- 
 son employed to purchase it for the mort- 
 gagee or attorney. Such circumstances 
 
 “account, in part, at least, for the conduct 
 
 of some of the planting attorneys in not 
 consulting, as they ought, the advantage of 
 those who employ them, and who are 
 originally the owners of the land. Having 
 thus gained the confidence of the mort- 
 gagee, by betraying the interest of the 
 proprietor, and rendered the former this 
 service of spoliation, he obtains powers to 
 act for others, and both his celebrity and 
 his fortune are established. In confirmation 
 of this, I shall here relate an instance 
 which occurred some years ago in Jamaica. 
 In the mountainous parts of the parish of 
 Clarendon there was an estate much diver- 
 sified by hills. Though apparently unpro- 
 mising, yet by laying out and making 
 roads of easy ascent, at a great expense 
 indeed, the proprietor found he could con- 
 vert it into a valuable plantation, it being’ 
 
; 
 
 es 
 
 epithe epee ee es 
 
 16 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 of great extent and the quality of the land 
 good. A convenient place was chosen on 
 which to erect a set of works. These were 
 constructed upon a large scale. A nume- 
 
 rous gang of effective negroes, and an + 
 
 adequate quantity of cattle and mules were 
 provided. The estate yielded great crops. 
 Six hundred hogsheads of sugar, of good 
 quality, were obtained from it. _ But it so 
 happened that in the commencement of 
 these operations a sum of money was bor- 
 rowed to forward the undertaking. Large 
 supplies of heavy articles became neces- 
 sary ; this, with accumulating interest on 
 the money at first borrowed, soon created 
 embarrassment. The merchant who had 
 furnished the supply of money and goods 
 became impatient for payment, before the 
 crops could be disposed of to reimburse 
 him. He knew there was a large capital 
 that could be laid hold of, and therefore 
 commenced a suit in chancery against the 
 property. This is the mode generally adopt- 
 ed to wrest the possession of land from the 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. T7 
 
 owners in this island. ‘The- accounts on 
 both sides were obliged to undergo the 
 revision of a Master in Chancery. ‘Large 
 deductions were made from the value of 
 - the estate, by the expenses of the suit in 
 question. Years rolled on in this civil 
 warfare, constantly swelling the account. 
 Every year fresh examinations were made 
 for the Master in Chancery. ‘The decree 
 was at last given in favour of the plaintiff, 
 allowing him all his costs. During the 
 whole of the time a receiver was appointed 
 by the Master in Chancery. In such cases 
 it has happened that the plaintiff was on 
 friendly terms with the Master, in conse- 
 quence of which the original overseer has 
 been exchanged for one more subservient 
 to the views of the plaintiff The supplies 
 are not diminished, though the estate is 
 declining in its produce. The works are 
 suffered to fall into decay. The negroes 
 assume a poor, weakly appearance. Every 
 thing sinks in value. Preparatory to the 
 sale of the estate in question, an estimate 
 c 
 
18 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 was made by appraisement of the negroes, 
 the stock, the land, and the works. This. 
 was produced on the day of sale, and the 
 estate was disposed of, with every thing 
 belonging to it, for half or one third of its 
 real price. The amount was just as much 
 as would pay the plaintiff his demand and 
 costs of suit. Thus a final period was put to 
 the fortune and hopes of the unfortunate 
 proprietor. Thus was realized the scheme 
 of the new owner, who was well acquainted 
 with the real value of the estate, and the 
 crisis of its doom. He was desirous of 
 calling it his own, though at the expense of 
 every thing honourable and just. An illicit 
 trafficker from a distant northern climate, 
 he seized with avidity the lucky moment for 
 the enterprize, no one being present who 
 could advance so large a sum as the pur- 
 chase-money but himself: He had atrusty 
 agent present on the day of sale, to prevent 
 the possibility of losing such a bargain, and 
 to render the purchase for himself certain. 
 
 In a short time, however, after this event, 
 io 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 19 
 
 the disposition of every thing on the 
 estate was altered. ‘The negroes, the stock, 
 and works were restored to their former 
 good state and appearance, at a trifling ex- 
 pense; and +a steady annual crop of from 
 five to seven hundred hogsheads of sugar 
 annually, were obtained from the land thus 
 unjustly transferred from its first rightful 
 proprietor, to the oppressing hand of the 
 artful and enterprising mortgagee. 
 
 I now come to consider this subject in 
 another point of view. When the proprietor 
 has little or no knowledge of ‘the agent he 
 appoints, further than by recommendation, 
 perhaps seldom or ever visiting’ the island 
 or his estate, he understands little of the re- 
 sources it possesses, or the culture it requires. 
 He does not know whether the person whom 
 he deputed ever was on the plantation’ or 
 even that part of the island; whether he 
 had either seen or knew how to plant and 
 bring a cane to maturity. But unwilling to 
 risk a voyage at sea, still less to hazard the 
 danger of tropical sickness, he’ rests satis- 
 
 G2 
 
20 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS.. 
 
 fied for some time, that the affairs of his 
 estate are going on well, under the wise, 
 provident care of his planting attorney. 
 The arrival, after the lapse of afew months, 
 or the termination of a crop or two, of the 
 sad unpleasant news, that there is a defi- 
 ciency of produce, and the formal crop 
 account, announcing a defalcation of one 
 third of what was naturally expected, un- 
 deceives him. At the same time, he is in- 
 formed, in order to make up such defalcation 
 in future, that there is an absolute neces- 
 sity to put in such a quantity of land, with 
 the aid of a jobber. He must pay such 
 jobber in rum at cash price: other contin- 
 gencies demand the produce of the rum 
 
 crop to defray them. Thus commences 
 
 a train of disbursements, having for their 
 foundation, fabricated evils and false re- 
 presentations, solely for the purpose of 
 shielding from the proprietor’s knowledge 
 the -gross fraud of bad and dilapidating 
 management. Such planting attorneys as 
 these ‘generally have .independent fortunés 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 21 
 
 in the island. Careless of such events, yet © 
 greedy of gain, they continue in power for. 
 a crop or two, satisfied with their being 
 paid their per centage, and regardless 
 whether the estate thrives, which they have 
 thrown back for years as to adequate re- 
 turns. A new agent is appointed, a new 
 overseer put in charge, fresh plans are 
 adopted; and this independent attorney, 
 after having sown the seeds of destruction, 
 enquires at some future period how such an 
 estate goes on, and being informed of its 
 miserable returns, vaunts, that if it had been 
 left to his care and management, the result 
 would have been otherwise. Many of these 
 men have a curious satirical vein running 
 through their dispositions. For if their suc- 
 cessors, with the persons whom they employ, 
 do their duty, bring the estate from a 
 wretched, ruined condition to prosperous 
 thriving cultivation, regularly and steadily 
 extending its produce, instead of the for- 
 mer pernicious confusion ; if they procure 
 orderly respectful demeanour in the slaves, 
 c 3 
 
 
 
22 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 instead. of idleness and arrogance; if their 
 appearance is decent. and becoming, ex- 
 hibiting in their persons comfort and clean- 
 liness, instead of disgusting filthiness, dis- 
 ease and aversion ,to their proper ,occupa- 
 tions; if the cattle is preserved by good 
 feeding, with few sores, or deep, morbid, 
 putrid. distempers ; if the subordinate white 
 people are attentive to their business, 
 steady, sober, and quietly disposed, making 
 the business and welfare of the estate their 
 pleasure, instead of riotously galloping on 
 horseback about the country, imbibing and 
 entailing on themselves. by excess the sure 
 consequences of early distempers, which 
 generally prove fatal; this exhibition of 
 what is right and proper, instead of being 
 treated. with panegyric, is made, through 
 every medium of ridicule, envy, and detrac- 
 tion, . to appear in. an invidious, morose, 
 cruel, coercive, and inhospitable point of 
 view. It would be in vain that such peo- 
 ple strove to gain their favour: in. vain 
 would they solicit employment from them: 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 23 
 
 they would be left contemned and ne- 
 glected, while the profligate, vicious, aban- 
 doned, and worthless, would find employ- 
 ment and support. Such men indulge their 
 desires, lead an idle and dissipated life, and 
 leave the essential business of the estate, to 
 the venal management of head people, 
 whom they satisfy with an extra weekly 
 allowance from the rum and provision store. 
 But what gives such overseers a stronger 
 claim to the patronage of their employer 
 or attorney, is the loan of whatever money 
 they may have saved, either from their 
 salaries or as owners of jobbing gangs. 
 This hides a multitude of faults; this 
 smooths the road to preferment ; this rivets 
 the lasting good opinion of the patron; 
 changes his vices into virtues; prevents 
 every effort for the preservation of the 
 estate; converts the cane and grass pieces 
 into ruined heaps; the well disposed negroes 
 into runaways ; the cattle into carrion; the 
 works and manufacturing houses into 
 Coe 
 
 Bh 
 pe a er 
 
 
 
Q4 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 wretched, unroofed walls, and the pro- 
 prietor into an insolvent. ; 
 
 An attorney of this description will 
 sometimes live in some remote parish in 
 the island, seldom visiting the estate he is 
 commissioned. to manage. ‘This he does 
 indeed when he formally takes possession 
 of it. Every communication is carried on 
 between him and the overseer by letter, or 
 
 expresses by the negroes, on estate mules ;_ 
 
 or else the overseer is ordered to ride over 
 to him, perhaps seventy or an hundred 
 miles, to arrange accounts and future plans. 
 This is a pleasurable excursion for the over- 
 seer, sometimes, and is made to last a 
 fortnight. The natural inclination of man 
 is alive to pleasure, to aversion of control, 
 to hatred of minute enquiry into particulars 
 which may be pregnant with error or vice, 
 to dislike of restraint or control. Such an 
 employer is therefore much approved of by 
 a majority of people throughout the West 
 India Islands, as giving little trouble or 
 disturbance by his presence, or dictating 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 95 
 
 orders. Whatever is required is granted ; 
 whatever is neglected is overlooked. The 
 overseer becomes absolute and prosperous 
 in his affairs. He employs and discharges 
 his book-keepers at pleasure; gives lucrative 
 jobs to favourite tradesmen, and in a short 
 time acquires the name of a generous, good 
 man — one to be looked up to; in short, 
 he obtains the character of a good planter, 
 although the head driver manages ‘every 
 thing on the estate. I have known one of 
 these overseers, who lived more than six 
 years upon an excellent estate in the parish 
 of St. Mary’s, in Jamaica, who did not 
 understand the boundaries of it; and when 
 the proprietor unexpectedly came, and ex- 
 pressed a wish to see and go over the lines 
 of it, was obliged to declare his total igno- 
 rance of its limits, as he never had seen 
 them. These the proprietor himself went 
 to and showed him, although he had been 
 absent near twenty years from the estate. 
 The land had been despoiled of its valuable 
 wood by the neighbours, and great part 
 
 
 
 
 
 Se.) ¢ 
 

 
 26 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 taken up and cultivated in negro provi- 
 sions, by the slaves of other plantations, in 
 consequence of the supineness of the acting 
 island agent. | 
 
 It may be argued, that scarcely any 
 remedy can be found, or applied, to check 
 this established evil, or root it out; that 
 the disease is too inveterate to admit of 
 cure; that numberless obstacles stand in 
 the way of the completion of so happy, so 
 salutary a design. But it requires no great 
 penetration to discover the true nature and 
 strength of this disease, this cause of injury 
 and ruin. The sources of the malady may 
 not only be easily discovered, but when 
 they are once traced and pointed out, will 
 be found so iniquitous as to shrink from 
 publicity and exposure. With firm reso- 
 - jution, therefore, the bold, the - decisive 
 effort must be made to cut away not merely 
 the branches, but to destroy the stem and 
 root of this poisonous tree, this source of 
 all the evils which exist. Dismiss from 
 their employment these corrupt agents ; let 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 27 
 
 no sycophant advise the land owners to 
 retain them. The estate, with prudent 
 attention, being thus liberated from this 
 baneful. control, will soon assume the 
 appearance of health, animation, and pro- 
 sperity. Industry, with merit as its at- 
 tendant, will insure success; simple, yet 
 energetic measures will easily attain what- 
 ever is necessary or desirable; and having 
 brought things to this crisis, this sharp, 
 but sure remedy will prove effectual. 
 
 I shall now beg leave to point out the 
 system to be acted upon, which, I pre- 
 sume, will fully answer for the preserv- 
 ation and culture.of a sugar estate in the 
 island of Jamaica in particular, and in the 
 West India islands in general ; maintain it in 
 vigorous prosperity to yield gainful returns, 
 and preserve the capital of the proprietor. ; 
 
 The first thing, I presume, to be con-. 
 sidered is, in case of the proprietor’s non- 
 residence in the island, how_to fill up the 
 
 place of a resident attorney with a person. 
 
 of skill, industry, perseverance, and in- 
 
< 
 ' 
 } 
 
 
 
 28 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 tegrity, in discharging not only the duties 
 of a planter, in directing and planning, 
 but to keep fair and equitable accounts of 
 the various transactions of the estate, with 
 respect to its culture and incidental trans- 
 actions, in as simple a manner as the 
 nature of things will admit of. There 
 should be laid before the proprietor, in 
 plain legible terms, the accounts of the 
 estate to the end of every year; a list of 
 the slaves and stock, with their increase 
 and decrease; the cultivation of the estate, 
 with the returns from plant and ratoon, 
 in curing house hogsheads of sugar; the 
 number of acres in cultivation of canes; 
 
 returns of rum; the condition of cane, — 
 
 grass pieces, and provision grounds; the 
 quantity of acres laid down in a table, whe- 
 ther plant or ratoon; their condition, and 
 when fit to be cut; the namés and number 
 of the white people resident on the estate, 
 with their occupations and salaries; the 
 different island accounts, whether paid or 
 unpaid, as they are presented; the ship- 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 29 
 
 ments and appropriation of the crop; what 
 balance of the crop there still remains on 
 the estate, or at the wharf, not yet appro- 
 priated or shipped, and the list of clothing 
 and salt provisions served to the slaves; 
 jobbing and tradesmen’s accounts, &c. &c. 
 These simple accounts are easily kept, 
 transcribed, brought home, and presented, 
 for the satisfaction of the proprietor, every 
 year: he also keeping such a memento 
 by him as should refresh his memory and 
 satisfy his mind. ‘The person thus com- 
 missioned, confided in, and depended upon 
 for punctuality, celerity, and truth, should 
 be one who will undertake the charge as a 
 travelling agent, perfectly assured, under 
 all circumstances, that he would fully 
 answer every intention of his appointment, 
 and endeavour to bring the crops to a 
 speedy market, at one-fifth the expense of 
 a resident island agent, and few mortify- 
 ing disappointments; far less island con- 
 tingencies and disbursements. Every thing 
 should be brought within the mental scope 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 30 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 of the proprietor by regular returns, and 
 duties duly and efficiently performed ; the 
 entire of his crops brought or sent- home 
 to him, that he may appoint his own broker 
 to dispose of them; that he may circulate 
 his own bills of exchange, and discharge 
 his island disbursements by their means. 
 His list of supplies should be brought home 
 
 by his travelling agent, who should inspect 
 
 on the estate, that only what is really wanted 
 is sent for, and likewise the nature and 
 condition of the supplies shipped. He 
 either should go out in the vessel that 
 carries them, or follow shortly after it 
 arrives in the island, in time to detect any 
 damage or fraud, and without delay have 
 them brought on the estate. He should 
 look minutely whether his former orders 
 have been carried into effect with pre- 
 cision ; examine the condition of the slaves, 
 stock, and culture; make his remarks on 
 any errors which have crept in through 
 neglect or otherwise, which demand cen- 
 sure or amendment. He should order the 
 
 
 

 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 31 
 
 requisite improvements, arrangements, and 
 tillage of lands; have stock purchased, if 
 necessary ; old or infirm cattle fattened or 
 sold off; buildings repaired; lumber pro- 
 cured for the entire crop; the slaves served 
 with clothing; the salaries of the resident 
 white people paid by bills of exchange sold 
 for that purpose; the different accounts 
 made up; the produce on hand shipped 
 in good time and order, without loss by 
 ullage, &c. &c. All this can be performed, 
 by a stay of three months in the island, by 
 the travelling agent ; and the same person 
 may return to England in the vessel in 
 which the produce is shipped, or be the 
 harbinger of the favourable news in some 
 other vessel. Affairs taking this turn, cor- 
 ruption would have scarcely time or op-~ 
 portunity to creep in; the net proceeds: 
 would be in the hands or at the disposal 
 of the proprietor; the overseer and white 
 people resident on the estate would live in 
 a state of anticipation as to the time of 
 visitation. Anxiety for the preservation; 
 

 
 
 
 32 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 of their situations would keep them as- 
 
 siduous, sober, and attentive. Having done 
 
 their duty, they would be confident of 
 support, preferment, and reward. ‘Their 
 example would diffuse a spirit of emulation 
 in others ; their health would be preserved ; 
 their constitutions unimpaired by excess ; 
 they would be comparatively happy in a 
 foreign tropical climate; grow wealthy by 
 degrees; and at last, saving a little in- 
 dependence, would return home, either to 
 spend the remainder of their days in com- 
 fort and plenty, or meet flattering thanks 
 
 _ and rewards from the proprietor for their 
 
 fidelity and good conduct, appointing them, 
 perhaps, to a lucrative situation, as travel- 
 ling agents; fit to be entrusted, having 
 undergone the various duties of planters 
 with patience, temper, experience, and 
 competent knowledge. Thus they would 
 combine credit to themselves, and advan- 
 tage to their employers. 
 
 It now comes to be enquired into, what: 
 may be the amount of annual ‘savings. 
 
 
 

 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 33 
 
 to the proprietor, by, employing such a 
 person in the character of. a travelling 
 planting agent. The present mode of re- 
 quiting the resident agent is, principally, 
 by five per centage on all sales, either in the 
 island or on shipments home: that of the _ 
 travelling agent should be by a salary 
 proportioned to the number of hogsheads 
 of sugar the estate, upon an average of 
 one year with another, is capable of 
 making: from 1002 to 150/. sterling per 
 annum, with his travelling expences like- 
 wise defrayed. The income to the resident 
 island agent would be nearly 500/. sterling 
 per annum, besides his occasional residence 
 on the estate, and the establishment of a 
 large house, with its attendant servants, 
 express mule-boys, grooms, grass, corn, 
 and what good things the estate can like- 
 wise furnish for his table, &c.; making 
 another additional expence, out of the 
 estate and the proprietor’s pocket, of 5002. 
 a-year more. As to the mode of payment 
 to the travelling agent, I would presume 
 D 
 
84 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 to provide for it thus: the fixed salary of 
 1007. or 150/. per annum for each estate 
 should be paid him by the proprietor of 
 such estate as he may be employed for; 
 the travelling charges to be paid or de- 
 frayed by a number of West India or 
 Jamaica proprietors, who would confederate 
 together, and form themselves into an as- 
 sociation for their mutual interest, to have 
 the business of their estates transacted and 
 managed by such travelling agent. By 
 such a union the travelling expenses would 
 fall light on each individual, perhaps 
 never exceeding 35/. sterling per annum 
 for each estate, thereby. making the ex- 
 penses of salary and of travelling not to 
 amount to 200/. sterling per annum for 
 each estate, and thus rendering the employ- 
 ment worthy the acceptance ofa fit person. 
 The travelling agent having but the short 
 period of three or four months to stay on 
 the island annually, and having his time 
 wholly engrossed between the different 
 estates, inspecting, executing, ordering; 
 
 
 
 
 
 ; 
 | 
 ; 
 
ATTORNEYS OB AGENTS. 35 
 
 and diligently providing for the future 
 welfare of the different properties, collect- 
 ing accounts, &c., no establishment of 
 a large house would be required. The 
 ordinary fare of the overseer’s house would 
 be found fully suitable to his expectations. 
 His intentions would be directed to the 
 completion of his business by a stated 
 time ; indulgence, satiety, excess, or vo- 
 luptuousness, he would neither think of 
 nor care about; his retinue would be small, 
 his appearance unostentatious, his notions 
 unassuming and humble. He would com- 
 mand without arrogance, and dictate with 
 affability and reason. He would be welcom- 
 ed with joy, respected during his stay, and 
 taken leave of with regret. He would have 
 the good wishes of the white people and 
 the slaves attached to the estates under his 
 management. ‘They would rejoice at his 
 welfare and return back to them. This 
 would give a saving to the proprietor of at 
 least 600/. or '700/. per annum, without the 
 danger of a sinking fund, or the rapacity 
 D2 
 
 
 

 
 86 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS; 
 
 carried on, under the garb of a pompous 
 resident island agent, with the veil of 
 treacherous peculation, and screened by 
 near 5000 miles’ distance. The sugar and 
 rum crop is accounted for fairly, because 
 shipped home and. sold there, under the 
 eye and superintendence of the proprietor 
 himself; sound and durable lumber is pro- 
 vided for the entire of the crop, making 
 an assurance of the produce being shipped 
 and received in good order, or the captain 
 and owners of the vessel made account- 
 able for it, taking care previously to effect 
 the necessary insurance on the property. 
 No unnecessary millwright, mason, and 
 coppersmiths’ bills should be allowed; 
 common-place surveying should be anni- 
 hilated ;. extraordinary jobbing abolished, 
 with its frequent bad incomplete work. 
 Wharfage accounts should be accurately 
 ascertained, with divers other incidental 
 expenses and losses retrenched. No more 
 supplies should be sent out than what are 
 absolutely necessary, making another saving 
 

 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 37 
 
 (speaking within bounds) of at least six or 
 seven hundred a-year to the proprietor. 
 When the travelling agent arrives in 
 England, his accounts should be presented 
 to each proprietor or employer that he is 
 commissioned by, either at a general board 
 or individually, in order that they may be 
 audited by a person appointed for that. pur- 
 pose, either by the board in general or any 
 individual proprietor. The whole should 
 be entered in a regular book, a copy of 
 which should be always kept by each pro- 
 prietor, for his satisfaction, that he may be 
 able to refer to it at all times. The travel- 
 ling agent should keep a book of accounts 
 corresponding to this. This being done to 
 general satisfaction, the next occupation of 
 the travelling agent is to have the different 
 merchants, tradesmen, &c. advised of the 
 supplies wanted to be shipped by a stated 
 time for each estate ; to have them collected, 
 inspected, marked, shipped, and the bills 
 of lading signed; one to be kept in Eng- 
 land by the proprietor, one to be trans- 
 Ds 
 
38 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 mitted under cover, by letter, to the over- 
 seer on the estate, and one to be kept in the 
 possession of the travelling agent himself: 
 so that all parties interested therein may 
 have one to advise and guide themselves 
 with. It is presumed that this combination 
 of circumstances, this rule invariably acted 
 upon, this chain of business linked together 
 with regularity, and carried into execution 
 with celerity, assiduity, and vigour, will 
 meet with the approbation, support, coun- 
 tenance, and adoption of the majority of 
 the independent, impartial planters. 
 
 _ Having thus treated and descanted upon 
 the circumstances essentially necessary to 
 the well being of a sugar estate in general,. 
 and particularly in the island of Jamaica, — 
 by changing the administration of it from a 
 resident to a travelling planting agent, with 
 its consequent preservation and savings, 
 from tottering ruin to healthy animation, 
 with its prosperous emanations from nature, 
 aided by integrity, assiduity, and experience, 
 —I will proceed now to treat of and expatiate 
 

 
 a Shh ¢ 
 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 89 
 
 upon what I presume should be the study 
 and practice of planting and carrying on 
 the business and duties of a sugar estate, 
 in the West India islands, interspersing 
 here and there remarks upon old customs, 
 with anecdotes by way of illustration, 
 which may prove instructive and entertain- 
 ing; many of them, I dare say, living in 
 the memory not only of some people in 
 Jamaica, which they know to be truth, 
 but some have come to the knowledge of 
 persons residing in England. I shall in- 
 dulge in no personalities ; my design only 
 being to do good, all intention of giving 
 offence is disclaimed: impartiality is aimed 
 at, without invidious scandal: such motives 
 must not be attributed to me, as I abso- 
 lutely disavow them. | 
 
 As much depends upon the nature, dis- 
 position, qualifications, and disposal of the 
 white people immediately living on the 
 estate, not only for managing, superintend- 
 ing, and protecting the property, a main 
 object to be considered is, the selection of 
 
 D 4 
 

 
 
 
 40 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 such for the relative duties they are re- 
 quired to perform; taking care to make 
 it a primary and most important rule, to be 
 wholly free from bias or prejudice, in the 
 employing of men, from any of the three 
 sister kingdoms, in preference one to the 
 other. Those of general good character, 
 for steady, sober, industrious habits, not 
 given to sudden or violent gusts of passion, 
 yet of lively, cheerful dispositions, delight- 
 ing in activity, with corresponding vigour 
 and health; ingenious, and susceptible to 
 improvement, yet not apt to catch at every 
 trifling experiment, should be preferred. 
 The overseer should be a man of intelli- 
 gence, tempered wih experience, naturally 
 humane, steadfast in well devised. pursuits, 
 not given to keeping indiscriminate com- 
 pany, or suffering his subordinate white 
 people to do so, thereby vitiating their 
 manners. His business hours will be fully 
 occupied by the concerns of the estate, his 
 leisure ones in the innocent enjoyment of 
 some domestic amusement. He must be 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ea) 
 

 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 41 
 
 kind and courteous to the young men 
 under him, but giving or allowing them no 
 opportunity to treat him with disrespect ; 
 attentive and hospitable to respectable 
 strangers; cautious and wary how he suf- 
 fers strollers to tempt his benevolence. He 
 must not capriciously or suddenly  dis- 
 charge his white people (as is very often 
 the case), taking care that no envious or 
 jealous sentiment or idea arises in his mind, 
 if his young men have merit on_ their 
 side, or are caressed by their superiors. 
 He must keep the slaves strictly to their 
 work, yet not imposing on them unusual 
 hours, or inflicting punishment for every 
 trifling offence; but when punishment for 
 crimes is necessary, to temper it with pru- 
 dent mercy. He must be attentive to their 
 real wants, not suffering them to teaze him 
 with their trifling complaints, or tamper 
 with him by their arts, but promptly satisfy 
 them, by enquiring into their serious grie- 
 vances. Above all things, he must not 
 encourage the spirit of Obea in them 
 
 we” Ae th: a ee 
 

 
 42 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 (which is horrible), or dishearten them by 
 cohabiting with their wives, annulling 
 thereby their domestic felicities. He must 
 not suffer their provision grounds to be 
 neglected, trespassed on, or ruined, or their 
 houses to be out of repair or uncomfortable ; 
 for it very often happens, that well disposed 
 slaves by such freedoms taken with their 
 wives, their well established grounds ruined 
 by thieves or cattle, their domestic quiet 
 and comfort intruded upon, or their houses 
 rendered uninhabitable by storm or casualty, 
 become runaways. ‘Their conduct influ- 
 ences others, till at last the strength of the 
 estate vanishes, the evil becomes notorious, 
 and the plantation, of course, becomes ne- 
 glected. The magistrates are then obliged 
 to take this growing evil into serious con- 
 sideration. Hunting parties are sent out 
 (perhaps with little success) to bring in the 
 fugitives ; martial law is at last proclaimed 
 throughout the diseased district; all sorts 
 of people are harassed; public trials are 
 instituted ; some of the runaways are never 
 
 ee hs Re 
 
 en ee 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 43 
 
 caught ; others who are brought in under- 
 go trial, and are convicted and sentenced 
 to death or transportation for life. All 
 these proceedings might be avoided by well 
 timed, prompt attention at the beginning 
 of the evil. ‘The overseer loses his charac- 
 ter and situation by such misconduct. He 
 seldom regains them, but often sinks into 
 contemptuous disrepute; or if he main- 
 tains them, it is by the stern will of an 
 all-commanding resident island agent, who 
 has promoted and sanctioned this odious 
 and cruel policy. But what is still more 
 intolerable, still more heart-breaking, and 
 calls loudly for public justice, is when those 
 very provision grounds, those very negro 
 houses, which are nursed and reared by 
 the painful toil of the negroes, by months 
 and years of indefatigable labour, those 
 temples of their present and future hap- 
 piness, are, by the despotic mandate of a 
 ruthless resident island agent, contrary to 
 the island laws, desperately entered into by 
 a gang to his purpose, the provisions de- 
 
44 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 stroyed, the houses with their contents 
 pulled down, levelled to the ground, and 
 burnt. It may easily be conjectured what 
 will be the consequence, when the slave 
 views his beggared starving family, his 
 comforts fled, his happiness annihilated 
 and expiring. An example of this profli- 
 gate conduct, and its direful effects, was 
 notoriously evident about the year 1804 or 
 1805, as practised upon some well-disposed 
 slaves, belonging to an estate situated in 
 the mountain, from whence flows part of 
 the copious'stream of the Rio Nuova, over- 
 looking the Vale of Bagnalls, in the parish 
 of St. Mary’s, not far from the proximity 
 of that parish to St. Thomas in the Vale. 
 Such unrestrained free will was known to 
 have taken place in other parts, and the 
 following authenticated account has come 
 to the knowledge of the author. 
 
 In the parish of St. Ann’s, at no great 
 distance from the surgy course of the tur- 
 bulent roaring river, an_ estate presents 
 itself to the traveller’s view, flanked by 
 
 ea? Ae ee EA EE ee Se) se Ot ee ae oe 
 

 
 zy 
 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 45 
 
 hills, with an aspect to the sea, of no great 
 magnitude, otherwise than for the noise it 
 made, and the tragedy that was acted there ; 
 but it remains in the record book, kept of 
 public transactions in that parish, respect- 
 ing the horrid fate of an overseer who lived 
 there, and the terrible consequences of the 
 conduct I have referred to. I would fain 
 ‘draw a veil over this lamentable event ; but 
 by disclosing it, warn others not to tread 
 in such fearful paths, when human nature, 
 however depressed or subjugated, but 
 stung by the anguish of a poison directed 
 to its very existence, will form some des- 
 perate design to rid itself of its torment. 
 Alas! so it was in this case: the overseer 
 was reputed to be a man of ferocious man- 
 ners. By some accounts he had been en- 
 gaged in the parish of Trelawny to repress 
 the Maroons. The negroes on the estate I 
 now allude to were said to be unruly and 
 turbulent in their manners; and the resident 
 island agent, living at a considerable dis- 
 tance from the estate, thought such a man 
 
 
 
4.6 ATTORNEYS: OR AGENTS, 
 
 the best to deal with them. How vain 
 and fruitless are the speculations of some 
 men! Perhaps if he had sent a person of a 
 contrary temper to manage this testy set, 
 they might have been reconciled to their 
 duty, and the disasters that ensued might 
 have never happened. Some mulatto slaves 
 upon the property, as tradesmen, with 
 others, this overseer was in the habit of 
 unceasingly carping at and punishing, for 
 what he thought neglect of duty, upon 
 being threatened, betook themselves to 
 flight, in order to save themselves from 
 his resentment. He then applied himself 
 to the diabolical, ruinous plan of inducing 
 them to return home, by rooting up their 
 provision grounds, and pulling down their 
 houses in despite of the island laws: they 
 still remained out for some time, till the 
 overseer became somewhat sick, and they 
 thought the storm abated. His disorder 
 became less, and their fears returned, as 
 they thought him implacable,—and they 
 conspired to put him to death with secrecy 
 15 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 4°7 
 
 and despatch. He was of considerable 
 stature, with great strength. In the dead 
 of the night, when his dwelling house was 
 divested of its servants except one female, 
 who either knew and approved of their 
 design, or they enticed out of the room, 
 these mulatto men slaves, sssociated with 
 others who came there. The overseer was 
 asleep in bed with a young child of his 
 own, little thinking of, or ever surmising 
 his approaching fate. The noise of their 
 entry startled him: he grasped a hanger 
 that was near his bed; but before he could 
 see them, or make an effort with it for his 
 delivery, they rushed on him in a body, 
 A violent scuffle ensued for some minutes. 
 After knocking some of them down, he 
 often plunged for his escape, but they still 
 pressing upon him, he at length became 
 exhausted. ‘They then caught him by the 
 legs, threw a rope over his head, round his 
 neck ; and while some dragged him by the 
 legs, others swung the rope round the bed- 
 post, and thus, by pulling contrary ways, 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 48 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 they soon strangled him. They then deli- 
 berately went to his trunk, took out clean 
 linen, and after washing him and the room 
 from blood, or any thing that might cause 
 discovery of the murder, they put on him 
 the clean linen, and laid him in the bed 
 again. ‘They then retired, congratulating 
 one another on thus effecting their design, 
 as they thought, without discovery, and with 
 impunity. When he was discovered in the 
 morning apparently insensible, the neigh- 
 bouring doctor was called in, who’slightly 
 examined him and pronounced him dead ; 
 and as he had been sick some time, it was 
 given out and believed he died suddenly. 
 Some months passed over before this horrid 
 event was known, which was discovered, 
 by a quarrel among some of the perpetra- 
 tors of the act, and the female servant, 
 who had been in the house when the 
 murder happened. It came to the know- 
 ledge of some neighbours, who soon had 
 those people arrested. They were tried 
 and convicted. . The female servant, with 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 49 
 
 one of the conspirators, was found sufficient 
 evidence against them; two or three were 
 publicly executed, their heads cut off, and 
 stuck upon high poles on the estate, - near 
 the high road. A shocking spectacle, ex- 
 citing disgust, and branding the estate ever 
 afterwards with murderous, infamous ap- 
 pellations. igs Li: 
 
 An overseer should be a man Of settled, 
 sober habits, presenting a gentlemanlike ap- 
 pearance, keeping a regular, well supplied, 
 comfortable table, without profusion, (which 
 the internal means of an estate, in small 
 stock and provisions, generally afford, if 
 attended to,) not only for himself and the 
 white people under him, but for the benefit 
 of such sick and convalescent slaves as re- 
 quire salutary and restoring nourishment. 
 What with Irish salt provisions, &c. sent 
 out in the annual supplies, together with 
 live stock and provisions. raised on the 
 estate, adequate means are usually obtained 
 for this purpose. The overseer should be 
 attentive to the white people under him, 
 
 E 
 
 
 
oe 
 
 50 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 that their rooms, linen, &c. are regularly 
 kept clean, showing an example of cleanli- 
 ness in his own person. He should suffer 
 them to sit, after business hours, in his 
 company, instead of morosely banishing 
 them either to their own sleeping-rooms, 
 or to a distant dark part of the house, till 
 meal-time is announced, which induces them 
 to take gross freedoms with the slaves in 
 the house, and meanly assimilates their 
 manners to such company. This, alas! is 
 too often the case. ‘This has sprung from 
 the weak, envious, jealous tempers, too fre- 
 quently indulged ; and has been cherished 
 as an old custom, thinking that by keeping 
 young men in fear, and at an awful dis- 
 tance, it added dignity to the overseer’s 
 station. ‘Thus by keeping them ignorant, 
 by heaping contempt upon them, they have 
 swelled and rivetted their own consequence 
 and importance in the minds of the slave 
 population. Where such conduct predo- 
 minates, the young men are generally un- 
 happy, unsteady, given to drunkenness, 
 
 po ee een y “yt 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 51 
 
 quarrelling, leaving their situations, cabal- 
 ling, &c. The estate suffers by it, the 
 number of white people is incomplete ac- 
 cording to law; the overseer is generally 
 obliged to accept of the services of vaga- 
 bonds, because few respectable young men 
 will live with him, his character being 
 stamped by such harsh, uncharitable fea- 
 tures; and especially as they are liable to 
 be discharged at every gust of his caprice. 
 His temper is soured by frequent casualties 
 of this nature, and vents itself often with 
 terrible consequences upon the slaves under 
 him; whereas the contrary would be the effect 
 of an amiable deportment to the subordinate 
 white people. Feeling themselves com- 
 paratively happy, it would be an incentive 
 to them to pay every possible attention to 
 their various duties, to merit the overseer’s 
 favour by giving him: satisfaction, to pre- 
 serve their situations, and acquire a good 
 character. They would cultivate respect 
 for him, serve and obey him with alacrity, 
 intuitively and practically become good 
 
 gE 2 
 
 ~ 
 
 
 

 
 52 ATTORNEYS OR. AGENTS. 
 
 planters, secure the estimation and good 
 opinion of the overseer; and thus pave 
 the way to their own promotion, and fur- 
 nish the district, or the island, with de- 
 serving, provident managers. 
 
 Another difficulty is created by the cor- 
 rupt, viciously-disposed, criminal views of 
 some overseers, of what they call the old 
 school ; and that is, a determined antipathy 
 to young men sent out to be apprenticed 
 . or indented to the estate of the proprietor. 
 To such I have ever found (if they were 
 ever so well inclined) a strong dislike mani- 
 fested by such men, whose habits of de- 
 pravity render them ever weak-minded, 
 ever awake to, or dreading representations 
 of their conduct being sent to England, 
 anticipating fatal results not only to the 
 estate, and the management of it, but 
 finally ending in their discharge. This 
 malignant temper principally rests with 
 overseers of the old school, fomented in- 
 deed by the precepts of a resident island 
 planting attorney, who likewise is averse to 
 

 
 
 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 583 
 
 the introduction of young men, by whom 
 his conduct is observed. Such young men 
 are often ill treated by their superiors: their 
 virtues are of no avail, or are represented 
 as vices; their vices are magnified beyond 
 the power of redemption; their lives be- 
 come scenes of cruel taunt, neglect, and 
 reproach. This is their portion, till matters 
 are rendered so insupportable that they are 
 often obliged to sue for their indentures 
 to be given up, or run the risk of leaving 
 the estate previous to the time of their servi- 
 tude expiring, and seeking employment in 
 some distant parish. Instances of this kind 
 I could here easily refer to, and confirm, as 
 having happened in Clarendon, St. Ann’s, 
 St: Mary’s, &c. The bosom of the parish 
 of Clarendon produced an extraordinary 
 case of this kind, as likewise that of St. 
 Ann’s. At the descent of its mountains, 
 not far from the capital of that parish, some 
 young men were sent out duly apprenticed, 
 and placed upon the estates, with the watch- 
 word to the overseers, which was, beware 
 E 3 
 
354 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 of these seers; keep them under; allow 
 them no liberties; bring them up rigorously 
 to their duties; give them plenty of field- 
 workin all weathers; coarse diet; place no 
 confidence in them; give them no rest by 
 day, or comfortable repose by night ; sound 
 in their ears the slavery of their condition ; 
 make them be so sensible of that condition, 
 that misery may haunt them. Thus wretch- 
 edness compelled them to leave the estate. 
 These young men thus suffered; but it 
 happened that this compulsory banishment 
 did not turn out as fortunate for the re- 
 sident island agent, or his overseer (the 
 ready executioner of his will), as they 
 imagined. Something went wrong at court, 
 something was found erroneous in_ the 
 management: fresh powers of attorney 
 came out; afresh administration took place. 
 Those favourite spots which used to be the 
 residence of the island agent for months, 
 with its emoluments, &c. were painfully 
 longed for again; and after some years of 
 disturbed patience, hoping by his seeming 
 
 
 
 . td aif ‘ 
 ee eee ee AN Se, i ee ee eS 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 55 
 
 disinterested urbanity, and apparent Chris- 
 tian-like conduct, after vilifying these young 
 men in every company he went into, and 
 depicting them in the most atrocious light, 
 as having no abilities as planters, he helped 
 them to overseers’ stations: this he did 
 with the hope of once more procuring by 
 the effects of their gratitude, his re-establish- 
 ment on the property. I must here pay 
 the tribute of praise to numerous young 
 men, who have come out to settle in the 
 island of Jamaica as adventurers, who by 
 their natural good disposition (though un- 
 recommended) have attained to be com- 
 petent planters, have been excellent over. 
 seers, and an ornament to society: many I 
 could name; but this would be considered 
 as invidious by others. | 
 
 But although sending out such young 
 men under indentures has come rather into 
 disrepute, as they have been represented, 
 by letters to the proprietor at home, as 
 incorrigible, idle, and worthless, yet I will 
 venture to assert, and vindicate the assertion 
 
 E « 
 
 
 
56 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 by convincing reasons, that young men sent 
 out from home to be indented to estates, are 
 the fittest for the subordinate duties of them. 
 And first let me premise, that young men 
 of moderate education, whether as ap- 
 prentices or otherwise, are best adapted 
 to be of effectual service to the estate, 
 and more likely than illiterate blunderers, 
 not only to behave themselves well, but to 
 rise to reputation and distinction as good 
 planters. It is not necessary that men in 
 the capacity of planters should be classically 
 educated, but it is consonant to reason- to 
 have them qualified as English scholars, as 
 it enlarges their minds, and makes them 
 capable of their duties. This must, — of 
 course, be a great acquisition to an estate, 
 where books are kept of annual and daily 
 occurrences, (a great relief to an overseer, 
 who sometimes knows very little farther 
 than the acquirement of signing his name, ) 
 and when time accomplishes their servitude, 
 or makes them fit to take charge of an 
 estate, it will make them more esteemed 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 57 
 
 by their employers, and respected by the 
 community at large. Many things arise in 
 the exercise of an overseer’s duty which 
 require intelligent, nay even sometimes 
 refined talents, to go through with. The 
 best persons, I presume, to be sent to 
 Jamaica, or any of the West India islands, 
 who are to undergo the minor duties of an 
 estate, are young men from seventeen to 
 twenty-one years of age, who are not too 
 old to abide by command, constraint, or 
 “instruction. ‘The body and the mind are 
 vigorous and pliant at the former age, 
 adapted for toil, less captious, or averse to 
 controul or advice, and capable of perform- 
 ing the duties of a soldier; an effective 
 militia, for the preservation of the island 
 against invasion and insurrection, being 
 kept up of men in every station there from 
 sixteen to sixty years old. The legislature 
 ‘of the island of Jamaica has wisely im- 
 posed a deficiency law which enacts, that 
 a specified number of white people, capable 
 of bearing arms, of the before-mentioned 
 
 aetn.\) f 
 

 
 58 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 ages, shall be resident and employed upon 
 each property, according to the number of 
 slaves and working stock; or be assessed a 
 fine for each deficiency. This militia has 
 had the merit of very often performing the 
 most salutary, effectual, and gallant services 
 to the island, not only as local, but march- 
 ing troops. Young men of this class, after 
 satisfactorily serving a period of four or five 
 years in the planting line, may be deemed 
 not too young to be given in charge of an 
 estate. Young men sent out after they 
 pass the age of twenty-one years, are apt 
 to entertain notions of insubordination ; the 
 burthen of servitude sits uneasy upon them ; 
 liberty, the darling object, the noble pursuit 
 of mankind, is often uppermost in their 
 minds. Not that they are less virtuous for 
 harbouring the sentiment and passion, but 
 that they are less subject to controul. The 
 commanding, and sometimes the arbitrary 
 orders of the overseer are often slighted by 
 them. They are prone to be disrespectful, 
 guilty of retort, only carelessly or half 
 15 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 59 
 
 obeying his lawful injunctions. This is a 
 crime ever to be avoided in the planting 
 business, as carrying with it a want of 
 deference, and setting an example of in- 
 subordination to the rest of the white 
 people, and the knavish, artful slave. This 
 gives rise to unpleasant disputes ; the over- 
 seer complaining of the presumption and 
 neglect of the young man, and he urging 
 in vindication, the harsh, inflexible conduct 
 of the overseer, judging by his too liberal 
 notions, that he has been hardly dealt with. 
 He then grows sullen, and often imperti- 
 nent, conniving at, and provoking aspersions 
 on the overseer, who generally has some 
 friend or enemy to inform him of it. The 
 breach is widened, and at last, to wind up 
 the affair, the young man is either removed 
 to some other estate in the same employ, or 
 voluntarily withdraws himself, to avoid this 
 unpleasant termination of the dispute. It 
 would be better, therefore, to have young 
 men sent out of the age just now specified. 
 And having now, I hope, described, with 
 

 
 OU ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 conviction to my readers, what. kind of 
 white people are-best adapted for the pro- 
 fession of a planter, I shall take a transient 
 view, with a few cursory remarks, of some 
 other white people, found often to be 
 necessary for a sugar estate; that is, trades- 
 men, who either come out indented to, or 
 hired upon the property. Young men are 
 frequently sent out indented to an estate 
 to conduct a tradesman’s department ; such 
 as millwrights, carpenters, coopers, copper- 
 smiths, masons, &c. They have generally 
 served their time, or the principal part of 
 it, to such particular trades in the mother 
 country, before their arrival in the West 
 India islands. They are seldom under 
 twenty-one, and very often forty years of 
 age when they arrive there. ‘They are in- 
 fluenced to go out under this character, 
 either by the temptation of a liberal salary, 
 to execute some difficult design, or have 
 failed in getting employment at home ; 
 some are men of sound judgment, but a 
 great many more mere adventurers. Their 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 61 
 
 employment being rather foreign to an 
 overseer, they for a length of time baffle 
 his power, and oppose his disposition. 
 Sometimes the work is executed in a master- 
 ly manner, though great delays attend its 
 completion; but it is often done in so bad a 
 style, as not toanswer the end intended, after 
 a great lapse of time, waste of stuff, the 
 labour of a powerful gang of negro trades- 
 men (the flower of the slave population) 
 lost or made of little avail, and the cattle 
 half destroyed by dragging timber, and 
 heavy materials. Frivolous excuses, with 
 contingent insuperable obstacles, are as- 
 signed as the cause of this failure, waste of 
 time, labour and materials. They indus- 
 triously, but falsely, strive to blame the 
 overseer for the mischance, after harassing 
 his mind for months with some want or 
 other, expending labour and materials un- 
 profitably, reducing the cattle, delaying the 
 crops, and at last oblige him to call in some 
 competent tradesman to render things com- 
 plete. Dreadful is the situation of an estate 
 
 
 
1] 
 
 62 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 so circumstanced. ‘This stipendiary igno- 
 rant mechanic, in the mother country per- 
 haps acquired the habit of drinking, and 
 follows the practice with avidity in his 
 new situation. It would be much better 
 then, I presume, casually to employ, when 
 wanted, the tradesmen of eminence through- 
 out the Islands, to execute any arduous or 
 difficult jobs, provided their charges were 
 moderate, than to be burthened. with the 
 maintenance, and ill-earned salary of such 
 useless agents. The negro mechanics 
 attached to the property, are generally 
 found sufficient for common-place work or 
 undertakings ; they are even known to be 
 capital workmen sometimes, and have often 
 great knowledge and skill. 
 
 I must here beg leave to observe, that the 
 valuable island of Jamaica produces in great 
 abundance, a variety of the choicest hard 
 wood timbers. Millwrights, and carpenters, 
 sent out from home, are entirely igno- 
 rant of their nature, names and texture when 
 they arrive in Jamaica; for the knowledge 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 68 
 
 of these they must be indebted to the 
 experienced slave. If they were sent 
 into a wood, to make choice of such as 
 were necessary for durable work, they 
 would as likely cut down a huge cotton 
 tree, a birch, or any other soft wood, 
 as a cogwood or bullet tree. In the same 
 manner would a mason, sent out from home, 
 if told to go to the woods, and have a lime- 
 kiln made, or built, be totally at a loss how 
 to begin or construct such a work. More- 
 over, they are incapable for a length of 
 time, of understanding the dispositions of 
 the negro tradesmen they are. put over ; 
 they either make toofree with, or are 
 violently tyrannical over them, which un- 
 avoidably causes default in the slave, and 
 tiresome (perhaps punishable) complaints 
 to the overseer. 
 
 Some proprietors (probably more through 
 instigation, than the natural bent of their 
 
 own dispositions) are induced to send out 
 indented ploughmen from home, to use 
 that implement in turning up the land for 
 
 
 

 
 64: ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 tillage and the culture of canes. - I shalt 
 treat more at large in a subsequent place, 
 as to the utility of the plough in Jamaica. 
 But my present object is to point out, that 
 such persons as are usually sent from home, 
 seldom answer the purpose intended ; they 
 generally turn out as great an evil as the 
 indented tradesman to an estate. They 
 are mostly very illiterate, ill-informed men. 
 They have been in the habit of driving the 
 flexible, alert horse in the plough, with 
 proper gear to work with ; whereas in Ja- 
 maica, the dull, heavy, stubborn ox, or steer, 
 is the animal they have to train up, work 
 and contend with, coupled with tough, 
 heavy yokes and bows, and seldom used to 
 any other work than waggon, cart, or mill- 
 ‘work. Besides the negroes are often as 
 ignorant of this mode of work as the ox 
 himself ; so that the white ploughman, what 
 between the disposition of the negro and 
 the ox, finds himself dreadfully harassed, 
 every thing nearly depending on his own 
 exertions, in a large field of ten or fifteen 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 65 
 
 acres to turn up, so that the overseer may 
 have it planted in good time, and that the 
 plants may not spoil through age, and be 
 unfit to put in the ground. What is the 
 result of this experiment? the white 
 ploughman is considered as incompetent : 
 often through fatigue of mind, or body, he 
 becomes sick and feverish; the cattle are 
 half killed, the ground only half ploughed, 
 and the overseer obliged to draw off from 
 other important work the most effective 
 field-gang of the estate, and resort to the 
 alternative of finishing the turning up of 
 the land, by digging it with the hoe; the 
 mode mostly used and best understood in 
 Jamaica. Thus generally ends the career of 
 ploughmen sent out from home. | 
 
 To sum up this dissertation upon the 
 kind of white people, competent in body 
 and mind, to perform and go through the 
 duties of a sugar estate in the island of 
 Jamaica, the author, instructed by nature 
 and experience, inclines to close it, by 
 a very few desultory remarks, ’ springing 
 
 F 
 

 
 66 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 from the situation in which white people 
 are placed as planters. Few stations re- 
 quire more real comforts than should fall 
 ’ to the lot of the white man, exercising the 
 profession of a planter in that island. 
 Emigrated from his native country; alien- 
 ated from its joys, and the seasons which 
 bring the gifts of bounteous Providence to 
 his gladdened heart, he lands in this un- 
 known climate, invigorated with health, 
 a hale constitution, with little thought of 
 the fatigues, disappointments, and dangers 
 _he is to encounter ; he is placed instinctively 
 as it were upon this land of delights, this 
 never-fading verdant soil, ignorant of its 
 products, the variety of its population, its 
 allurements to pleasure, its resources to 
 sustain nature, its customs, blessings, and 
 inherent, but lurking, fatal distempers ; 
 surrounded by strangers, he scarcely knows 
 what to do, or how to act; it should then 
 materially behove the people that he comes 
 to reside among, who are experienced in 
 the affairs of the island, to be solicitous 
 about his welfare, (in fact about their 
 
 SST ee 
 
 
 

 
 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 67 
 
 ‘own general good,) and by degrees to 
 bring him on to bear the toils of ‘his situ- 
 ation, to give him wholesome advice, to 
 act in a friendly manner, not by indulging 
 him in his appetites or propensities to ir- 
 regular, inordinate practices, but that seeing 
 his necessities are kindly and wholesomely — 
 attended to, he should not be entrusted 
 with the keys of the different stores, till 
 he has sufficient experience to keep them 
 with safety, and be aware of the subtle 
 craft of the negroes. He should be ac- 
 customed to superintend for some time, as 
 part of his duty, the rearing and feeding 
 of small stock, (a most essential point to 
 be attended to on every property,) the 
 keeping accounts of them, counting and 
 seeing the cattle and mules dressed of 
 their sores and wounds. I must here ob- 
 serve, that many overseers are so profuse 
 at their table, as soon to wear out, and ex- 
 pend, the entire of the small stock, leaving 
 themselves, and the white people living 
 with them, nothing but the salt beef and 
 F 2 
 
 
 

 
 68 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 pork in barrels to live on, nay, even some- 
 times nothing but salt herrings. It is then 
 that the wretched situation of such per- 
 sons is to be deplored; their very appear- 
 ance denotes the beggary of their way of 
 living. Squalid, and often ulcerated, they 
 are tempted to exchange salt provisions, 
 with the slaves, for a meagre fowl or 
 duck, to procure a salutary meal. When 
 once the breed of small stock is too much 
 diminished or destroyed, it requires great 
 perseverance, patience, expenditure of corn 
 and time, to restore a sufficient number, 
 to give the means of comfortable subsist- 
 ence. But if this is properly established, 
 with care and economy, they are a lasting 
 source of plenteous nourishment to the 
 healthy, (whom they preserve,) and to the 
 sick and convalescent in the time of need. 
 
 I shall conclude my observations on 
 white people, and their treatment, with re- 
 marking, how necessary it is for every 
 white man on an estate or property to be 
 possessed of a horse in his own right, in 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 69 
 
 order to enable him, not only to discharge 
 his public duty with ease, but to give him 
 occasional recreation, with accustomed 
 respect. ‘To attain this object, a great 
 part of a book-keeper’s or a subordinate 
 white man’s salary is laid out in the pur- 
 chase of one, which he must of course be 
 most anxious to have taken care.of, as the 
 loss of it reduces him to the lamentable 
 condition of comparative beggary and des- 
 titution. Capricious fate may decree him 
 to be discharged or discarded from the 
 estate, for some trifling or heinous offence. 
 At this critical time, he is without this 
 necessary companion to bear him through 
 his difficulties, and often compelled to leave 
 the estate on foot. Then, alas! calumny 
 marks him as a vagabond, unfit to be em- 
 ployed. He is slighted and treated with 
 little pity by the community. Instead 
 then of treating the horse of a book-keeper 
 with indifference or neglect, neither allow- 
 ing him good stabling or feeding, the over- 
 seer should humanely direct his attention 
 F 3 
 
 ———T. >. 
 
70 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 to the wellbeing of his book-keeper’s 
 horse, recollecting, that he was once in 
 that situation himself. How pitiable then 
 must be his condition, if he loses this valu- 
 able animal, his very respectability depend- 
 ing on his being possessed of one! ‘This is 
 a cardinal point to be attended to by an 
 overseer, in his treatment of white people, 
 for by paying proper attention to their 
 comfort, he makes an indelible impression 
 on their mind; his head will recline on his 
 pillow with consoling ease, and it will be a 
 lasting, beneficent trait in his character. 
 We ought to consider the perils of a white 
 man living as a planter in Jamaica, bringing 
 with him a robust, healthy, European con- 
 stitution, the hardships he has to undergo 
 (which quickly undermine the constitution) 
 from being out in the field in all weathers, 
 in such a climate. In crop time, one half 
 of his nights are spent in a sultry boiling- 
 house, at a distance from his dwelling, and 
 he is called out of his warm bed in the 
 middle of the night, exposed, perhaps, to 
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS, ei 
 
 nstant wet or storm, or half-way up to the 
 knees in mire in his passage to the works. 
 The fevers which ensue oblige him to pay, 
 out of his own pocket, for medical advice, 
 which comes very high there. His loss by 
 the death of a horse, nothing but time and 
 hard labour will repair, and put him in pos- 
 session of another. He has to fit himself 
 out with regimentals, and find himself with 
 decent clothes; and every article of wearing 
 apparel being nearly three times as dear 
 there as in the mother-country, and the con- 
 sumption twice as much, adds considerably 
 
 to his burdens. I presume to say, if the con-. 
 -siderate, humane-minded employer reflects 
 on these things, he will be inclined rather 
 to add to than decrease the salaries of the 
 resident white people, on a plantation or 
 sugar estate. Besides increasing their sala- 
 ries according to their merit, good conduet 
 must be encouraged. ‘The business of the 
 estate will be better and more effectually 
 conducted by men of good than bad cha- 
 racter, In the long run, the happy effects 
 
 F 4 
 
 | 
 | 
 me , be wh 3 i Vi 
 ea ee a OL te I ee eR i 
 
= af —se ee 
 
 72: ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 will be productively apparent, savings will 
 accrue, satisfaction and happiness will be 
 the issue. It is much easier to get rid of 
 bad young men than to procure good ones; 
 
 so that when there are well-disposed, in- 
 
 telligent young men on a property, it would 
 be well to keep them there, and show them 
 the advantage of being steady, by reward- 
 ing ‘them for their services, with a small 
 increase of salary. I beg leave to as- 
 sert, that no overseer on a sugar estate 
 should have less than 200/. currency per 
 
 - annum, (whatever more he may obtain, ) 
 
 and no subordinate young man, in the 
 character of book-keeper, less than 80/. 
 currency per annum, and whatever more 
 he may receive according to his merit. The 
 addition of 10/7. or 20/. per annum to each — 
 would scarcely be felt by the proprietor, 
 and the property benefited some hundreds 
 of pounds a year by it. 
 
 It is likewise a source of great additional 
 comfort for every property to have a well 
 kept, plenteously stocked kitchen-garden 
 
ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 73 
 
 on it, which can always be established: and 
 continued at a trifling expense, an invalid 
 negroe generally being appointed to such 
 work, with a comfortable cabin to live in, 
 to preserve seeds and plants, and guard 
 it from thievish invasion. It is almost 
 needless to say, that even in a tempe- 
 rate climate, the use of garden-vegetables, 
 and pot-herbs, is considered as most essen- 
 tial requisites to health and enjoyment ; 
 how much more so must such salutary 
 productions be to men living in a land ex- 
 posed to the effects of a parching, tropical 
 sun, whose blood is in a state of almost 
 constant fermentation, whose exhaustion is 
 excessive. If their food is not qualified 
 with the purifying, grateful influence of 
 such ingredients, the system becomes mor- 
 bid, extreme languor ensues: the corrupt, 
 latent seeds of disease burst forth at length 
 into some terrible distemper or malady, 
 proving fatal to many. Add to this, the 
 practical economy of a table furnished with 
 viands of this kind. The islands in gene- 
 
74 ATTORNEYS OR AGENTS. 
 
 ral afford abundance of natural produc- 
 tions of this sort, the roots and seeds of 
 which are easily procured, which, if sown 
 or planted properly, nursed in their infancy, 
 and kept even moderately clean, will be a 
 perpetual source of wholesome nutritious 
 supply. The Indian kale, ochro, quash, 
 peppers, ackys, and a variety of pulse, 
 being natural to the climate, together with 
 a few fresh European garden-seeds, sent 
 out regularly every year in the supplies, 
 which thrive very well here, give an abun- 
 dance and variety, which few soils or 
 climates can boast of. This garden should 
 never be at a distance from the overseer’s 
 house, as his eye and talents are its safe- 
 guard, nurse, and support. 
 
 
 
15 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 On entering and expatiating on the treat- 
 ment I presume most proper for slaves, 
 especially those under the command and 
 management of overseers in the planting 
 line, (which is a great and even cardinal 
 point in the spirit of plantership,) I shall 
 first advert to the ameliorating laws enacted 
 by the assembly of Jamaica, which are 
 recognisable by every owner of slaves, 
 overseers, &c. living in that island. Than 
 these nothing more belies the slanderous 
 representations of some overrating philan- 
 thropic people, who assert, that their con- 
 dition, comforts, rights, and protection 
 from severities, are not attended to. Having 
 the knowledge and experience of those ex- 
 isting laws, not only made and promul- 
 gated, but strictly acted upon, under heavy 
 penalties of fine and imprisonment, the 
 
ee oe nl. 
 
 76 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 violation of them cannot escape a numerous 
 magistracy, or the contumely of a watch- 
 ful community, I shall venture to avow in 
 the face of the world, that there are no 
 class of people in their sphere, in the uni- 
 verse, whose faults and natural tendency 
 to crime are more abridged and looked 
 over, their wants supplied, their comforts 
 attended to, nay their very existence, when 
 tender infancy, or decrepid old age requires 
 care and succour, more humanely or 
 rigidly looked after. A quarterly return 
 is made to each parochial vestry, establish- 
 ing thereby an inquisitorial power into the 
 increase and decrease of the slave-popula- 
 tion for each property, by which it is seen, 
 in general, whether there is a growing in- 
 crease of the population, putting a quietus 
 to such groundless fabrications. | 
 
 I shall go on (without alluding to former 
 custom) into the train of practice I sup- 
 pose best suited to treat the adult, strong, 
 healthy slave, the youth, the infant, the in- 
 valid, and superannuated, classing them ac- 
 cording to their different occupations. We 
 

 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 794 
 
 have not for some years imported, neither 
 is it ever likely to take place, that we should 
 have a fresh supply of slaves thus brought 
 into the British colonies. The old Africans 
 are daily wearing out and dropping into 
 the grave; our care is to support the 
 present stock, encourage healthy propaga- 
 tion, lessen their propensity to vice, caba- 
 listic or obea arts, induce them to receive 
 Christianity, not to excite their hatred or 
 jealousy by lewdness or wicked practices 
 with their wives, —a baneful custom ; to 
 take care that they are regularly supplied 
 with salt provisions, (which they prefer to 
 fresh, being good, savoury cooks in their 
 own way; ) comfortable clothing ; that their 
 houses are kept tenable; their time and 
 hours to cultivate their grounds not in- 
 fringed upon; those grounds kept free 
 from trespass of cattle or otherwise ; that 
 they be not punished for every trifling 
 fault, or unmercifully, at any time; when 
 really sick, that they be taken into the hos- 
 pital, under the care of the attending doc- 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 78 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 tor, with proper medicine, nourishment, &c., 
 for them ; that their infant children are pro- 
 vided with proper nurses when weaned, 
 kept clean, free from insects called che- 
 goes; a wholesome mess of stewed pro- 
 visions, with a proportion of garden-stuff, 
 made savoury by a little salt meat, &c., 
 served to these children every day, in the 
 overseer’s presence; the invalids and su- 
 perannuated treated with sympathy; and 
 their sufferings, brought on by either age 
 or infirmity, relieved. By such usage 
 as this, the slave becomes attached to the 
 property he belongs to. He only nominally 
 is such in his own thoughts; his master’s 
 property is his freehold ; the property can- 
 not thrive without him, or he exist without 
 the property; he gets old in its service; 
 has children to comfort, support, and soothe 
 him when past his labour, who generally 
 glory in their regard to their parents. This 
 is a most respectable spectacle either on the 
 estate, the public road, or at the provision- 
 market. He sinks quietly into the grave 
 
 15 
 
 
 

 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 79 
 
 at a full old age, and leaves with studious 
 impartiality his little property (of whatever 
 kind it may be) among his children, whom 
 he has trained up to pursue his manner and 
 mode of life. Thus, with the blessing of 
 Providence, insuring to the proprietor a suc- 
 cession of healthy, well-disposed, effective 
 slaves. Casting a look over the European 
 map, I can discern districts, I may say 
 entire countries, styling themselves civilised, 
 -which are now ordaining laws for the 
 balance of power, securing their dominions 
 by the specious appellation of religious, 
 Christian-like epithets, when nine-tenths of 
 _the population of those countries only have 
 nominal freedom; few of the comforts, 
 protections, and enjoyments of the slaves 
 in Jamaica, and the West India islands, 
 and are in fact the veriest slaves in the 
 world. ; 
 The most important personage in the 
 slave-population of an estate is the head 
 driver. He is seen carrying with him the 
 emblems of his rank and dignity, a polished 
 
 
 
SO THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 staff or wand, with prongy crooks on it to 
 lean on, and a short-handled, tangible whip ; 
 his office combining within itself a power, 
 derived principally from the overseer, of 
 
 directing all conditions of slaves, relative 
 .to the precise work he wishes each gang 
 
 or mechanic to undergo or execute. The 
 great gang is comprised of the most power- 
 ful field-negroes, and is always under his 
 charge. These are the strength with which 
 principally to carry into effect the main 
 work in the field, and manufacture the 
 sugar andrum. ‘There are so many points 
 to turn to, so many occasions for his skill, 
 vigilance, steadiness, and trust-worthiness, 
 that the selection of such a man, fit for 
 such a place, requires circumspection, and 
 an intimate knowledge of his talents and 
 capacity. A bad or indifferent head driver 
 sets almost every thing at variance ; injures 
 the negroes, and the culture of the land. 
 He is like a cruel blast that pervades every 
 thing, and spares nothing; but when he is 
 
 well-disposed, intelligent, clever, and active, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FHE TREATMENT OF SEAVES. 81 
 
 he is the life and soul of an estate. He 
 very often is an elderly or middle-aged 
 negro, who has long been so employed. 
 If it should be so ordered, that a new 
 head driver is requisite to be put in com- 
 mission, I must beg leave to lay before my 
 readers, my opinion of the proper choice 
 of one. I may err, but hope not irre- 
 trievably. He should, in my judgment, be 
 an athletic man; sound and hardy in con- 
 stitution ; of well-earned and reputed good 
 character; of an age, and, if possible, an 
 appearance to carry respect; perhaps about 
 thirty-five years old; clean in his person 
 and apparel; if possible a native or Creole — 
 of the island, long used to field work, and 
 marked for his sobriety, readiness, and 
 putting his work well out of his hands, 
 His civility should be predominant, his 
 patience apparent, his mode of inflicting 
 punishment mild. He should be respectful 
 to white people ; suffering no freedoms from 
 those under him, by conversation or trifling 
 puerile conduct. It is rare, indeed, to find 
 
 G 
 
 
 
82 THE .TREATMENT OF “SLAVES. 
 
 this mass of perfection in a negro; but 
 you may obtain a combination of most of 
 those virtues ; and as to petty vices, always 
 inherent in some measure in human nature, 
 they must be looked over, when ‘not too 
 full “of evil. The junior drivers likewise, 
 if possible, should be men of this de- 
 scription ; but having a good master over 
 them in the head driver, they will be in- 
 duced to behave themselves tolerably. It 
 gives a great deal of vexation to an over- 
 seer when he changes his head driver. 
 Caprice should never have any hand in 
 such a’ transaction. The overseer who 
 thus trifles, who thus stakes the fortunes 
 of an estate upon mere frivolities, deserves 
 never to be employed again. The burden 
 of the ensuing mischief that may happen to 
 the property, should rest on his shoulders. 
 Yet it indispensably behoves an overseer 
 to get rid of, or dismiss a bad head driver ; 
 for such a one he will soon find out. When 
 - ill disposed he will perceive the negroes 
 Jikewise so ; the work will not be carried on 
 
 
 
‘THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 88 
 
 agreeable to his dictates; things suffer in 
 general ; the slaves run away, or are inclined 
 to be turbulent; he and they cabal; bad 
 sugar is made; and perhaps the horrid and 
 abominable practice of Obea is carried 
 on, dismembering and disabling one an- 
 other; even aiming at the existence of the 
 white people. The root, then, of this evil 
 must be struck at, and the head driver and 
 his abettors sent to public punishment. 
 Another most material person on an estate 
 is the head cattle and mule man. These 
 are people of great responsibility, having 
 under their charge a great portion of the 
 proprietor’s capital, much depending on 
 them for their safety: bringing the canes 
 from the field to the mill, for its constant 
 supply in crop-time, and carrying the crop 
 to the barquadier. They have to keep the 
 cattle and mules in good order, and like- 
 wise make them perform their duty well. 
 They should likewise, with the head driver, 
 have the good of the estate at heart; have 
 a proper choice of what cattle are best 
 G 2 
 
 
 
84 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 adapted for field, mill, or road work ; know 
 the temper and abilities of the stock; the 
 fit and regular time to spell or relieve them 
 with others ; have always a sufficient quan- 
 tity of proper tackling for them; the best 
 mode of feeding, and dressing them for 
 occasional bruises, sores, and wounds; rest- 
 ing those that are lame, meagre, or that 
 are intended for some stress of work: they 
 should be sober, steady, hale, respectable 
 men. ‘Their employment both in and out 
 of crop, should be the working, taking care, 
 and feeding of their cattle and mules. They 
 must not be drafted to other work, putting 
 the cattle and mules thereby out of the pale 
 and exercise of their responsible avocations: 
 an old, but bad practice. Theft is often 
 practised by cattle or wain men, in carrying 
 the sugar and rum to the wharf; likewise 
 plundering the supplies (especially salt pro- 
 visions) in bringing them up to the estates. 
 Care should be taken, if possible, to have 
 the head cattle or wain men vigilant and 
 honest; that the head mule-man is like- 
 
 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 85 
 
 wise so; neither taking himself, nor allow- 
 ing others to take mules off from the 
 property, for his or their private use or 
 work, without the overseer’s licence. This 
 is often done, to the great injury, and per- 
 haps loss, of the mules. Thousands of cattle 
 and mules are yearly destroyed throughout 
 the island, by the careless villany or con- 
 nivance of vicious and profligate cattle and 
 mule men. | 
 
 The head boiler or manufacturer of sugar 
 is another slave, whose trust and employ- 
 ment, during crop-time, is of the most re- 
 sponsible kind. He should always be a 
 person who has an intimate knowledge of 
 such a process; the way the cane has been 
 raised and treated; the kind of soil it grows 
 upon; if that soil has been high or low 
 manured; the age of the cane; the species 
 it is of; whether it has been topped short 
 or long in the cutting; if it has been 
 arrowed, bored, or rat-eaten; giving him 
 by this perspicuous view, a thorough know- 
 ledge of the lime tempering the cane-juice 
 
 c 8 
 
 ee emp 
 
 
 
86- THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 requires ; the time it may take to concoct,’ 
 inspissate, and be fit to skip into the coolers. . 
 He must be impartial in his mode and time 
 of potting the sugar from the cooler into 
 the hogshead, so that it stands the hogshead 
 well, cures properly, lets off the spumy, 
 spurious molasses, without embodying it in 
 the sugar, thereby giving it an open, free 
 grain. He should be an economist in boil- 
 ing the sugar, without being a miser to the 
 distilling house. He must be honest, sober, 
 
 industrious, and keep the junior boilers to. 
 
 their work. Such are the qualities, I pre- 
 sume, requisite for a head boiler on a sugar. 
 estate. The fairest fruits of a cane field 
 have been destroyed, perverted, and ren- 
 dered a mass of thick, slimy, dark, sour, 
 cloddy, unprofitable, unmarketable sub- 
 stance, (disappointing the expectations of 
 the overseer,) by an improper choice of 
 such a member, or having a villain for 
 conducting such a business. The labour 
 
 of negroes and stock have often been lost. 
 
 by this means; the trash-house consumed. 
 

 
 fs 
 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 87 
 
 or emptied, shipments disappointed, and 
 the adulterated juices sent to the distilling. 
 house, where it will scarcely pay for its 
 boiling. 
 
 Other head men, such as carpenters, 
 coopers, masons, coppersmiths, and watch- 
 men, are next in succession as principal 
 slaves on an estate. They generally arrive 
 at their headship, from being distinguished 
 either by the proprietor, overseer, or some 
 superintending mechanic, as good work- 
 men. ‘They are found of infinite service 
 in the various jobs frequently requisite to 
 be done: for the building, improving, and 
 repairing of the manufacturing houses, &c. 
 saving the proprietor (if ingenious, indus- 
 trious, and sober,) a considerable sum of 
 money annually, by not having occasion to 
 call in the aid of an eminent tradesman to 
 execute the business. They should always 
 have plenty of materials to keep them 
 employed; seasoned wood to work; and 
 the masons and coppersmiths repairing out. 
 of crop any damage done in it. 
 
 G 4 
 
88 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 A head watchman is always a necessary 
 slave officer on every property ; but if such 
 a person is not narrowly looked after, or of 
 extraordinary good character, he spends 
 the greater part of his time in gadding 
 about; working a distant ground of his 
 own; harbouring runaway slaves, whom 
 he cheaply hires to perform some work for 
 him; or perhaps takes an effective mule 
 off the estate, to carry some provisions with 
 despatch to market. This is a bad example 
 to the slave population, who are ever prone 
 to catch infection of this kind. To prevent 
 its noxious influence, this man should fre- 
 quently, in the course of the day, be with, 
 or at the overseer’s house; early in the 
 morning he should go round to the watch- 
 men stationed at the works, and see that 
 every thing is as it should be. He should 
 make a report of the state of the business 
 ‘to the overseer; go round to the cane 
 piece, watchmen, and cattle-pens, and ob- 
 serve if any trespass has been committed, 
 or fences broke. At breakfast-time he 
 

 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 89 
 
 should bring the different cane piece watch- 
 men, with their weapons of defence on one 
 side, and their rat-springs on the other, to 
 the overseer’s house, to see their success 
 in destroying those hurtful creatures. He 
 should always have along with him a 
 number of active smart dogs, trained up 
 to hunting those animals, who are in im- 
 mense numbers throughout the cane pieces, 
 provision-grounds, and ruins; likewise to 
 chase and catch the freebooting hogs that 
 are let loose from the negroes’ pigsties. 
 This head watchman should go over the 
 lines of the property once or twice a week, 
 through the woods, and strictly observe 
 that no damage is done there, or loss sus- 
 tained by trespass; and report the same to 
 the overseer. He should be ever watchful 
 that no mischief is done, or trespass com- 
 mitted on the negroes’ provision grounds, ~ 
 keeping the watchmen there most parti- 
 cularly to their duty; and he should take 
 eare that the fences are repaired where 
 broken, by those who are appointed so to 
 
90 THE. TREATMENT OF: SLAVES: 
 
 do. He should attend at night when the 
 head driver waits to get his orders from 
 the overseer, to know the names of the 
 nightly watchmen to be. stationed at the 
 works; and, before he retires to his 
 supper, observe if those watchmen are at 
 their posts. Regularly every week, on 
 Saturday or Monday morning, he should 
 have the handicraft watchmen bring an 
 ample supply of well made mule-pads ; fine 
 hackled plantain trash, from off the stem 
 of the plantain tree; ropes for mules, 
 waggons, and cattle tackling; trash and 
 dung baskets, lining pegs, rat-springs, &c. 
 brought home, and deposited in the ap- 
 propriate store, to be had when wanted. 
 By such a rotation of duty, this officer can 
 be extremely useful, and his time well 
 spent. As an incentive to the principal 
 headmen of an estate to do their duty 
 well, or reward their exertions, to. those 
 that are most exposed to toil, inclement 
 weather, loss. of time by  superintending 
 
 others, a weekly allowance of a quart or. 
 
 j r 
 ER ii. Ee eee TN ye lee Ag) oe 
 
 
 
 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. Ql 
 
 two of good rum, some sugar, and now 
 and then a dinner from the overseer’s table, 
 will be found of salutary effect. If deemed 
 necessary to punish for bad conduct or 
 neglect of duty, such benefits. can oc- 
 casionally be withdrawn. 
 
 I now come to call the attention of my 
 readers to another class of slaves, whose 
 lot of occupation comes more immediately 
 under the proprietors’ or overseers’ eye; 
 they rank in the capacity of domestics and 
 house people. I shall first advert to the 
 hothouse or hospital doctor or doctress, (as 
 they are termed in Jamaica, ) midwives, &c., 
 a most fearful fraternity, who in the course 
 of the year, may do a great deal of good, 
 or promote and establish an infinite number 
 of disorders; having, perhaps, in that time, 
 the whole population of the estate, —white 
 people, mixed, coloured, and black — under 
 their care. Acquainted with medicine only 
 in a superficial manner, if ever so experi- 
 enced, they never should have the charge 
 of the bulk of what medicines may be on the 
 
 
 

 
 92 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 estate ; and what they are put in possession 
 of, should be of a simple nature. Of dele- 
 terious drugs they should never have the 
 mixing up; and the utmost caution should 
 be observed when they are allowed to ad- 
 minister any such. A few doses of glauber 
 salts, sulphur, rhubarb, castor-oil, campho- 
 rated spirits, bitters and plaisters to dress 
 sores and make blisters of; with two or 
 three lancets, a pair of scissars, and 
 
 ‘spatula, is all they should have under their 
 
 immediate care. In fact, an experienced, 
 attentive overseer or book-keeper (as is 
 usually the case) will perform cures in or- 
 dinary, simple cases, compound and ad- 
 minister the medicine to the afflicted and 
 sick, with little necessity to call in the aid 
 of the practising white doctor, except when 
 
 danger threatens. Indeed, some gentlemen 
 
 of that character in Jamaica, are very 
 little entitled to that appellation. They 
 
 have large incomes from each estate, 
 
 without doing any good whatever in a 
 year’s visiting. However I shall leave 
 15 | 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES, 93 
 
 such people to the censure of their own 
 profession. An hospital of sick diseased 
 slaves, is a source of great unhappiness to 
 an overseer. Humanity should call forth 
 his attention; his duty and the interest of 
 the estate should bind him to it, if the 
 strength of the estate is in the hospital, in 
 a manner lying dormant. If a valuable 
 slave remains there lingering, his mind is 
 sure to be tainted; his work is delayed, 
 and danger may accrue to the capital under 
 his charge. His character may suffer, and 
 his situation become precarious. Every 
 thing conspires in the mind of a sedulous, 
 humane overseer, to do all in his power to 
 free the hospital of its patients, and restore 
 them to renovated vigour and health. A 
 book of medical treatment, especially of 
 such diseases as are incidental to tropical 
 climates, and is applicable to the cure of 
 negro distempers, should be always kept 
 on every property in the West Indies. I 
 would prefer a male to a female in attend- 
 ing the hospital; and there should always 
 
 a 
 
 
 
94 -THE.TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 be a room there, for the comfortable ac- 
 -commodation of such a person, in case his 
 nightly attendance is requisite. ‘The male 
 and female patients should be kept separate, 
 in comfortable warm apartments, blankets, 
 &c., and a fire place to each apartment. 
 Nourishment should always be afforded 
 from the general store, and overseers’ table 
 to those who require it. It requires a nice 
 discernment and discrimination to know, 
 ‘who are to be admitted for medicine or 
 otherwise, into the hospital. The slaves in 
 Jamaica, ever given to a most flagrant 
 abuse of whatever may be established, or 
 presumed to be for their benefit, the whole 
 population of an estate, (with a few excep- 
 tions), would present themselves for admit- 
 tance there, if the house was large enough 
 to contain them, or their artifices not well 
 understood, whether they wanted or not 
 the aid of medicine. Even the wary ex- 
 perienced overseer they will strive to over- 
 reach and deceive; nay, they will force 
 nature from its due course, and by a tem- 
 
 
 
 
 
THE .TREATMENT-OF SLAVES; OS 
 
 porary contraction or revulsion of some 
 vessel in their frame, effect their lazy pur- 
 pose of sitting down in the hospital. Sores 
 they will irritate and keep alive, fresh ones 
 inflict, and medicines swallow with avidity 
 to avoid work, get in there, and enjoy their 
 supine, idle propensities. They always 
 practise upon a new overseer such tricks. 
 Upon such application, I would give them 
 a hearty dose of some simple medicine, and 
 have them strictly confined to the hospital. 
 If no practising doctor is employed for the 
 property, let them remain there for two or 
 three days, and if nothing apparently ails 
 them, send them to their work. If a doc- 
 tor is employed, let him examine into their - 
 respective cases ; if not found unwell, send 
 them to their work again ; and let a regular 
 hothouse book be kept of what medicines 
 are ordered and administered, when they 
 are taken in, and when turned out. 
 Midwives are generally elderly women 
 on a property, who attend the breeding- 
 women, in time-of child-birth. - They are 
 
 
 
96 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 in general egregiously ignorant, yet most 
 obstinately addicted to their own way; but 
 still if they find danger fast approaching, 
 most probably brought on by their own 
 tampering, they will cunningly run to the 
 overseer, tell him of the dangerous case, 
 and that he should send for the doctor; 
 and when he arrives, when sinking nature 
 is nearly lost in the dissolution of the 
 mother or child, or one or other expires 
 shortly after his arrival, they dexterously 
 assert, that if he had followed their advice, 
 all would have been well. ‘They impress, 
 by the nature of their office and by such 
 assertions, such an awe and reverence for 
 them on the minds of all classes of slaves, 
 that few practising doctors wish to encoun- 
 ter them, or be called in to assist at a birth, 
 or give relief to a female slave in travail, 
 which those harpies attend. The overseer 
 can do little or nothing, in those trying 
 cases, farther than afford medicine, re- 
 storatives, and nourishment, for which he is 
 called upon abundantly by these practition- 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 07 
 
 ers, and which he gives with the freedom of 
 a father. Encouraging the midwife in her 
 attention, for the welfare of mother and 
 child, he gladly has them taken care of, if 
 living; and consoles himself that no blame 
 can be attached to him for any failure. If 
 a happy issue is effected, he rewards the 
 midwife and mother, and rejoicingly adds 
 another name, to the list of slave-popula- 
 tion in the plantation book. 
 
 The house people should always be com- 
 posed of the people of colour belonging to 
 the property, or cleanly, well-affected slaves 
 to white people, who understand the way of 
 keeping a house clean in that country, the 
 eare of house-linen, needle-work in general, 
 and cookery. They should be neat in their 
 persons, without disease, not inclined to 
 quarrelling or much talking, civil in their 
 manners, not addicted to steal away to the 
 negro-houses, neglect their work, to pilfer- 
 ing or drunkenness. Having such people as 
 these in a dwelling house, the white people 
 and themselves feel, that they are com- 
 
 H 
 
 
 
98 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 paratively happy. If an overseer upon 
 every frivolous occasion, (which often hap- 
 pens, ) changes his domestics, he seldom is 
 comfortable for an hour; every thing is at 
 
 _ variance; a dirty house, tattered linen, 
 
 waste of every thing, tumult and punish- 
 ment going on, caballing, conspiracy, per- 
 fidy, and attempts perhaps against his life, 
 many instances of which could be related 
 here. When an orderly set is once in a 
 house, they are with little trouble kept to 
 their duty. As jealousy is apt to creep in 
 among the females, the overseer should 
 give them little or no cause for it; it isa 
 raging, unforgiving, relentless pestilence. 
 Whatever needle-work is requisite, such as 
 making and repairing house-linen, shirts, 
 
 _ and stockings, making the clothes for the 
 
 slaves, who have no wives, or are ig- 
 norant how to make it themselves; put a 
 presiding house-woman of good conduct 
 over them, to instruct and superintend 
 them; put no temptations in their way, by 
 entrusting them with the store-keys. Give 
 
 a ee ee 
 
 
 

 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 99 
 
 them a small, but not a profuse part of 
 what meals you partake of. Let them have 
 due time, by relieving one another, in the 
 course of the week, to work their provision. 
 grounds, and mind their little poultry and 
 pigs, not suffering them to raise them about 
 the dwelling or overseer’s house. 
 
 The great gang. — Nothing animates the 
 planting system more than the wellbeing 
 of this admirable effective force, composed 
 of the flower of all the field battalions, 
 drafted and recruited from all the other 
 gangs, as they come of an age to endure 
 severe labour. They are drilled to become 
 veterans in the most arduous field under- 
 takings, furnish drivers, cattlemen, mule- 
 men, boilers, and distillers. They are the 
 very essence of an estate, its support in all 
 weathers and necessities; the proprietor’s 
 glory, the overseer’s favourite, directed by 
 him. Brigaded by its chief field-officer, 
 the head driver, they inspire confidence, 
 and command. respect. This gang, com- 
 posed of a mixture of able men and women, 
 
 js 4 
 
100 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 sometimes amounting to an hundred, should 
 always be put to the field work, which 
 requires strength and skill in the execution ; 
 such as making lime-kilns, digging cane- 
 holes, making roads through the estate, 
 trenching, building stone walls, planting 
 canes and provisions, trashing heavy canes, 
 cutting and tying canes and tops in crop 
 time, cutting copper-wood, feeding the 
 mill, carrying green trash from the mill to 
 the trash-house, and repairing the public 
 roads, when allotments are to be worked 
 out. They should always be provided 
 with good hoes, bills, a knife, and axes, to 
 those men who know how to make use of 
 them. They should have these tools kept 
 in the most serviceable order. They 
 should be made to work in a parallel line 
 as they are set in. The head-driver, his 
 assistant-driver, and bookkeeper, should 
 visit each row, and see that they do 
 their work well. - An animating inoffensive 
 song, struck up by one of them, should be 
 encouraged and chorussed while ‘at work ; 
 
 
 

 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 101 
 
 for they are thought good composers in 
 their own way. No punishment should be 
 inflicted, but what is absolutely necessary, 
 and that with mercy. In bad weather, 
 a glass of good rum should be given to 
 each ; and when making lime-kilns, roads, 
 and digging cane-holes, a small proportion 
 of rum and sugar likewise to each. Their 
 cook should be regular with their break- 
 fast by nine o’clock in the morning, and 
 their salt provisions constantly served to 
 them. Keeping them in heart, they will 
 work accordingly. They should not work 
 them out of crop, either before day or after 
 dark, (a custom formerly practised, ) for they 
 are chilly in their nature, and liable to fre- 
 quent colds, which bring on fevers and pleu- 
 risies. A few hours of such work might give 
 a patient to the hospital for a month. It is, 
 when the all-quickening sun has influenced 
 the creation, that the field-negro feels alive 
 to his work, and announces it, by his cheer- 
 ing song, and redoubled efforts. In heavy 
 rain, all orders of field-negroes should be 
 H 3 
 
102 THE FREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 called in by sound of bell or conch-shell. 
 Attention to these remaks, I presume to 
 think, will add to the stability of an over- 
 seer’s birth, and be a rule to guide him by. 
 
 Second gang.—This gang should be com- 
 posed of people, who are thought to be of 
 rather weakly habits, mothers, of sucking 
 children, youths drafted from the children’s 
 gang, from twelve to eighteen years of 
 age, and elderly people that are sufficiently 
 strong for field-work. They should have 
 a competent driver to follow and direct 
 them. ‘Their strength and abilities should 
 be ascertained and assimilated to field- 
 work of the second order, such as cleaning 
 and banking young canes, turning trash 
 on ratoon pieces, threshing light canes, 
 chopping and heaping manure, planting 
 corn, cleaning grass pieces, carrying dry 
 trash in crop time to the stokeholes, and 
 
 such work, requiring no great strength. 
 
 The mothers of sucking children should 
 be provided with nurses to take care of the 
 infants, while they are at work in the fields, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BA 
 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 103 
 
 and a hut made in a convenient place, to 
 retire to, in case of stress of weather. 
 One mother out of every four in the field 
 should be allowed to go and suckle her 
 child for a quarter of an hour, then suc- 
 ceeded by others, and so on, that the infants 
 should not want, and those mothers should 
 not be obliged to turn out to work before 
 sunrise, or be detained to work after sun- 
 set. They should have a weekly allowance, 
 of a pint of flour or meal, with a propor- 
 tion of sugar for each child. ‘The mothers 
 and infants should be kept clean, and free 
 from chegoes. A yard or two of flannel and 
 check, should be given to each infant, for 
 a frock and cover, besides their usual 
 allowance of clothing. In all other res- 
 pects this gang should be treated as the 
 other slaves on the property are. 
 
 The Third or Weeding Gang. — This 
 corps, forming the rising generation, from 
 which, in progress of time, all the vacancies 
 occurring in the different branches of slave 
 population are filled up, comes next to be 
 
 H 4 
 
 
 

 
 104 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 considered. Their merits are great in their 
 sphere. ‘The expectations formed of them 
 are still greater, when contemplated in a 
 future point of view. They are drivers, 
 cattlemen, mulemen, carpenters, coopers, 
 and masons, as it were in embryo. Their 
 genius and strength rises and ripens with 
 their years, as they are made emulous by 
 proper treatment. It argues then what that 
 kind. of treatment should be, to promote 
 
 - with success so good a design. Even in 
 
 common life, throughout civilized Europe, 
 the welfare of the child is the grand object 
 of the parent. The owner and the over- 
 seer of those valuable shoots should act 
 the part of a parent, fosterer, and protector, 
 looking on them as the future prop and 
 support of the property. How pleasing, 
 how gratifying, how replete with humanity 
 it is to see a swarm of healthy, active, 
 cheerful, pliant, straight, handsome creole 
 negro boys and girls going to, and return- 
 ing from the puerile field work allotted to 
 them, clean and free from disease or blemish. 
 : 16 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a ah ea a el er ee on yet 
 
 SE oy aR i ee PEPE ae ET mae 
 

 
 THE TREATMENT OF SEAVES. 105 
 
 It forms one of. the best. traits in an over- 
 seer’s character, to have and preserve such 
 under his charge. Negro children, after 
 they pass five or six years of age, if free 
 trom the yaws, or other scrophula, and are 
 
 healthy, should be taken from the nurse: 
 
 in the negro houses, and put under the 
 tuition of the driveress, who has the con- 
 ducting of the weeding gang. It is an 
 unquestionable evil to leave them there 
 after they come to that age, as they im- 
 bibe, by remaining there, a tendency to 
 idle, pernicious habits. When they can be 
 any way useful, it is best to send them 
 with those of their own age, to associate 
 together in industrious habits; not to over- 
 act any part with them, but by degrees to 
 conform them to the minor field-work. A 
 wide expanse (more or less) of young plant 
 
 canes present themselves to the sight, tacitly 
 calling, by their appearance, the helping, 
 nourishing hand of man, to aid them in 
 their growth, by plucking the unwholesome 
 weeds and grass from among them, to draw 
 

 
 106 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 round them the parent earth, the foster- 
 ing manure, with the tenderness their in- 
 fancy demands. In general it is found, 
 that the supple hand of the negro child is 
 best calculated to extract the weeds and 
 grass; and the addition of a small hoe, 
 used with caution, draws the mold to their 
 support. A piece of young plant canes, 
 cleaned and molded by a gang of negro 
 children, has generally a more healthy, 
 even appearance, than if dressed by able 
 people, because they are more light and 
 cautious in going through it. Few break- 
 ages take place, and the earth is not trod- 
 den by too heavy a body, into a hard 
 contexture; a great injury to young canes. 
 An experienced negro woman in all man- 
 ner of field work, should be selected to 
 superintend, instruct, and govern this gang 
 of pupils, armed with a pliant, serviceable 
 twig, more to create dread, than. inflict 
 chastisement. I should prefer a woman who 
 had been the mother of, and reared a num- 
 ber of healthy children of her own, to a 
 
 
 
 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 107 
 
 sterile creature, whose mind often partakes 
 of the disposition of her body ; who is stern 
 without command, fractious and_ severe, 
 with an indifference to impart instruction. 
 Each child should be provided with a light 
 small hoe, with a proportionate handle to it 
 well fixed. ‘These little implements should 
 always be ground for them, when out of 
 order, by a carpenter or cooper, and kept 
 wedged; they should be furnished with 
 a small knife, and small basket each, cal- 
 culated to carry dung. They should be 
 accustomed, in planting time, with those 
 baskets to attend the great gang, and throw 
 dung before them in the cane-holes, which 
 they can do expertly; and by this they 
 will be taught to observe the mode of plant- 
 ing, and putting the cane in the ground. 
 They should be encouraged when they do 
 their work well, and when the sun is un- 
 usually powerful, with a drink made of 
 water, sugar, and lime-juice, such being cool- 
 ing and wholesome for them. They should 
 be minutely examined and cleaned from 
 
 
 
108 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 chegoes ; their heads and bodies from itch 
 or scrophula; which last, when discovered, 
 they should immediately be put under 
 the care of the hothouse doctor, physicked 
 and rubbed with proper ointment, and not 
 sent to work till they are cured. Their 
 cleanliness should be exemplary, their meals 
 always strengthened with a small quantity of 
 salt pork or fish, and some kind of garden- 
 stuff, such as peas or beans. And I beg leave 
 here pointedly to remark, (which I hope 
 gentlemen of the old school will excuse me 
 for, as it is an old practice, ) that on no ac- 
 count should these, or any children, be sent 
 to gather hogmeat or cut grass, or carry 
 hogmeat or grass to the overseer’s hog- 
 stye or mule-pen. The reason for my thus 
 formally declaring against this practice is, 
 that in searching for, and gathering hog- 
 meat, and cutting grass, they are obliged 
 to go a considerable distance to gather it, 
 through wild bushes and woods. They are 
 incautious in thus rambling, , often getting 
 thereby bad bruises, hurts and wounds, 
 

 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 109 
 
 which turn out to be incurable sores, ever 
 after rendering them infirm, perhaps decre- 
 pid, and pitiable creatures to the sight. 
 Respecting cutting of grass, the evil is as 
 much to be dreaded; for those young crea- 
 tures are flighty, and unsteady in using a 
 bill or a knife, and by some mischance 
 may give themselves horrible cuts, equally 
 as unfortunate, and to be guarded against. 
 Besides, an old negro or two will always be 
 found, who can provide a sufficiency of 
 these things, and old weakly mules to bring 
 them home. When any of these children 
 become twelve years old, and are healthy, 
 they are fit subjects to be drafted into the 
 second gang, going on thus progressively 
 from one gang to the other, till they are 
 incorporated with the great gang, or most 
 effective veteran corps of the estate. Crab- 
 yaws they are subject to, as well as able 
 negroes ; a species of bonions, affecting the 
 soles and sides of the feet, having a kernel 
 deeply rooted, (and perhaps attended with 
 an abscess) which requires caustic to eradi- 
 

 
 110 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 cate, and are obstinate to effect a cure of ; 
 but patience must be called in as an auxili- 
 ary remedy. ‘The slave must be confined, 
 his foot clothed with a kind of sandal, 
 (called in Jamaica a sandpatta) the caustic 
 applied, the foot kept clean with warm 
 water and a mixture of goulard, and not 
 turned out to work till the cure is effected, 
 and the parts made callous against future 
 impressions of the kind; I have no doubt 
 but these rules will be found adviseable, 
 reducible to practice, and that I shall not 
 incur the displeasure, envy, or ridicule of 
 any person, by propounding them. 
 
 Cattle and mule-boys.—This description 
 of working slaves, (as they are termed in 
 Jamaica,) should be taken from the great 
 or second gangs, as found most applicable 
 to that kind of employment. Youths from 
 twelve to twenty years of age, and old 
 negroes (especially Africans) should never 
 be put to such a task, or taken to be trained 
 up to it if possible, being too heavy, gene- 
 rally stupid, hard to be subdued to it, rather 
 
a 
 
 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. lll 
 
 ungovernable, when from under the drivers 
 auspices, unhandy, and liable to make the 
 cattle and mules suffer under them. ‘Take 
 then the tractable, docile youth, of creole 
 birth, for most of them know how both to 
 lead and yoke cattle, and ride and tackle 
 mules. When work of that kind is wanted, 
 the head cattle and mule-man has the charge 
 and direction of them. ach should be 
 provided with a well-appointed whip, that 
 may inflict a smart, but not a cruel stripe 
 on a beast, whom they should never be 
 suffered to maltreat. ‘They should never be 
 
 allowed to ride mules up a hill. ‘They. 
 
 should know, and be instructed in the best 
 method, of dressing the stock for bruises 
 or wounds. ‘They should never have an 
 excuse, that they are unprovided with a 
 sufficiency of good pads, fine trash, and 
 well-made ropes. Each mule-boy should 
 be appointed to the precise mules he is to 
 work ; his spells of mules, as to their names, 
 should be told him. They must be made 
 to tackle them well, spell them regularly, 
 
 << la 
 
Pe Bees 
 
 112 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 rub them down, and if bruised or hurt by 
 improper working, be punished for such 
 misdemeanor. ‘They should never be al- 
 lowed to take home the ropes, or -mule- 
 pads, to the negro houses, (which is often 
 done, ) they being generally giddy, and neg- 
 ligent of them, and inclined to steal them 
 from one another. They should be con- 
 strained to deposit them, in a safe con- 
 venient shed, built for the purposes They 
 should be strictly made to keep dry pads 
 next the backs of the beasts, to prevent 
 them from galling or giving colds or spasms 
 
 to the animals. ‘They should keep them if 
 possible to the custom, (when a number of 
 
 mules are to be worked, in carrying canes 
 and copper-wood,) of going in a regular 
 gang together, that the head mule-man may 
 always have them under his eye, to prevent 
 accidents. ‘These are the requisites I pre- 
 sume most necessary in training and govern- 
 ing the cattle and mule-boys in their duty. 
 The feeding of the cattle. and mules is 
 superintended by the head cattle and mule- 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. LTts 
 
 man, assisted by a deputy, who are all 
 directed in this essential point by the 
 overseer. 
 
 Watchmen, invalids, and superannuated.— 
 Watchmen on an estate or a property in the 
 West Indies, which are stationed on the 
 lines, cane pieces and provision grounds, 
 are slaves in the light of sentinels and 
 piquets. It is indispensably necessary to 
 have such a force in existence: they act 
 an important part, by their vigilance, to 
 prevent the trespassing of cattle, or the 
 depredations of thieves; to repair broken 
 ‘fences in theirneighbourhood, make baskets, 
 pads, pegs, ropes, &c. As some slaves be- 
 gin to decline by inevitable old age, in- 
 firmity, or disability to stand the more 
 heavy laborious, field work, they should be 
 allotted to those kinds of occupations which 
 do not bear hard upon them. Something 
 they should always have to do, to keep 
 their minds employed, and their bodies in 
 easy activity. This kind of duty comes 
 within their capacity. An intelligent, trusty 
 
 I 
 
 
 

 
 114 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 man of this sort, should always be stationed 
 on the line of the estate, and another in 
 the negro, and white people’s provision 
 grounds, to guard with care those tempting 
 places. The watchman who guards the lines, 
 should be made to conform to the practice 
 of daily bringing a quantity of bark, fit to 
 make ropes, to the overseer’s house, make 
 his report of the state of affairs in that 
 quarter, and regularly, without much delay, 
 return to his post. The head watchman 
 should be particularly attentive, that these 
 piquets are inflexible and steady ; comfort- 
 able huts they should always have; a sharp, 
 active dog for their companion, and armed 
 and provided each with good cutlasses, 
 bills, and knives. No disparagement 
 should be shewn to them, on account of 
 their growing old or infirm: these are the 
 dispensations of Providence, which .no 
 human art can control. Their real wants 
 and comforts should be attended to, al- 
 though they do not require, (from the 
 nature of their employment), so much salt 
 
 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES, 115 
 
 provision, or frequent change of clothing, 
 as the able field negroes, who are exposed 
 to precarious, inclement weather and hard 
 toil. Every watchman, no matter where 
 placed on an estate, should always have a. 
 number of rat springes set in various direc- 
 tions, especially among the cane and corn 
 pieces, which they should be subtle in 
 fixing, diligent in daily examining, and 
 those within the sphere of cane cultivation, 
 ought to be made to produce them every 
 morning at the overseer’s house. Nothing 
 is so destructive to a piece of ripening 
 canes, as this gnawing destructive little 
 animal ; nocreature, I believe, in the scale 
 of quadrupeds, is more prolific, or more 
 cunning to evade pursuit, retreating to its 
 subterraneous, mazy habitation upon the 
 smallest alarm. It is wary of the snare, 
 yet unceasingly voracious. All methods 
 should then be attempted to catch, destroy, 
 and extirpate them with safety ; men, dogs, 
 deadly mixtures, to entice them; even fire 
 and water should sometimes be called in, to 
 
 ed 
 
 
 
116 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 assist in this undertaking. For it is not the 
 great quantity ‘they eat, but their roving 
 propensity in running from cane to cane, 
 from one piece of corn to another, nibbling 
 and biting to the very core almost every 
 thing within their reach. For wherever 
 they insert their teeth, that, and the adja- 
 cent part of the cane becomes sour, disco- 
 loured, and gangrened, the vital juices are 
 stagnated, great part of the cane is unfit to 
 make sugar, and consequently the crop is 
 much diminished. I am inclined to hold 
 forth bribes and rewards, for the greatest 
 number taken; a small quantity of rum or 
 salt pork to each watchman, who may catch 
 
 in the course of the week so many dozen of 
 
 rats, keeping a daily book of account. 
 Yet he must be cautious, that the same rats 
 are not brought twice by the watchmen. 
 The remaining watchmen should be scat- 
 tered at proper places over the estate, where 
 most vulnerable, and liable to attract, by 
 the alluring sight of ripening cane and 
 corn the prowling thief, or the browsing 
 
 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. IY] 
 
 beast. Repairing of fences, pad, and basket- 
 making, &c. they should occasionally be 
 employed at. The head watchman’s busi- 
 ness is to superintend and direct them. 
 The supernumerary invalids and _super- 
 annuated persons, who can do any slight 
 work, together with such middle-aged 
 slaves as are afflicted with asthma, bone- 
 ache, or other disorders which require 
 occasional rest, should be put under the 
 direction of a sensible negro of their own 
 sort, and occupied in planting and cleaning 
 quick-fences, either round the cane or 
 grass pieces. Though much cannot be 
 expected from them, yet it is best to keep 
 them at some employment ; and such work | 
 is easy and of utility, sparing the neces- 
 sity of drawing off more able people to do 
 it. Nothing is more strikingly pleasing 
 to the eye, than well-planted, well-kept 
 fences; they preserve, in a great measure, 
 by their encircling, binding protection, the 
 young plants, and the rich harvest of canes, 
 which a kind Providence and produc- 
 
 Q2 
 
 I od 
 
 
 
EIS THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 tive nature, with the laborious art of man, 
 brings to perfection. 
 
 Young children and infants. — It is 
 usually the wish of the female slaves, when 
 they become mothers, to keep the infants 
 sucking to an’ extraordinary or excessive © 
 time, sometimes for three years; with the 
 _ two-fold view of making the child strong, 
 and having loitering, idle time to spend. 
 The latter motive, I believe, is the most 
 predominant. But whatever it may be, it 
 is a bad practice, and injurious to the 
 woman and the child. It reduces the 
 woman to a state of weakness, and barren- 
 ness, and makes her prone to idleness and 
 disaffection to work. The child becomes 
 accustomed to too much tenderness, un- 
 suitable to its station, giving it a fretful 
 longing for the mother, and her scanty 
 milk,. engendering disease, and what is 
 worse than all, often (though secretly) 
 giving it a growing liking for the hateful, 
 fatal habit of eating dirt, than which nothing 
 
 is more horribly disgusting,. nothing more 
 
 RS ct OHO RT, een eA Se ORT ee a 
 
 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 119 
 
 to be dreaded, nothing exhibiting a more 
 heart-rending, ghastly spectacle, than a 
 negro child possessed of this malady. Such 
 is the craving appetite for this abominable 
 custom, that few, either children or adults, can 
 be broken of it, when once they begin totaste 
 and swallow its insidious, slow poison. For 
 if by incessant care, watchfulness, or keep- 
 ing them about the dwelling-house, giving 
 them abundance of the best nourishing food, 
 stomachic medicines, and kind treatment, 
 it is possible to counteract the effects 
 and habit of it for some time, the creature 
 will be found wistfully and irresistibly to 
 steal an opportunity of procuring and 
 swallowing the deadly substance. The 
 symptoms arising from it are a shortness 
 of breathing, almost perpetual languor, ir- 
 regular throbbing, weak pulse, a horrid 
 cadaverous aspect, the lips and whites of 
 the eyes a deadly pale, (the sure signs of 
 malady in the negro) the tongue thickly 
 covered with scurf, violent palpitation of 
 the heart, inordinate swelled belly, the legs 
 
 14 
 
 
 
120 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 and arms reduced in size and muscle, the 
 whole appearance of the body becomes a 
 dirty yellow, the flesh a quivering, pellucid 
 jelly. The creature sinks into total indif- 
 ference, insensible to every thing around it, 
 till death at last declares his victory in its . 
 dissolution. This is no exaggerated account 
 of the effects and termination of this vile 
 and hateful propensity. As I said before, 
 the mothers of sucking children should be 
 allowed a pint of flour or meal, besides 
 sugar weekly from the store, as_ those 
 children not only require additional nutri- 
 ment, but are inclined frequently to laxative 
 
 habits of body, which fresh flour or corn- 
 ' meal corrects. I would never (except 
 sickness intervenes) leave a, child more than 
 fourteen months sucking, but generally no 
 more than twelve months. During that 
 period it should undergo inoculation for 
 the cow or small-pock ; the former in pre- 
 ference to the latter. When well of this 
 disease, and having arrived at the before- 
 mentioned age, the child should be weaned, 
 
 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 121 
 
 taken from the mother, and put under the 
 care of awell-disposed orderly matron, whose 
 particular province should be to watch, 
 clean, feed, extract chegoes from its feet, 
 hands, &c., and present the children at the 
 overseer’s house before him every day, 
 where there should be a nourishing pot of 
 soup, with boiled roots, and vegetables, 
 prepared, and divided with impartial dis- 
 tribution to each child; once a month 
 worm medicines should be administered to 
 them, and a dose or two of salts or castor 
 oil. When the children are three years 
 old, they should be put under the care of 
 another well-disposed old woman, who 
 should follow the routine prescribed to the 
 former matron, as to keeping. them clean. 
 She should keep them from three to five 
 years old, in a little playful gang about 
 the works, so that in any bad weather, they 
 could soon seek shelter under the different 
 sheds and stokeholes. Each child should 
 have a little basket, and be made 
 somewhat useful by gathering up fallen 
 
 
 

 
 ‘$22 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 trash and leaves, and pulling up young 
 weeds, so as to keep them stirring, and 
 out of the way of harm. These children 
 likewise should have a plentiful pot of soup, 
 with vegetables boiled for them every day, 
 distributed to them respectively, before the 
 overseer or bookkeeper, with a wine glass 
 of acidulated sugar beverage, and a taste of 
 good rum to each, as an enlivener. Their 
 minds should always be kept cheerful, and 
 the parents’ fears allayed, by every attention 
 to their growing welfare. The younger 
 children that have been weaned, together 
 with the weeding gang, should have worm 
 medicines every month. The practice of 
 giving cabbage bark to such children as 
 a vermifuge, (an old custom,) is pregnant 
 with danger. It is a native of the woods 
 in Jamaica, the coat of a certain tree, 
 though not of the beautiful tree bear- 
 ing the cabbage on the top of its stem. 
 And although not unpleasant to the taste, 
 yet it is deleterious, so that great caution is 
 necessary in giving the dose, and appor- 
 21 
 
 Cen ee eo ie or rr r er u 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 123 
 
 tioning it to the age and strength of the 
 patient. It is powerful in its effects, more 
 by its dreadful deadly qualities, than for 
 expelling or eradicating worms. A much 
 safer and more effectual remedy in case of 
 worms, or to be given periodically to chil- 
 dren, is the cowitch taken internally. It is 
 likewise indigenous in Jamaica. It grows 
 upon a creeping, spreading vine, in some 
 retired dell or glade, generally where it 
 meets support by adhering to underwood. 
 Pods of it hang in clusters on the vine, 
 which are covered by a fine, brown furry 
 spicula, of the most acute, subtle nature, 
 yet perfectly safe, when mixed with honey, 
 thick sirup or molasses. A certain portion 
 of it, what may be scraped off six or eight 
 pods, to two quarts of sweets, will be suf- 
 ficient to give to thirty or forty children, 
 with efficacy and safety. This dose should 
 be repeated the following day, and after 
 that, some glauber salts or castor oil should 
 be given to each child the next day, to 
 clear the bowels. Wonderful is the effect of 
 

 
 
 
 124 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 it in dislodging the clinging worms from the 
 stomach and bowels. Its tormenting spicula 
 adhering to, and insinuating itself into 
 them, they drop their leechy hold, descend 
 to the lower intestines, there cling in writh- 
 ing agony together, and are expelled by 
 the power of the cowitch in half lifeless, 
 and dead multitudes from the body of the 
 patient. The child feels no unpleasant 
 effects from taking the cowitch internally, 
 when well prepared, by its being mixed 
 with the sweets, till the spicula is separated, 
 and appears like fine, thin small hairs, 
 through the honey or sirup. Neither is it 
 any way dangerous thus taken. The only 
 caution necessary is, to prevent the child 
 from putting its hand to its mouth while re- 
 ceiving the dose, and hinder any of it from 
 falling on the skin, which can be easily done, 
 by placing a cloth over the neck and breast 
 of the child. But some of the children 
 are so good and tractable, that they require 
 nothing of the kind, but open their mouth, 
 _and with freedom swallow it. If any hap- 
 
 ERNE Se SONS TT a a EE a eh ee er ee eee 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 125 
 
 pens to fall on the skin, some lime juice 
 and a little water will soon clear it away. 
 The treatment of children afflicted with 
 the yaws, and likewise old people, as it ts 
 a disease which has tried the skill of the 
 faculty with little success, I cannot pre- 
 sume to say much concerning its mode 
 of treatment or cure. Time, and, I believe, 
 the strength of a good constitution, may 
 work this desirable end, or partially allevi- 
 ate or remove it. In the middle-aged and 
 old it is terribly obstinate. Its nauseous 
 and loathsome appearance, its frightful ra- 
 vages, its twitching pains, extending to the 
 very marrow, brings with it a deformity of 
 bone and flesh that strikes horror. No 
 wonder then that tremulous fear of such 
 contagion will make any one fall back with 
 frightful timidity, and sometimes leave the 
 afflicted wretch at a distance, within the 
 circle of a provision piece, to sustain life, 
 and let nature perform the rest. Children 
 are more able to recover from this evil than 
 
 elderly people. Cleanliness, simple, nutri- 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 126 THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 
 
 tious diet, without meat, or salt animal food, 
 is aregimen to be observed with children in 
 this case ; alterative medicines, cleanliness, 
 and the same kind of diet with the middle- 
 aged and old. A commodious hut, at a dis- 
 tance from other habitations, should be set 
 up for such patients. The children should 
 not be allowed to associate with elderly 
 people so diseased, as the rancour of the 
 disease in the old may add to the infection, 
 and prolong the cure of the young. Bath- 
 ing, in a sun-warmed shallow stream, will 
 purge the skin and pores of impurities, 
 give suppleness to the stiffened limbs, banish 
 languor and drowsiness, and may be the 
 means, in progress of time, (especially with 
 the young,) of undermining the disorder, 
 and restoring long-wished-for health to the 
 desponding and afflicted. The younger a 
 child takes this disorder, after it is weaned, 
 the better. The sooner we find the cure 
 effected, and the constitution relieved; and, 
 having got over this disorder, the small- 
 pox, the meazles, and the whooping-cough, 
 
THE TREATMENT OF SLAVES. 127 
 
 the negro child has passed through the 
 diseases attendant, and incidental to its 
 youth; the parent is rejoiced, the overseer 
 and owner are confident they have a healthy, 
 promising, valuable subject upon their list, 
 and little to fear, except what may pre- 
 cariously happen. ? 
 
 I hope this account of the treatment I 
 presume best calculated to manage slaves, 
 may be found acceptable, of easy ac- 
 quisition, no way derogatory to the more 
 refined, or better formed opinion of others ; 
 and find its way for adoption, with those 
 interested in West India capital. 
 
 
 

 
 128 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 Tue choice of stock (such as cattle and 
 mules), either for work or breeding, is a 
 leading feature in the principle of good 
 plantership. Much depends upon it. Much 
 is expected from an effective force of well 
 made, strong, healthy stock of this de- 
 scription, or a succession (when wanted) 
 produced from prime cows and mares. The 
 crop is to be taken off the field by them, 
 brought to the mill, and ground there 
 perhaps by these very cattle and mules ; 
 carried to the wharf many miles distant, 
 _timbers and copperwood brought to the 
 works by them, and manure produced and 
 made from them equal to what may be re- 
 quired; and that with such celerity and 
 safety, that these things not only may be 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 129 
 
 done with due despatch, but the stock com- 
 paratively be in good condition. The steer 
 or spayed heifer, before they are too old, or 
 too much reduced, should be turned to the 
 fattening pasture, and sold when good meat 
 to the butcher, thereby sustaining but a 
 trifling loss in the prime cost of the beast, 
 and having some years of their work and 
 manure for the care and feeding of them. 
 The kind of pasture the stock has been 
 bred and reared upon should be looked 
 to. In my opinion, those of a good breed, 
 which have been brought up on well kept 
 common pasture or savanna grass, are much 
 preferable for work, than those which are 
 _ reared on artificial guinea grass. They 
 are found hardier, their flesh more firm 
 and compact, more docile to be broke to 
 work, less liable to fall off in flesh while at 
 work, more easy to be recovered and re- 
 stored to health and flesh when reduced, 
 and their hoofs more flinty, tougher, and 
 better able to endure travelling over stony 
 river-course roads. Their meat, when fat, 
 
 K 
 
 
 
1430 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 sweeter, better, and weighs heavier. ‘To 
 these qualifications. may be added, that 
 they are generally a few pounds cheaper. 
 The same observations hold good respect- 
 ing mules in a great measure; whereas the 
 cattle and mules brought up on Guinea 
 grass are more tender, bloated, liable to 
 tire upon any pinch of work, are often 
 stubborn, restive, and lazy, soon lose their 
 frothy flesh, are difficult to regain it ; heavy 
 in their tread, with soft pervious hoofs, 
 which often split, and contain deep-seated 
 crab-yaws and ground-itch. ‘There are, in- 
 deed, multitudes of fine serviceable cattle 
 and mules taken off of Guinea grass pens, 
 tongue steers especially. The proprietors 
 and overseers of these inclosures take great 
 pains to have their cows and mares crossed, 
 almost every two years, by young bulls and 
 jacks of the best breed, sparing no cost in 
 the attainment. They are so pampered by 
 frequent change of pasture, and ranging of 
 extensive runs, that they attract by their 
 ‘bulky, plump, sleek appearance, the anxious 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 13] 
 
 purchaser, who is in need of stock for im- 
 mediate work. Yet with all their polished, 
 desirable looks,, they have not the stability 
 of those that have been bred on, and taken 
 off common pasture, when their breeding 
 has been taken as much pains with as those 
 bred upon guinea grass pastures. 
 
 The next thing to be considered, is the 
 form of cattle and mules for the particular 
 work they are designed for. The steer 
 and spayed heifer for work should be firm, 
 active, and straight in their limbs ; straight- 
 backed, their hoofs should be close, compact, 
 and of a middle size; their chests broad 
 and capacious, with a full muscular neck, 
 light neat head, with straight full horns; 
 their eyes clear and sprightly, but not 
 treacherous or wally; great girth of ribs, 
 especially near the shoulders; the shoulder 
 large, and well knit to the chest, neck, and 
 ribs; close and full in the loins; sturdy, yet 
 active in their hind legs; with small ears 
 of quick perception in hearing; with no 
 warts, crab-yaws, or ticks. Such are the 
 
 K 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
132 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 requisites I presume to set forth, a8 forming 
 the bodily abilities of the working steer 
 and spayed heifer. I shall now take the 
 liberty of reflecting a little on an old 
 custom, much acted upon in Jamaica, which 
 ‘is, the bigotted pertinacity (if I may so 
 call it), of refusing to purchase some work- 
 ing cattle on account of their color; and 
 often choosing weak, deformed, and ineli- 
 gible stock, because they are of such a 
 color. Superstition carries people a great 
 way out of the reasonable track. The 
 ignorant, credulous slave may pretend that 
 something ominous will attend, some mis- 
 fortune will follow, buying cattle of a 
 certain color. It consists not only in their 
 own barbarous, ignorant notions, but in 
 their fondness for a certain colored beast 
 themselves. But for a proprietor or over- 
 seer to be thus guided, thus predisposed to 
 _cast away the best-made steer, because he 
 is not brindle, red, or black, is only to 
 thwart his best interests, and bring losses 
 and disappointments on himself. Even in 
 
 v 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 133 
 
 the choice of tongue steers, so much to be 
 depended on for their strength, steadiness, 
 and size, they are squeamishly captious in 
 this point, and will rove from pen to pen, 
 in search of cattle to answer their favourite . 
 colors, spending their time, leaving good 
 serviceable cattle unbought, and perhaps 
 purchasing and bringing home with them, 
 washy untractable stock, which will not 
 stand the trial of a crop. I will not pre- 
 tend to assert, that cattle of the regular 
 colour of brindle, red, or black, may not 
 be excellent; and when the qualities of 
 strength, symmetry, youth, and docility are 
 united, they are indeed admirable. I only 
 wish to guard some people against the 
 prejudice of color in choosing cattle, and 
 committing a crime against good judg- 
 ment, in the selection and appointment. of 
 steers or spayed heifers for work, and 
 allowing the butcher, by this oversight,’ 
 to kill thousands of good, sturdy, efficient 
 cattle in the course of the year. 
 
 In order to entice nature to elt 
 
 ts 
 
 K oO 
 
 
 
184 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 cattle of regular colors, such as’ brindle, 
 red, or black, where a number of breeding 
 stock are to be kept up, for. the planter to 
 draw his working stock from, I would pro- 
 pose to make choice of young well-made 
 bulls, and prime well-made three year old 
 heifers of those colors. We generally find 
 nature inclines, to a continuance of the 
 color of the parent beast. Sometimes 
 she is sportive, though not the less kind 
 and valuable in her favours, bestowing 
 beauty by varied-colors in the calf. Why 
 then reject the offers of her bounty, why 
 cast a slur on her best efforts, by spon- 
 taneously giving well-made stock of bril- 
 liant varied hues, which are treated with. 
 scorn and contempt, when assigned to, and 
 - mangled by the butcher in their prime, be- 
 fore a trial is given to the efforts of their 
 labour. Having the option of. the most 
 approved color, the make of the bull and 
 heifer comes principally to be noticed. 
 The bull should rather be long-sided, of 
 massy, well knit, active, straight limbs, 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK: 184 
 
 have an\extensive wide chest, straight and 
 broad back, till within a few inches of the 
 verge of the’shoulder, then the back should 
 rise gradually, with great strength of mus- 
 cular flesh to the contact of the shoulder 
 and neck, exhibiting power in those parts. 
 The neck should be of a middling length, 
 very thick, sinewy, a little bowed, and con- 
 joined to the back, shoulders, and head 
 with freedom. ‘The head not heavy, clear - 
 and sprightly eyes, but not wally; the 
 horns springing in a gradual curve from 
 the’ head, short, light, and spiral; small 
 acute ears, the hind quarters plump and 
 sturdy, with close, full loins, and the hoofs 
 middle sized, close and hard. He should 
 be amorous and fecund, but not ferocious. 
 
 _ The heifer for breeding, should be tall, 
 ~ but not long-legged; her height should be® 
 included in her depth of shoulder, girth of 
 rib and barrel, and large buttock. She 
 should have neat active legs, chest large 
 and full, straight back, small head, and 
 moderate well-shaped horns, small acute 
 
 K 4 
 
 
 
136 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 ears, full, sprightly, clear eyes, but not 
 wally, thick pliable muscular neck, broad 
 full rump, and hind quarters; she should 
 be wide behind, her paps or spins, at a good 
 distance from each other, her udder plump, 
 not skinny or stiff, and capable of con- 
 siderable distension. Both bull and heifer 
 should be free from the evil excrescences 
 called warts, because if once their blood .-is 
 infected with this disease, they are not fit 
 to breed from, the cow seldom rearing a 
 strong, healthy calf; and the disorder be- 
 comes hereditary. 
 
 Respecting mules best calculated for 
 work, whether Spanish or Creole, their 
 color is not much attended to. Indeed 
 little variation occurs in that particular in 
 this animal. It is generally a dark brown, 
 a dun, or mouse colour, sometimes grey 
 and black; superstitious connoisseurs do 
 not dwell much on choice of color here, 
 though they might with as much reason 
 form their objections. I would choose 
 either for draft or back carriage, the young 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 137 
 
 truss-made mule, not too tall, with stout, 
 active, well-appointed limbs, small head, 
 straight visage, quick, clear, sharp eye 
 without blemish, light-necked, sinewy, and 
 a little bowed, large chest, deep strong 
 shoulder, straight and rather short backed, 
 close loined, wide behind, not cathammed 
 or sprawling in their gaits, small, hard, and 
 black hoofs, light pendant main and tail, 
 with small sharp ears, no ticks, or swelled 
 joints, diseased fetlocks, or blemishes. 
 These are the qualifications, I think, when 
 combined, that will turn out, and ensure a 
 good, serviceable, working mule. 
 Now for the model of the mares and 
 jack to produce such from, if nature is 
 propitious in permitting it. Middle-aged. 
 mares, if healthy and well-made, of’ a good 
 breed, &c., will do as well, and if not better 
 to breed mules from, than young mares. 
 But I will here premise, that I by no means’ 
 approve of breeding animals of this kind 
 from old, infirm, weakly, disordered, blind 
 or decrepit mares. This is greatly to be 
 
1388 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 lamented, and is too much practised. For, 
 sooner or later, the misfortune of buying 
 stock produced from such beasts, will fall 
 on the owner or purchaser. Whether 
 old, weak, or disordered, the evil lies 
 dormant in the mule for some time, and 
 unexpectedly will break out. Neither is it 
 sound policy in the pen-keeper, who is to 
 get his livelihood by keeping breeding stock 
 of this sort. For a great number of the 
 mules dropped from mares of this descrip- 
 tion, turn out unfortunate, the dams some- 
 times not being able to rear them, and if 
 they do, they are a symbol in general of 
 what they sprung from, being weakly, ill- 
 
 shaped, apparently half starved; and after 
 
 a great deal of pains taken with them, 
 scarcely pay the owner for the grass they 
 consume, and very often are sold for half 
 price to some stroller, or left on their hands, 
 to be an ornament to a well stocked pen, 
 or rather an ugly disparagement of it. 
 
 ~ Young mares are too timidly coy, reluctant, 
 
 restive, and shy of the jack, which gene- 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF sTocK. 139 
 
 rally terminates by their being cruelly bit, 
 or the jack severely maimed, else the 
 groom has uncommon trouble with them. 
 But it sometimes happens, that people are 
 so wise as first to let the young mare to 
 the jack, to prepare her for the future em- 
 braces of the horse. This unnatural prac- 
 tice is attempted to be defended, on the > 
 score of making them more capacious in 
 their genitals, and enlarging the sphere of 
 their abdomen. But it must be remem- 
 bered or understood, that the generative 
 parts of a prime jackass, are as large as 
 those of a horse, and when the mule cub | 
 is just dropt by the mare, it is as large as a 
 foal that is just born. 
 
 The mare to breed mules from, should 
 not be more than fourteen hands high, nor 
 less than twelve. She should have a small 
 well-shaped face and head, small upright 
 sharp ears, fine, clear, and full eyes, well 
 pupilled, straight, firm, and neat limbs, no * 
 way cathammed; with small, black, hard 
 hoofs, full, wide, prominent chest ; slender, 
 
 
 
140 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 but muscular neck, a little bowed ; strong 
 deep shoulder; rather a short body; straight, 
 fair back; large barrel; close between the 
 hip and short ribs; large round buttock, 
 wide behind, with free, easy, bounding 
 gait; a temper no way irascible; gentle 
 and free from tricks, without mange or 
 
 _spavin. The jack should be as large 
 
 an animal of that kind as can be pro- 
 cured, but proportionate in his limbs. It 
 is said those of an iron grey colour pro- 
 duce hardy cubs, but that is doubtful. 
 Spanish or Maltese jacks, which have been 
 imported into Jamaica at a great expence, 
 have turned out well, producing excellent 
 stock; but they.are often very old when 
 they arrive, bruised, battered, and igno- 
 rantly taken .care of in so long a passage: 
 emaciated, half-dead creatures, that require . 
 the utmost care to recover them, and bring 
 
 “them round. Months often elapse with 
 
 patient expectation, before any one can 
 venture to bring them in contact with the 
 mare, impotently, yet vaciously striving to 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK, 144 
 
 generate. A jack should be ten, eleven, 
 or twelve hands high ; his body of moderate 
 length; his head and joles in proportion 
 with his neck; his neck thick, of great 
 strength, and rather long; his ears not 
 heavy, yet long, sounding well, and both 
 they and his mouth flippant; his mouth 
 small, well furnished with good teeth, 
 especially the grinders; straight, smooth, 
 easy back; neat, active, strong limbs, stand- 
 ing sturdy, yet nimble ; large chest, close- 
 loined, round plump buttock. The breed- 
 ing jack should either be stabled, or put 
 into a close pasture, with high, firm walls 
 and gates to it. They, or he, should be 
 regularly corned once a day at least ; should 
 have pure water to drink, and not suffered 
 to cover more than one mare daily. The 
 mares should be put to him in season, and 
 attended by an experienced groom. A proper 
 covering pit should be made for the mare to . 
 stand in, with a surmounting stage for the 
 jack to stand on. They should be daily 
 taken and led out to exercise, kept well 
 
 
 
 
 
142 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 cleaned, and by no means allowed to stay 
 out in bad weather, but comfortably stabled, 
 foddered and littered. No other jacks or 
 stallions should be suffered to come close 
 to him, to prevent the mischievous effects 
 of their savage, cruel quarrels. -This is 
 the specimen of a mare and jack, that I 
 humbly beg leave to propose as the fittest 
 to breed from, to produce a stock of work- 
 ing mules. 
 
 I come now to lay before my reader, the 
 best mode I think should be adopted for 
 the feeding and treatment of working and 
 breeding stock, belonging to an estate in 
 Jamaica. Every estate or coffee plantation 
 should be provided with guinea grass in- 
 closures, independent of or separated. from 
 the common pastures, cane pieces, coffee 
 pieces, or provision grounds, to answer both 
 as nurseries for reduced, lame, or fattening 
 stock, and to draw provender from, for the. 
 mule stubble, and cattle pens. These pas- 
 _ tures or guinea grass pieces, should never 
 be eaten down so bare, but that they could — 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 143 
 
 recover, and present another sufficient 
 growth of grassin six weeks or two months. 
 It would be better to have a number of 
 small inclosures of five or six acres each, 
 than very large ones, so that the cattle 
 may be changed frequently, the grass not 
 much trodden upon, the cattle kept well 
 filled, the flesh they have collected thereby 
 not let to dwindle or be lost, and the pas- 
 tures have a sufficiency of water in each, or 
 somewhere contiguous tothem. ‘The over- 
 seer, the head cattle and mule-man, should 
 not fail to pay attention to this, and in crop. 
 time, when the head cattle and mule-man 
 may be working stock, the overseer en- 
 gaged in a variety of business, and not 
 able to pay much attention to the grazing 
 cattle, one of the subordinate young white 
 men (the bookkeeper) should superintend 
 this duty. According as any of the cattle 
 or mules become reduced, thin or lame, 
 they should be first minutely examined, 
 cleaned of ticks, their bruises and. sores 
 dressed, and then turned into one of these 
 
 
 

 
 144. CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 inclosures, and daily dressed, till their 
 sores are well, and their skin sound. They 
 should be replaced by such cattle and mules 
 of the working class, as may be then, or 
 from time to time, found sufficiently reco- 
 vered to be sent to work, as were grazing 
 there, for the benéfit of their health. Breed- 
 ing cows and young unbroke cattle, as 
 they undergo no work, and are intended to 
 supply a succession of hardy stock, and 
 have all day to feed and range over the 
 pastures, should be penned at night, on 
 one of the worn-out cane pieces, separate 
 from the working stock, which pen should 
 be well secured, littered, and provendered 
 with plenty of guinea grass or long cane 
 tops. If the weather is very rainy, they 
 should be turned into a close pasture by 
 themselves. A great advantage arises to 
 an estate, by penning the breeding stock 
 on poor worn-out cane pieces. They make 
 abundance of fine manure on the spot, 
 and save the trouble, delay, and expence 
 of carrying it there. The urine sinks deep 
 21 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND-TREATMENT OF STOCK. 145 
 
 into the ground, restores in a great mea- 
 sure the expiring stamina of the earth ; and 
 the breeding cows with their calves, and 
 young stock, by being thus used to pen- 
 ning, forget the wildness of their nature in 
 that country, are kind, docile, and easily 
 catched to dress or milk. The young stock, 
 as they come of an age fit to work, are with 
 little trouble broke or trained to it. I 
 would not pen or stable the breeding mares, 
 and young unbroke mules, except in very 
 bad weather, and then in a covered place; 
 because, when stabled in that country, they 
 are very near each other, huddled together, 
 become restive, vicious, liable to. kick 
 and bite, greedy to eat what may be in 
 the rack and manger, thereby excluding 
 many from any benefit of it, producing 
 often abortions, which reduces the mare for 
 months; or perhaps a mule is turned out 
 in the morning with a broken leg or thigh. 
 In bad weather, to prevent cramps,’ colds, 
 starvation by cold, staggers, &c. (which 
 cattle are so liable to,)~ penning or stab- 
 
 L 
 
 
 
146 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 ling should be ventured upon. I would 
 at all times (except in very bad weather) 
 especially in crop time, pen the whole of 
 the working cattle in one or other of the 
 poor worn out cane pieces, or thrown up 
 land, as then plenty of long cane tops can 
 be had, with guinea grass for provender, 
 which will make abundance of manure on 
 the spot. The pens should be well fed, 
 with plenty of guinea grass and cane tops 
 mixed; and as they are made and com- 
 posed of mortice posts with rails, they 
 should be moved every eight or ten days 
 to another meagre spot, till the manuring 
 of such cane’ piece is in a great measure 
 complete. As those cattle are regularly 
 spelled, they have a good portion of time 
 to graze, and when penned plenty of her- 
 bage and tops for the night to eat, which 
 makes them drop much dung, keep their 
 flesh, and have a hearty sleek appearance. 
 But this must be observed, that no reduced 
 cattle should be penned, but as soon as they 
 
 shew symptoms of weakness, poverty, &c. 
 . gly he 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 147 
 
 they should be consigned over to the guinea- 
 grass pasture till well, strong, and in full 
 flesh. 
 
 It is a received opinion in Jamaica (which 
 is invariably followed), that the calf should 
 be allowed to suck and follow the cow till 
 it is nearly twelve months old, or as it is. 
 commonly called in England and Ireland, 
 reared at the cow’s foot. I have known 
 them to be permitted this indulgence, even 
 to within two or three months of the cow 
 calving again; which they do on the prin- 
 ciple of making the calf strong, and not 
 stinting its growth, forgetting that most of 
 the calves reared in England and Ireland 
 are uniformly taken from the cow shortly 
 after they are dropt, penned up, and stall- 
 fed with new milk, till they can graze, and 
 the cow be regularly twice a-day milked. 
 Yet these cows and calves, thus treated, 
 exhibit a more healthy, vigorous, plump 
 appearance in general, than what are reared 
 in Jamaica. The calf, when grown up, is 
 
 r/°Z 
 
 
 
148 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 -bulky and athletic, and the cow much more 
 docile than those of that island; gives a 
 greater quantity of milk; seldom falls off 
 much, (except by excessive milking or 
 starvation, ) and breeds the faster. To this 
 may be added, that fewer misfortunes hap- 
 pen to the calf by accident or bad weather 
 in pen-feeding. He is alert, strong, healthy, 
 fat, and tame when turned out in a grass- 
 piece. Other circumstances may be started 
 by the breeder of cattle in Jamaica, that 
 they would find it difficult to inure the 
 slaves to such a method, and their prone- 
 ness to stealing the milk would be a pre- 
 vention. But the fact is, they have never 
 taken the trouble, or tried the utility of 
 such a plan, save now and then in case of 
 the dam dying, or being lost, they would 
 attempt to raise the calf by this experiment. 
 But much oftener the hapless orphan is 
 consigned to the knife, to give a luxurious 
 repast. The disorder in this respect, I 
 believe, arising from the prevalence of 
 custom, is so rooted that scarcely any argu- 
 
 
 

 
 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 149 
 
 ment would be effectual to’ wean them 
 from it. - 
 
 Another misfortune very often happens 
 in Jamaica to young calves, which is, when 
 the cow happens to calve some days before 
 she is discovered, or brings (as they say in 
 that country) her calf out, the horrid putrid 
 maggot fly, so pestiferous there, attacks its 
 tender raw navel, bores into it, and 
 deposits a multitude of embryo maggots, 
 which soon attain life, and eat, penetrate, 
 and corrupt the abdomen with shocking 
 and amazing quickness, so that when the 
 poor staggering innocent is found, it is 
 often so mortified that all the pungent 
 stimulants that can be applied will fail in 
 either killing: or extracting the ‘vermin; 
 and the creature dies, a shocking victim of 
 agony, in a short time. It is, therefore, 
 incumbent on those who have the manage- 
 ment of them, to have a breeding-book 
 kept, in which should be entered the time 
 the cow goes to the bull, and the time she is 
 expected to calve; and be watchful of that’ 
 
 L 3 
 
 
 
 
 
150 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 time, not to let her remain out any long 
 space, to catch or imbibe vermin herself or 
 the calf. They should be particularly care- 
 ful every day to have them dressed with 
 chopped green tobacco, mixed with a little 
 spirit of turpentine and fine white lime, to 
 destroy the vermin, and have the parts 
 washed from any impurities of congealed, 
 corrupt blood, with warm water, instead of 
 lime-juice, and then anointed with a little 
 train oil. I should prefer housing the cows 
 every night, for some time before they are 
 expected to calve. 
 
 The working stéers and spayed heifers 
 should be classed according to the kind of 
 work they have to do, whether mill or 
 wainage; the light, smart, active young 
 steer and spayed heifer, to be appointed 
 for mill-work, and light cartage about the 
 works or cane-pieces; the strong, large, 
 middle-aged, steady drawing steer, for wag- 
 gonage to the barquadier; but the mill 
 cattle out of crop, when in good order, 
 and when a large shipment is to be made 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 15] 
 
 with despatch, should be mixed with the 
 road cattle for assistance, taking care to 
 place them as middle cattle in the draft, 
 but neither as tongue or leading cattle. I 
 would never put the road cattle, intended 
 for carrying the crop to the wharf, to any 
 other kind of work, so much depending 
 upon their veteran, steady efforts, when in 
 need of them; for when they are imposed 
 upon, disappointment succeeds, the over- 
 seer is vexatiously embarrassed, the head 
 cattleman incurs blame, (though perhaps 
 faultless,) the mill cattle brought in, per- 
 haps improvidently, to assist, and all are 
 reduced in point of strength and condition. 
 Some work or other is put to a stand, and 
 a length of time elapses before the cattle 
 are effectually recovered. I think an at- 
 tempt should be made in Jamaica to change 
 the old established custom of binding the 
 working cattle together with heavy, mon- 
 strous, wooden yokes and bows while at 
 work, and that well-stuffed collars, covered 
 with sound durable leather, would be found - 
 
 L 4& 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
152 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 preferable. The collars should have strong 
 draft rings fixed to them, with all necessary 
 chains and cross-bars appended; the wain. 
 or waggon should be fitted with strong. 
 shafts, instead of a tongue, that should ply 
 up and. down upon strong iron - draft- 
 hooks, and be fixed to the body of the 
 waggon, or a draft-bolt. The ease of the 
 beast in the draft is as much to be attended 
 to as any other point, to prevent him getting 
 cross or restive, acquiring a painful, stiff, 
 swelled neck, or galled shoulder, which 
 very frequently happens when he is en- 
 cumbered with those heavy yokes and bows. 
 He would be more at liberty in the collar 
 to use his strength, without bounding aside, 
 to the injury of his driver or fellow-steer, 
 the side and centre chains preventing him. 
 Moreover, they would draw more even, 
 and with greater ease, the heavy carriage, 
 with its ponderous load, with the aid of 
 good strong swinging shafts, well fixed with 
 draft-irons, than by the neutral tongue, 
 which often shakes the tongue-steers nearly 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT. OF stock... 153 
 
 breathless. A sufficient number of draft _ 
 cattle should always be kept on every estate 
 to allow of regular spells both for road, cane- 
 piece, and mill-service. It is a gross error 
 not to do so, as the loss in the long run, 
 by a niggard strength of cattle, is severely 
 felt by the proprietor. The road-cattle 
 should never be worked more than every 
 other day, whatever less they may be; and 
 they should be well fed, and dressed of their 
 bruises. Nor should the mill or cane-piece 
 cattle either, but with this difference, — in 
 the mill and cane-piece cattle, the former 
 should be spelled and well fed every three 
 hours, and the cane-piece cattle every six 
 hours, paying attention to their bruises. 
 Any description of working cattle should 
 never be strained, or forced against their 
 known strength, which often happens, 
 through the merciless ardour of the cattle- 
 boys, and the poor beast is paralysed and 
 bereft, by such treatment, of all power of 
 its hind quarters, seldom recovering its 
 strength, and generally becoming a dead 
 
 
 
154 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 weight on the property for its support ; 
 or after two years of precarious life in the 
 best of pasture, is sold half fat to some 
 neighbouring butcher, for a small com- 
 pensation. The same caution I will beg 
 leave to give, respecting the overloading of 
 mules. But here the loss is a total one, even 
 sometimes tempting the owner to shoot 
 the creature, to put so wretched an object 
 out of his sight. So parsimonious are some 
 employers, especially resident agents, their 
 memories sO defective, or so tedious in 
 granting what is absolutely necessary, that 
 they will both see, and let the working 
 cattle, and mules, on a property, dwindle 
 away more than one half of their usual 
 complement by overwork, old age, casual- 
 ties, or the like, before they will comply 
 with the repeated requests, and admoni- 
 tions of the overseer, for a fresh supply; 
 and with a surly rebuke in the end, 
 blaming him for the mortality, perhaps dis- 
 charging him for it, when their own supine- 
 ness, craft, or stinginess was the occasion 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF sTOCK. 155 
 
 of it. They will give a small spell, perhaps, 
 to sustain nearly the entire of the future 
 work, they drooping likewise by being 
 imposed upon. But where breeding cattle 
 and mares are kept on an estate, this 
 seldom happens: several facts of this kind 
 I have known in Jamaica. One that hap- 
 pened about eleven years ago on an estate, 
 which had a great part of its best plant 
 canes to cut, with some excellent ratoons, 
 to make the crop up. So reserved was the 
 resident agent, so skilful in keeping his 
 mind to himself, so pompous in doing 
 mischief, vainly thinking he was doing 
 good, that the overseer, after. months of 
 reiterated application to him, to have a 
 spell or two of young fresh mules brought 
 to help to take off the canes, and save 
 the old mules from premature death, 
 never even once obtained a reply to his 
 entreaties, or a beast to assist him. A 
 great part of the canes were left uncut, a 
 prey to rats, rottenness, topheavy from 
 suckers, and stagnated, and dried up of 
 
 
 
156 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 their juices. He discharged the over- 
 seer, without assigning any reason for so 
 doing, sent a novice in his place to manage 
 the estate, discharged him in a few weeks, 
 and succeeded him by a prodigal overseer ; 
 and at last, by a variety of management, in 
 the course of a year abolished, by his mere 
 sign manual, the studied concerted plan 
 of the former overseer, (who had establish- 
 ed a fine field of canes for a present and a 
 succeeding crop, ) and threw the estate back 
 in its accustomed, expected crops for years. 
 One piece containing ten acres of fine plant 
 canes, the former overseer had partly cut 
 down, promising three hogsheads of sugar 
 per acre, not far from the works. This 
 piece of plant canes, presented to the 
 astonished eye of the well bred planter. the 
 disfigured appearance of six or seven 
 growths of canes upon it, besides part of 
 the high canes upon that cane-piece not 
 cut. down, after a space of four months, 
 from the commencement of its cutting. 
 What regard could:such an agent have for 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 157 
 
 the interest of his constituent ? This 
 estate lies in the centre of a well watered 
 vale, in the parish of St. Mary, and is dis- 
 tinguished for its hospitality to strangers, 
 who pass from the south of’ the island ‘to 
 Rio Nuova Bay, or Salt Gut. 
 
 In dry warm months, in Jamaica, the in- 
 sect called the tick is very abundant, stick- 
 ing to the cattle, and breeding on them in 
 clumps, burying their heads underneath 
 the skin, drawing and obtaining nourish- 
 ment, by sucking the blood of the beast, 
 and thus pestering, infecting, and dis- 
 tressing it. They adhere principally to the 
 inside of the ears, and over the body; in 
 horses and mules to the inside of the ears 
 and fundament. When the beast is ob- 
 served to have them, they can be easily 
 banished, before they get too large, by 
 rubbing the part they cling to with a little 
 train oil, and the next day washing the 
 part with salt-beef pickle, salt and water, 
 or if near the sea, by swimming the cattle 
 in it once a day for some time. The dunder 
 
 
 
158 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 or lees of the liquor still may destroy them. 
 Cattle never look plump or sleeky when pos- 
 sessed by these vermin, therefore they 
 should never be suffered to grow to any size 
 on them, for sometimes they make them 
 look all raw and scabby, from their voracity 
 to feast on the best qualities of their blood. 
 The dysentery, and purging called the 
 scour, often attacks cattle in that island, 
 either from grazing on young unripe grass, 
 or some morbid matter in their intestines. 
 They should in that case be housed for 
 two or three days, have a strong dose or 
 two of glauber salts, mixed with some 
 sweet oil, and the fat of herring pickle. 
 They should have, twice a day, some 
 parched corn given them in a little 
 water, plenty of sound ripe grass to eat, 
 and be comfortably littered at night. The 
 litter, with what grass may be left, should 
 be taken cleanly and carefully away the 
 next day, and put out of the reach of other 
 stock ; for this disorder is infectious. 
 
 The proper method of working ‘and 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 159 
 
 feeding mules, and tackling and relieving 
 them when sick and sore, should always 
 engage the attention of the overseer, or 
 those under whose care they may be. 
 Breaking them to back carriage is easily 
 performed, or to that of draft; yet caution 
 must be used, to have good strong tackling 
 for so doing, and other mules in company. 
 The load should be very moderate for 
 some time, and they should be put to work 
 in the centre of a triple, or three mules, 
 the leading mule inducing them to follow, 
 and the rear one keeping them steady, and 
 free from tricks. In a day or two they 
 will be tolerably gentle and manageable. 
 A principal thing to be attended to is 
 always to have a sufficiency of good, well 
 made straddles, crooks, pads, ropes, and 
 fine trash ready; the straddles to fit the 
 back well over the pads, of good length, 
 and lined with seasoned, tough, light 
 boards to the end, to which should be 
 strongly attached, seasoned, wide, guavee 
 crooks, properly bored, with strong cross 
 
 
 
160 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 sticks wedged thereto. Some _hackled 
 plantain trash (but tow would be better) 
 should be strewed thickly over the spine of 
 the mule’s back, before the pads are put on, 
 to prevent rubbing and galling. No less 
 than three well-made platted pads should 
 be put on each mule, that has back carriage 
 _to undergo. As soon as an under pad be- 
 
 gins to fall to pieces, or gets wet, it should 
 be replaced by the next pad to it, and a 
 new one got as an overhale. This should 
 never be neglected, else a stubborn ‘sore 
 back will ensue. The pads should be large 
 enough to extend from the hip to the neck, 
 the breadth to the extremity of the ribs. 
 There should never be less than two girths 
 for each mule. They should be platted at 
 least two inches broad, where they are to 
 bind.on the belly, be strong and pliant, 
 especially on that part. There should bea 
 strong wanty, of goodlength, likewise platted 
 as the girths, to each mule; and a well-made 
 halter for each mule, with platted noseband, 
 headstall, and chokestay. Those ropes can 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 161 
 
 be made by a handy negro watchman or 
 invalid, of seasoned bark, found in the 
 woods of Jamaica in great plenty, and a 
 regular sufficient supply kept up at little 
 expence. Mules thus equipped for back 
 carriage, will carry a considerable load, of 
 one hundred and fifty weight of canes, 
 with ease and safety, except the mule-boy, 
 through neglect or villainy, causes some 
 misfortune, for which he should be pun- 
 ished, When the mules are spelled at din- 
 ner, or any other time, they should be 
 well rubbed down, their backs examined, 
 and if found swelled, bruised, or galled, 
 immediate application should be had to the 
 requisite dressings for relief. Strong sing- 
 lings, or low wine to wash them with where 
 swelled, or bruised, should be used, and a 
 little spirits of turpentine, oil-nut leaf, and 
 fine white lime, mashed and mixed toge- 
 ther as a plaister, to dress scratches, cuts, 
 or galls with, and the part so affected be 
 touched with train-oil to keep the flies off. 
 If they have bad sores or swellings, they 
 M 
 
162 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 should not be worked till they are well. I 
 would recommend boiled beef pickle, now 
 and then to rub their backs with, as it ren- 
 ders callous and tough, those parts most 
 liable to be affected by friction or weight. 
 Care should be taken, on no account to 
 allow the mule-boys or their drivers to ride 
 them up hill; for such a burthen comes on 
 the foremost mule, added to the struggle, 
 of dragging the followers in his triple, 
 along with him, as tires, or soon breaks his 
 wind. -Exertion should be made in the 
 day-time, to have a sufficiency of canes 
 brought to the mill to last all night; and 
 the mules must not be worked late at night 
 if possible; for it is mostly at those unsea- 
 sonable hours they get bad sores and colds, 
 and may be, as is often the case, stripped of 
 their tackling by the mule-boys, without 
 being rubbed down, or their wounds at- 
 tended to. The mules which come in from 
 work, either at night or in the day, should 
 always be put into a division of the stable 
 by themselves, where the rack and manger 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 163 
 
 should be well filled with fresh grass and 
 cane tops, else the poor hungry animals, 
 by being huddled together with the rest, 
 come to short commons, or often nothing 
 to satisfy their appetite with, every eatable 
 being devoured by those who were penned 
 up hours before them. There should be 
 always four divisions, with full room for 
 the stock, ina mule stable, and dry grass 
 or litter of some description, to strew the 
 bottom of the stable with in the evening ; 
 but this is very seldom done. It will pay 
 very well for any trouble and expence, by 
 the manure it produces, which should be 
 taken clean out every day, and heaped up 
 in a convenient manure pit. Mules carry- 
 ing canes to the mill, copper-wood, or 
 country staves, should always be spelled 
 every six hours, and abundance of proven- 
 der kept in the rack and manger for them, 
 Those which are spelled in the day-time, 
 after being rubbed down, cooled, and 
 dressed, should be turned out to graze; 
 for it gives them great refreshment to have 
 M 2 
 
 
 
164 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 liberty to tumble and rub themselves, be- 
 sides that picking fresh sae is grateful 
 to them. 
 
 On no account should the mule-stable be 
 suffered to accumulate a heap of dung; it 
 should be daily cleaned out. The pens 
 being covered in, the heat of the climate, 
 with the warm fume issuing from a number 
 of beasts, is sufficiently to be dreaded, ‘in 
 causing and spreading distempers among 
 them; but that of the accumulated heat, 
 and putrid vapour of a dung heap, in a 
 close mule stable, is pregnant with the most 
 pernicious, sometimes fatal consequences. 
 Their hoofs are kept soft by it, and their 
 blood in a ferment from its noxious sweat- 
 ing qualities. Some of the beasts are more 
 liable to disease than others. Some are not 
 free from it, though apparently looking well. 
 Others have lurking disorders, which are 
 partly discharged by their excrements ; 
 making a compound of vile materials to 
 cause pestilence, which when once epide- 
 mic, carries off great numbers. I would 
 
 
 

 
 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 165 
 
 therefore recommend the utmost cleanli- 
 ness in a close mule pen, or even in an 
 open one. As I said before, both in and 
 out of crop, the mule stable should be well 
 supplied with wholesome fresh provender ; 
 but in crop time, when heavy laborious 
 work requires stronger nourishment for the 
 beast, plenty of fresh cane tops should be 
 chopped small, so as to fill the manger. 
 These should be strewed over with a small 
 proportion of salt, a good deal of fresh 
 mucous cane skimming thrown in, and if 
 plenty of Indian corn on the estate, a pail 
 or two of it ground, and mixed with the 
 cane tops and skimming. This will keep 
 up the strength of the mules. But care 
 should be taken, that the manger be 
 cleared every day of any remnants of this, 
 for fear of its becoming sour, and causing 
 thereby bellyaches to the beasts. The rack 
 should always be filled with fresh ripe grass, 
 and care should be taken, that the mule 
 tackling be put up every night in a covered 
 place to hang on, and not carried to: the 
 M 3 
 
 
 
166 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 negro houses. ‘The disorders of mules are 
 various, but the cure of them is little un- 
 derstood, or only partially known. A book 
 of well approved farriery should be kept 
 on every estate, and the instruments requi- 
 site for that. profession, such as phleams, 
 syringes, &c. Bellyaches are very frequent 
 with working mules, especially in crop time, 
 which is principally brought on by their 
 either eating or drinking sour cane tops 
 or cane skimmings, or from the crudeness 
 of their provender in general, their natural 
 liking to bite at any thing that has the 
 appearance of an eatable agreeable to them. 
 This protracted spasmodic affection is often 
 so terribly violent, as to cause the death 
 of the beast in a few minutes. They swell 
 to an enormous degree, rolling and groan- 
 
 ing in agonising convulsions, till they nearly 
 
 burst. They shew symptoms of this dis- 
 order very soon after being attacked by it. 
 They paw and scrape the 
 
 ground with one 
 
 of their fore hoofs ; droop their head nearly 
 to the ground, incline their head often to 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 1607 
 
 one side and the other, with seemingly 
 painful solicitude; heave their loins and 
 belly quick, and have a constant inclination 
 to lie down and roll about. When any of 
 these signs are discovered, they should be 
 immediately stripped of their tackling and 
 led out, run smartly about for a few mi- 
 nutes, then copiously bled, and their head 
 tied up high to a strong rail or beam, and 
 drenched with either six or eight ounces of 
 glauber salts, dissolved in a pint of warm 
 water, or six ounces of castor oil, mixed 
 with one hundred and twenty drops of 
 laudanum, half a pint of warm water, with 
 two ounces of common soap dissolved in it, 
 and half a pint of rum. Care should be 
 taken not to let the animal lie down, till 
 the symptoms subside. It would be best 
 to keep it walking about till the drench 
 operates, or the beast is apparently reco- 
 vered. It should not be put to work for a 
 day or two, but be kept in the stable, to 
 recover from the exhaustion and weakness 
 
 brought on by the disorder, and have no- 
 mM 4 
 
 
 
168 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 thing but fresh ripe grass to eat, some 
 ground corn with a little salt in it, but not 
 much water. Another disorder they are 
 ‘subject. to, is the mumps, which swells 
 their head and joles frightfully. ‘This like- 
 wise may be of serious consequence, if not 
 taken in time, to prevent the glands of the 
 throat and lungs being infected. The beast 
 should be bled, his head wrapped up in a 
 warm cover, as far as the contact of the 
 throat; his joles to the ears rubbed or 
 washed twice a day with warm fomenta- 
 tions, melted hogs-lard, bees-wax, and spirits 
 of turpentine mixed together, and made 
 warm, till either the swelling goes away, or. 
 suppuration comes on, forming asoft tumour, 
 which, when ripe, should be lanced to let 
 out the humour, and kept open by a tent, 
 in order to discharge the virulent matter 
 which flows to that part, giving natural 
 relief to the animal. When the cure is ef- 
 fected by its drying up, and the swelling 
 disappearing, then the orifice may be closed 
 -and healed up; the animal should. be phy- 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 169 
 
 sicked, have warm corn-mashes, be kept in 
 a stable apart from. other beasts, led out 
 twice a day to exercise, if the weather will 
 permit, and be supplied with soft, fine ripe 
 grass to eat. 
 
 The farcy often attacks mules in Jamaica, 
 and is generally brought on by over-heat- 
 ing, the blood becoming surfeited, bad and 
 grumous. It may be occasioned by bad 
 unwholesome diet. It is easily cured if 
 early attention is paid to it, otherwise it 
 will run through the whole system. The 
 button-farcy first appears, by the veins of 
 the legs, thighs, and breast, exhibiting a num- 
 ber of excrescences and tumorous knobs. 
 The animal should be bled two or three 
 times, not profusely, taking frequent notice 
 of the increase and decrease of the disor- 
 der. It should be drenched with opening 
 medicine two or three times, taking sulphur 
 bolusses, which may both drive out the dis- 
 order, and sweeten the blood. ‘The tip of 
 some of the largest pustules should be 
 taken off with asharp knife, and a coarse 
 
 
 
170 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 grain of corrosive sublimate introduced into 
 them, and then closed with a little mould 
 candle-grease. The corrosive sublimate will 
 penetrate to the adjacent pustules gradually, 
 and what with small bleedings, sulphur 
 bolusses, occasional physic to clear the 
 bowels, and wholesome nourishing food, the 
 beast will soon declare its recovery to health, 
 by shewing a clear skin, and the arteries, 
 veins, &c. being reduced to their proper 
 state. As this disorder is infectious, it is 
 best not to allow the diseased beast to keep 
 company with others till it iscured. The 
 water-farcy is very obstinate, odious, and 
 often fatal. ‘The whole mass of blood is 
 morbid corruption, which issues from the 
 eyes, ears, nose, and surface of the body. 
 A horrid scrophula spreads over the whole 
 body. Nothing but alteratives, frequent 
 bleedings, and wholesome food, will work 
 
 acure. Time will often gain the ascend- 
 
 ancy, with those auxiliaries, and restore the 
 
 creature to health; but I have known some 
 
 fine stock to die of this disorder, a shocking 
 21 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF sTOCK. 171 
 
 emaciated spectacle, of putrid, coagulated 
 matter. 
 
 The glanders is another dreadful disease, 
 which mules are frequently attacked with. 
 This is rendered more formidable by the 
 imperfect knowledge which most people 
 have of what may-effect its cure, or stop 
 the deadly contagion, which spreads with 
 amazing rapidity, making people panic 
 struck as to its ravaging consequences, or 
 how to stop it. The fundamental cause of 
 this dire disorder is variously assigned, but 
 I believe it is principally brought on by 
 neglected colds, strangles, or mumps, which 
 at last attack the glands of the throat and 
 lungs, pouring through the nostrils a con- 
 tinual stream of thick humour, which at 
 last preys with such virulent effect upon 
 the membranes of the nose, as to rot and 
 disunite them, causing the bones of that 
 organ to drop and fall to pieces, with 
 mortified, putrid, contagious malignancy, 
 and in a day or two putting a period to the 
 life of the ill-fated creature. So epidemic, 
 
 
 
 
 
172 - CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 it is alleged, is this disease in horses, that 
 the animal must be removed to a consider- 
 able distance, that the very air may not 
 waft the disease to others. When a con- 
 firmed glanders is pronounced to have 
 seized a beast, the death-warrant of shoot- 
 ing goes forth against it, and the animal 
 with the distemper is consigned to the 
 flames; the neighbours are alarmed, the 
 public cautioned, the very laws of the 
 island are brought in force to stop the 
 contagion, by proscribing every beast found 
 in the public road possessed of it; giving 
 liberty to any person to put an end to its 
 life. I have known on one estate two sets 
 of mules (composed of fifty each) to be 
 carried off by it. At last the mule-stable, 
 with all its apparatus, mule-tackling, &c. 
 were ordered to be burned to ashes, that 
 no trace of infection might be found. Like 
 a plague, the disorder did not stop, for 
 victims, though not so numerous, fell a 
 prey to it. The scourge at last ceased, 
 leaving a melancholy fearful impression on 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 173 
 
 the mind of the manager, and those con- 
 cerned for the property. A considerate, 
 benevolent gentleman (who is now no more) 
 was then resident island-agent for the estate, 
 and with true philanthropy, he minutely 
 examined into the cause of such a mis- 
 fortune, and finding the overseer and white 
 people guiltless of any fault, supported 
 them under their anxiety with assurances 
 of his good-will. He found the estate 
 otherwise thriving under their care, and 
 after giving a fresh supply of mules, he 
 continued them on the estate; thereby 
 evincing to the public and the negroes on 
 the estate, his impartiality in doing jus- 
 tice. A common saying with that la- 
 mented gentleman was, that discharging an 
 overseer, who knew his business, without 
 sufficient cause, after he had been twelve 
 months managing a property, was entailing 
 confusion, and destroying the crops for 
 more than two years to come — An expres- 
 sion emphatically and truly verified, and 
 would to God, not practised and followed 
 

 
 174 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 up, by his successors, and agents in general. 
 The remedies for this dreadful disorder of 
 the glanders, practised in Jamaica, are 
 bleeding, opening medicines, fumigating 
 the nostrils with tobacco, sulphur, and 
 pungent things, to cause a copious dis- 
 charge and rowelling under the joles. 
 But I have seldom seen cures effected 
 there with success. The disease either with 
 speedy violence kills the beast, or causes 
 it to linger for a week or two, groaning 
 with inward pain, till its emaciated frame 
 sinks lifeless. I presume to think, that 
 bleeding is the first requisite in promoting 
 a cure; secondly, the beast should be kept 
 warm, and have warm mashes frequently oi 
 clean ground corn and young wholesome 
 grass. The fumigating system I would ex. 
 plode altogether, as tormenting the animal 
 without doing any good. It may draw 
 more running or discharge from the nose, 
 but will not clean the nostrils or glands 
 from the corroding, adhesive humour, or 
 reach the seat of the disease. Moreover, 
 
 
 
 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 175 
 
 it will rather add to the misery of the ani- 
 mal, whose lungs are affected by the dis- 
 temper, nearly suffocating and depriving it 
 of its already-impaired breathing. Instead 
 of this, I would make use of a good syringe, 
 with a long pipe to it, and with it inject, 
 and wash the beast’s nostrils three times a 
 day, with warm water, mixed with a little 
 vinegar and honey, which should be thrown 
 up so far, that the liquid may reach, and 
 drop to the throat, the fountain-head of 
 the disorder. It would cleanse the nostrils 
 of the peccant, corrosive humour, perhaps 
 prevent the humour from turning fetid and 
 green, (the first fatal symptom that pre- 
 sents itself,) and not distress the lungs. I 
 would have a mixture made up of several 
 ounces of balsam capivi, two or three quarts 
 of sharp porter sweetened with molasses, 
 put into a close vessel and shook well, and 
 give the beast a pint of it three times a day. 
 The balsam of capivi is very penetrating and 
 strengthening, the porter antiputrescent, 
 and the molasses of an opening nature; 
 
176 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 three things which I presume will do some 
 good and no harm.» I would likewise give 
 the beast, for its drink, a decoction of lig- 
 numvite wood, (which should be made 
 small with a coarse rasp, ) and be taken cool. 
 This is all I can recommend for the relief 
 and cure of a disease which has baffled the 
 skill of the farrier and the experienced 
 practitioner. 
 
 Other diseases of a minor nature prevail 
 among mules, such as the lampas, botts, 
 &e., the first of which is easily removed, 
 by cutting away with a sharp penknife the 
 fungous flesh that grows between the upper 
 teeth and roof of the mouth, sometimes so 
 as to overhang the teeth, and prevent the 
 beast from eating freely. It is easily sepa- 
 rated by a handy person from the natural 
 flesh. Some rub salt on the part after the 
 operation, which I think not requisite, for 
 a little bleeding from the mouth does the 
 animal no harm. It will soon resume its 
 craving for food, and the part heal up. 
 Botts are sometimes troublesome to a beast: 
 
CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 177 
 
 they make it poor and spiritless. When 
 they are observed, the animal should be 
 kept up in a stable, and have a bolus, made 
 of forty grains of calomel, nearly half an 
 ounce of sulphur, mixed with soap, and 
 fifty drops of laudanum. In two or three 
 days after, another bolus, made of 140 
 grains of jalap, and better than an ounce 
 of soap, in order to clear the bowels. It 
 should have a warm mash or two of ground 
 corn, with good ripe grass, but no cold 
 water, till the effects of the medicine have 
 passedoff. ‘The staggers nowand thenattack 
 mules, for which they should immediately 
 be bled copiously, wrapped in a warm horse- 
 cloth, and not be exposed to the sun for 
 two or three days. The limbs, back and 
 loins, should be rubbed with warm sing- 
 lings, or low wines, as it is termed in 
 Jamaica. The cure is easily attained 
 by early attention, and the before-men- 
 tioned remedies. Having nearly finished 
 my remarks, on the treatment of cattle and 
 N 
 
178 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 mules, and the best mode that I presume 
 can be followed with success, as to breeding 
 and working them, with as few losses and 
 disappointments, as natural and incidental 
 causes will allow of, I shall here conclude 
 my observations, with a transient, but I 
 hope useful description of a disorder, which 
 breaks out in mules, called in that country 
 the pox, so termed by the negroes, and 
 ‘considered as such by white people. Whe- 
 ther through ignorance, or by giving facility 
 to such a term, to make the complaint or 
 
 disorder better understood, is a thing I~ 
 
 cannot determine. This disorder suddenly 
 appears near the fettocks, and lower joints 
 of the limbs, or various parts of the legs of 
 the beast, by a swelling occasioned through 
 the tumour of a vein or artery, being neither 
 more or less than a blood spavin, which, by 
 not being checked in its infancy, extends 
 higher by degrees, till frequent swellings 
 present themselves. At length they burst, 
 and there issues corrupted blood, trickling 
 down the limbs, in a disgusting manner, 
 10* 
 
 
 

 
 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 179 
 
 ‘and causing such intolerable itching to the 
 -poor beast, as to induce him to bite and 
 rankle the. part shockingly, even to the 
 bone. Yet this disorder is so little studied, 
 and so ignorantly dealt with, that no other 
 remedy is scarcely made use of, to suppress 
 or cure it, but to powder the part that has 
 burst and is laid open, with strong white 
 lime; to give the beast no rest by day, or 
 food at night, it being then tied up to pre- 
 vent its biting itself; so that the poor 
 animal sometimes becomes a mere skeleton 
 in a short time by such treatment. The 
 white lime adds pungency to the titila- 
 tion, which is nearly insupportable to it. 
 Thus it is kept and put to sidework, till © 
 the disorder wearies, and stops itself for 
 some time. ‘The cure for this disorder is 
 simple, and easily effected, and is no other 
 than laying open with a sharp pen-knife 
 the flesh on each side the tumoured vein, 
 both below and above the part affected, till 
 the vein is sufficiently exposed to see the 
 
 wn 2 
 
 
 
 
 
180 CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF STOCK. 
 
 back part of it. Then having some fine 
 thread, with a good needle prepared, and 
 passing the thread, by the aid of the needle, 
 behind the vein, draw it out by the needle, 
 to the other side of the vein, and tie up 
 the vein with the thread above the tu- 
 moured part. The same operation must be 
 performed below the tumoured part, cut- 
 ting the thread short, after tying the vein. 
 The vein being thus closely tied up, pre- 
 vents the tumour from extending to other 
 parts. When this is done with no great 
 trouble, the wounds should be closed up, 
 and have plaisters of healing ointment ap- 
 plied to them, and fastened with a bandage, 
 which will soon heal, making the beast as 
 sound as ever. This disorder is brought 
 on by a strain of either an artery, vein, or 
 sinew, and not by any imbibed infection. 
 The beast must be kept in the stable for 
 a few days, with its head tied up, so that 
 
 it ;cannot bite the part under cure, and | 
 
 be. well fed with plenty of fresh ripe 
 
 "al 
 
 
 

 
 CHOICE AND: TREATMENT OF STOCK. 181 
 
 grass and pure water, and if low in flesh, 
 it should have a feed of ground corn 
 daily, and should be exercised during 
 
 that time, twice a day, to prevent its joints 
 
 swelling. 
 
 n 8 
 
182 
 
 CHAP. IV... 
 
 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 Berors I proceed to treat of the noble 
 science of planting the sugar-cane in Ja- 
 maica, rearing it to maturity, and manufac- 
 turing its essential juices, into the staple 
 commodity of sugar and rum, it will 
 naturally be expected, that I should make 
 some observations on the different houses, 
 utensils, &c., used in producing it, avoiding 
 as much unnecessary expense as possible, 
 uniting stability with usefulness, without 
 unmeaning gaudiness, and giving a central 
 position to the works, where plenty of 
 water can be had with convenience. Whe- 
 ther on a level or a hilly estate, the great 
 utility of a central situation to place the 
 manufacturing houses upon, must be ap- 
 parent to every one interested in such an 
 undertaking ; still that situation would be 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 183 
 
 imperfect, if water, that necessary element, 
 could not be brought in to aid the works 
 by its active powers. Ifa stream of water 
 does not naturally pass by such a spot, a 
 course should be levelled for one, from a 
 source to send down a supply. If such 
 cannot be obtained, a well or pond should 
 be sunk, either to draw or collect it. from. 
 But this last is a dernier resort, mostly 
 found deficient, and of bad quality. A 
 situation, uniting within itself the blessings 
 of a plenteous supply of wholesome water, 
 on a piece of ground sufficiently large to 
 admit building an extensive set of works, 
 overseer’s house, hospital or hot-house, &c. 
 with a large mill-yard, and being central 
 among the surrounding cane cultivation, is 
 a place most desirable. Having happily 
 found such a place, a well-contrived plan 
 of the buildings, their relative, convenient, 
 and appropriate situations, one to the other, 
 should be digested, and laid out on a piece 
 of paper, of a size sufficient to have the 
 whole delineated upon it. Then having 
 N 4 
 
 
 
184. THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 the materials to go to work with, I would 
 commence with the overseer’s house, which 
 should be built compact and convenient, 
 not over roomy; and raised sufficiently 
 high from the foundation, with good 
 masonry work, to admit of suitable stores 
 underneath, to keep all the plantation stores 
 and suppliesin. It should be placed so, that 
 all the works can be seen from it, and not 
 far from the boiling-house. The rooms 
 should be all on the same floor, and closely 
 boarded with seasoned stuff. Each white 
 man should have a small bed room to him- 
 self, with a glazed sash window on hinges, 
 and a shutter to it. ‘The bed-rooms should 
 be eleven feet by nine each, of which five 
 should be in every overseer’s house on a 
 sugar estate, leaving the overseer’s room 
 somewhat larger than the book-keepers. A 
 large well-covered piazza, with comfortable 
 glazed windows, (to rise and fall occasion- 
 ally,) will answer all the purposes of a 
 dining and breakfast-hall, and for walking 
 in, Large centre halls in such houses are 
 

 
 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 185 
 
 of very little use, take up a great deal of 
 room, are very expensive, and make the 
 house large, without any real convenience. 
 A small back piazza, made comfortable 
 by moving blinds with stops, would be 
 proper for the servants. I think every 
 dwelling-house on a plantation, should have 
 a small fire-place in it, with a well-raised 
 chimney, for fire occasionally in damp 
 weather to be made in. _ It will be whole- 
 some and preservative. The fire-place 
 should be in an extreme angle of the din- 
 ing piazza, and the overseer’s cooking- — 
 room, washing-room, &c., should be apart 
 from the house, though not far off, con- 
 veniently fitted up, and of a moderate size. 
 The little appendages of a hogsty, fowl- 
 house, &c., to raise small stock in, are 
 easily built at a small expence. ° 
 
 On purpose not to interrupt the view of 
 the works from the overseer’s house, I 
 would build the hospital and mule-stable 
 in the rear of it, opposite and parallel to 
 each other, on dry ground, yet not too near 
 
186 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 to the overseer’s house. The hospital should 
 
 be a strong, commodious building, with | 
 
 wholesome water introduced into it by pipes 
 with turn cocks, a pipe to the male and 
 female common hall, and convalescent 
 room each ; a privy likewise should be made 
 to each hall and convalescent room, having 
 a stream of water running through it, 
 which should be conducted by a sewer, to 
 the mill back water, or descent to carry it 
 off. A good piazza, with moving blinds 
 in the front should be made, for the conva- 
 lescent slaves to walk in. The body of the 
 building should be comprised of three 
 rooms, twelve feet square each, with a large 
 boarded bedstead, clean plantain mats, and 
 blankets to each slave, one of which rooms 
 should be appropriated to: sick male, and 
 the other to sick female slaves. The third 
 room should be for convalescents, and fitted 
 up in the same manner. The _ hospital 
 doctor’s room, should be situated at one 
 end of the piazza. Each room should be 
 well secured with bolts and locks, and the 
 
 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 187 
 
 windows iron barred on the outside, and 
 comfortably closed with shutters inside. A 
 fire-place should be in each room, and the 
 house kept clean and often white-washed. 
 It has been an old custom to confine the 
 delinquents in stocks, set up in the hospital, 
 which I think is a bad practice, as too free 
 an intercourse is given to imbibe disease by 
 it. It would be much better to have a small, 
 strong building made in the centre, between 
 the hospital and mule-stable, of mason work 
 for such a purpose, about twelve feet by 
 nine, with durable stocks fitted up init, and 
 well secured with strong hinges, iron bars, 
 staples and locks. Thislittle place being thus 
 set apart, and separated from-other buildings, 
 will make confinement more irksome and 
 dreaded, and perhaps cause less delinquency. 
 The mule stable as I said before, should 
 be opposite and parallel to the hospital, and 
 of a size according with the utmost number 
 of mules the estate is to have on it, allow- 
 ing near three feet for each mule, or a 
 mule-stable of one hundred feet long, by 
 
 
 
oy. 
 
 188 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 thirty feet clear inside, for every seventy 
 mules. ‘This stable must be divided from 
 one end to the other, fitted up with a strong’ 
 round staved double rack, and a deep 
 strong manger to each side. Each side of 
 the stable should be divided into two parts, 
 by a wall of cut large stone, well cemented, 
 so that as the spell mules come in, either at 
 night or in the day, plenty of provender 
 may be found in each division. The mules 
 of one spell, should not interefere with, or 
 take from those of the other. The stable 
 should be well paved, having an inclination 
 of at least nine inches, to throw the urine 
 or moisture down a channel, sunk a little at 
 the wall, in the rear of each manger ; four 
 good strong gates should be made, and 
 placed at the outside end of each division 
 of the stable, with good hinges and fasten- 
 ings. A loft should be made on it, boarded 
 and divided, one part of which is to hold 
 corn as a granary, besides new pads, ropes, 
 baskets, &c., and be well secured with a 
 door and lock ; and the other part to keep 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 189 
 
 the spell mules’ tackling in, with rails to 
 hang the pads, ropes, and straddles, on. 
 A flight-of very strong steps, with hand 
 rails on each side, should be attached to 
 the mule-stable, in order to ascend to the 
 lofts, and the stable should be white-washed 
 inside and outside four times a year, with 
 strong fresh lime, made not too thin. 
 
 The mill-house, whether worked by water, 
 wind, cattle, or steam, should be placed as 
 near the boiling-house as the nature of things 
 will admit of, (and the liquor gutter to be 
 as short as possible, with a cover over it, to 
 turn on hinges, ) so that the cane heap will 
 not obstruct the passage to either boiling 
 or distilling houses, or sour trash affect the 
 liquor. The mill-house should be built of 
 durable mason work, with strong binding 
 braces in the walls, and sufficiently capa- 
 cious to admit of the negroes working with 
 ease, and permit the machinery to be taken 
 down and put up occasionally. The cock- 
 pit should always be kept clean, and the 
 cogs free from impediments of trash and 
 
{90 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 dirt. The gudgeons must always be well 
 greased and cool, and the green trash 
 carried away as soon as it is turned out of 
 the rollers. There must be a pipe to con- 
 vey water to wash the rollers and mill-bed, 
 with a turn-cock fastened to it, and a 
 temporary gutter made from it to the mill- 
 bed. Care should be taken to keep the 
 rollers plumb, well wedged, braced up, and 
 not allowed to be choked with trash. ‘The 
 mill-bed must be furnished with good strong 
 feeding-boards, made of seasoned stuff, to 
 slide to the rollers, with bracing keys, and 
 be well pointed both in front and rear. 
 The splash from the water-wheel must be 
 kept off, (by a feather-edged boarded par- 
 tition,) from the rollers or mill-bed, and - 
 the house always well white-washed. 
 
 Two trash-houses should be built at the 
 works. on every estate, in a substantial 
 manner, from eighty to one hundred feet 
 long, by forty-five wide each, well roofed, 
 with a cupola the whole length of the roof, 
 to allow the exhalations from the green 
 
 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 191 
 
 trash to pass off freely. There should be 
 stone pillars erected at ten feet distance, 
 as high as the wall-plate, to compose the 
 abutments of the building; and in the 
 spaces between the pillars, a firm rail-work 
 should be made, of tough durable wood, 
 (not of bamboos, as is generally the case, 
 which soon get dry and rotten in such 
 places, inducing the negroes to pull them 
 out for fuel,) to keep in the trash. ‘The 
 trash-house should not be entered but at 
 each extreme end, and the trash packed as 
 high as possible, to within a foot of the 
 cupola wall-plate. ‘The firmer the trash is 
 packed, the stronger will be the fuel. 
 Little trash should be permitted to lie 
 about the mill-yard, either to waste such 
 
 a valuable material, or to make swampy, 
 
 spungy foot-passages, impeding the carriers, 
 and giving them tender and ground-itched 
 feet. Both about the trash-houses and the 
 works, and their vicinity, whatever bushes, 
 underwood, weeds, or long grass, spring 
 up, should be stocked up by the root, and 
 
 Pe Te ee 
 
 hc 
 
192 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 the place kept as clean as a bowling-green. 
 If possible, the trash-houses should be built 
 on a level with the rest of the works, over 
 the farther side of the mill back-water, or 
 upon a level spot separated from the rest 
 of the works by a small stream of water 
 brought there for that purpose, over which 
 should be made a firm gangway, well railed 
 in, for the trash-carriers to pass to and fro, 
 with a globe lamp on it, to be lighted in a 
 dark night. In case the trash-houses catch 
 fire, being detached from the works by this 
 stream of water, there is little danger to be 
 apprehended, and water is convenient for 
 extinguishing the flames. The slaves, or 
 any other persons, should never be allowed 
 to smoke pipes in the trash-houses, or about 
 the works or cane-pieces. Many dreadful 
 accidents have happened by such wanton 
 licence ; the cooper’s and carpenter’s shop 
 should likewise be placed and constructed 
 in such a manner that the spreading of this 
 destructive element may be prevented; yet 
 not so distant but that the overseer can 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 193 
 
 well perceive from his house how they are 
 going on there. Every building about the 
 works of a sugar estate should be shingled 
 instead of being thatched, and kept free 
 
 from the hungry, destructive ant, who by 
 
 his mighty, though diminutive efforts, will 
 level a substantial building to the ground 
 in a short time. Poisoning by arsenic is 
 the most expedient mode of getting rid of 
 them, as the living will feed on the dead, 
 so that the whole nest, (by devouring one 
 another,) are thus killed... An overseer 
 should be as careful of saving and preserv- 
 ing trash as due economy will admit of. 
 The making of good sugar with despatch is 
 much to be attributed to its quality and 
 quantity, for being good and dry, it boils 
 the liquor quick, throws up its dirty mucous 
 particles, which is taken off by the skimmer; 
 and having a quantity of it, prevents the 
 necessity of detaching the negroes and stock 
 from other work to procure a requisite sup- 
 ply of fuel. | 
 
 The boiling and curing-houses should 
 
 oO 
 
194 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 always be proportionate to the number of 
 hogsheads of sugar the estate is capable 
 of making. Those buildings should be 
 composed of the most substantial materials, 
 durable, hard, well seasoned timbers, well 
 put together, and supported by the best 
 mason work. The roof of the boiling- 
 house should be cupolaed from one end to 
 the other; the shingles of the cupola to 
 overhang its wall-plate considerably. ‘The 
 end of the boiling-house that is appointed 
 for the coolers, should have moving blinds, 
 with stops, to admit air and light ; and the 
 other end, where the receivers and syphons 
 are placed, should have an open arch, with 
 a shed on the outside. At this end the 
 chimney is erected, which should rise con- 
 siderably above the roof, be built of the 
 best fire-bricks, and have an uninterrupted 
 
 good draft. The receivers, syphons, and 
 
 lower coppers, should uniformly extend 
 
 from the abutment of the chimney, 
 
 gradually lessening in size to the tache. 
 One receiver containing 270 gallons, will 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 195 
 
 be sufficient. Two syphons holding the 
 same quantity each. The grand copper 
 must be equal to the syphon, that is, to 
 contain 270 gallons. ‘The second copper 
 should contain 190 gallons. The third 
 copper 110 gallons, and the tache 65 or '70 
 gallons. _ I will here venture to assert, that 
 it would be always better to have a second 
 tache, to be hung to a separate fire, and to 
 be boiled and worked occasionally by coal, 
 in case a want of strong fuel might arise, 
 on purpose to spare the necessity and ex- 
 pedient of bringing home field trash or 
 brush, than which nothing wastes labour 
 more, or is more injurious to the cane field, 
 at the same time making indifferent sugar, 
 with tedious unsatisfactory labour. I should 
 prefer shell coppers for manufacturing 
 sugar, to those whose bottoms are rivetted 
 to their tops, because they are with more 
 ease kept clean, and safely scoured, than 
 those coppers which are rivetted together ; 
 the heads of which rivets, are frequently 
 burned off by the action of the fire in the 
 
 One 
 
 
 
mb cali 
 
 196 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 furnace, and then the seams open, begin to 
 leak, waste the liquor, endanger the boiling- 
 house by fire, and the coppersmiths and 
 masons must be called in to put them in 
 order; all which causes vexatious delays, 
 and perhaps loss of materials. A strong 
 high railway should be made, to reach 
 across, between the grand copper and sy- 
 phons, so that the negroes can pass, to 
 draw the liquor from the syphon cocks with 
 safety. Many horrid accidents befal them, 
 by falling into the grand boiling copper. _ 
 The parapet wall of the lower coppers 
 should be so high, that the people in lean- 
 ing to skim the vessels, may not be thrown 
 off their balance, and their hands and arms 
 get dipped in the boiling liquor. Every 
 copper should be provided with a well- 
 cleaned ladle and skimmer, so that no delay 
 may arise in borrowing a skimmer or ladle, 
 to clear the liquor, or throw it from copper 
 to copper, to replenish them, and prevent 
 
 their burning. The leads of the coppers 
 should always be kept clean, and there 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 197 
 
 should be a couple of well-washed mops 
 in the boiling-house for that purpose. 
 There should be in every boiling-house 
 four strainers cleanly washed by water. I 
 should prefer square ones, as they are 
 more easily managed and fitted to a frame; 
 one of which, of rather coarse texture, 
 should be placed and made use of in the 
 syphons, in drawing the liquor from the re- 
 ceiver. Another should be placed between 
 the grand and second copper, of rather 
 finer quality. A third between the second 
 and third copper; and the fourth between 
 the tache and the coolers, of a still finer 
 texture, which should be fitted to the bowl 
 of the skipping gutter. Every estate capa- 
 ble of making 200 hogsheads of sugar 
 annually, or from 15 to 18 hogsheads per 
 week, should have three sugar-coolers, 
 fitted up in the boiling-house. They must 
 be made of the best seasoned hard wood 
 plank, closely joined together, and. upon 
 substantial sills, engrafted in well-cemented 
 mason work. A receiver or vessel should 
 0 3 
 

 
 198 ‘THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 be sunk underneath them, to contain any 
 ousings of molasses, &c., that may come 
 from them, and branching gutterings from 
 the lower part, where the sills are placed, 
 should lead those drainings to the receiver. 
 A footway three feet broad, and raised 
 four or five inches above the level of the 
 boiling-house floor, should be made and 
 terraced, for the people who work in the 
 boiling-house to stand upon, close to the pa- 
 rapet of the coppers, to prevent their feet 
 from being tormented by the heat of the 
 floor contiguous to the furnace. The stoke- 
 hole, or place appointed for the negroes to 
 make fire under the coppers, should be 
 spacious ; capable of holding as much trash 
 or fuel, as will boil two skips of sugar, 
 and it should be covered in by a high brick 
 archway, open in front, and joined to the 
 boiling-house wall, to prevent accidents by 
 fire. This archway should be supported by 
 mason work pillars, and continued as far, 
 as the length or range of the furnace, and 
 terminating at the cooling gate. No rub- 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 199 
 
 bish should be kept in it, or any quantity 
 of ashes allowed to accumulate, either 
 under the coppers, or ash-pit. ‘The former 
 should be kept particularly clean, that 
 there may be no impediment to the draft, 
 from the flues, to the syphons and chimney. 
 Neither should any water or liquid be per- 
 mitted to be thrown under the coppers, to 
 damp the fire, (the cooling gate at the ex- 
 tremity of the furnace being adequate to 
 effect it,) as the explosion arising, from the 
 two opposite elements of fire and water, 
 causes such a concussion, as to endanger 
 the coppers in their places, and shake the 
 perhaps too crazy mason work about them. 
 Instead of two hanging copper lamps, 
 which are made use of in the boiling-house 
 at night, close to the lower coppers, and 
 the heads of the people there, to furnish 
 them with light, I prefer a globe lamp, 
 with three good burners in it, well supplied 
 with oil. It should be hung in the centre 
 of the boiling-house, at a height to prevent 
 its being broken, and sufficiently low to 
 : o 4 
 
 
 
200 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 diffuse general good light. This will serve 
 the purpose of giving light to the man on 
 the syphons, as well as to those at the lower 
 coppers. It will likewise cause a saving 
 of oil and wick, the consumption of which 
 will be one-third less, the light better and 
 -more lasting, and prevent the thieving of 
 the negroes, who watch every opportunity, 
 not only to steal the oil, but the wick 
 soaked in it. One pint of oil will be 
 enough for the globe burners every night, 
 whereas it takes near a quart every night, 
 when the boiling-house is at work, to sup- 
 ply the lamps for the low coppers and 
 syphons. I would recommend exemplary 
 cleanliness in the boiling-house,» and that 
 the walls be kept well white-washed. 
 
 The curing-house, a building which 
 should ever be attached to the boiling- 
 house, as its receiver-general, comes next 
 to be taken into consideration, as to its 
 consequence and utility. This structure 
 should be strong, durable, and built of 
 the best mason-work, timbers, plank, &c. 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 201 
 
 It should be so constructed, as to be placed 
 
 between the boiling and distilling-houses, 
 receiving from the one,: and giving to the 
 other. Its platforms should be elevated 
 three feet above the level of its own, and 
 boiling-house floor, which platform should 
 be composed of the best seasoned stuff, the 
 rangers of strong scantling, without knots 
 or blemish, and distant from each other 
 about sixteen inches, and well levelled, 
 with uprights to support their centre. The 
 underneath inclining plane, which catches 
 the molasses, as it runs from the sugar 
 hogsheads, should be laid transversely to 
 the rangers, and should be made of season- 
 ed inch boards, the lower board to be laid 
 down first, with a gentle inclination to the 
 adjoining guttering which gathers the mo- 
 
 lasses. ‘The lower edge of the next board 
 
 must be laid about an inch over the first, 
 likewise with a gentle inclination, and so 
 on, each board to the height of the plat- 
 form. ‘The gutterings to receive the mo- 
 lasses from the platform, should incline te 
 
 ess ee Ue ee 
 
902 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 a common centre, and perpendicularly un- 
 derneath such centre. The molasses cis- 
 tern or receiver should be placed, of suf- 
 ficient magnitude to contain some hundred 
 gallons of liquid. I prefer a long wide 
 cistern, well put together, with bracing 
 bars and keys, so that the molasses can 
 with little difficulty be drawn, or carried to 
 the distilling-house. A curing-house should 
 have several glazed windows on each side, 
 to rise and fall occasionally, to admit air in 
 dry weather, and to exclude it in rainy or 
 damp weather. The windows should be 
 secured with good ‘stops inside, and a 
 strong wire lattice to cover them on the 
 outside. Care should be taken, neither to 
 have these windows open in damp weather, 
 or at night, for nothing destroys the spark- 
 ling grain of sugar more, than dampness. 
 It even changes its colour from a bright 
 straw, to a dingy, sandy hue, and makes 
 the sugar sink unnaturally in the hogshead, 
 which must necessarily be filled up before 
 sent to the wharf. This is a vexatious oc- 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 203 
 
 currence to an overseer or proprietor, who 
 calculated upon a certain number of per- 
 manent casks, or hogsheads of sugar. Good 
 light sail-cloth coverings, painted on the 
 outside, should be in every curing-house, 
 to draw over the cured sugar. If accidents 
 from fire were not so much to be dreaded, 
 and guarded against, on every sugar estate 
 the acquisition of a fire-place, situated cen- 
 trally in a curing-house, for a fire to be 
 made in occasionally in damp weather, 
 might greatly contribute to preserve the 
 grain, quality, and quantity of the sugar, 
 that, at times, unavoidably must remain for 
 months in the curing house of an estate, 
 before it is in order to be sent to the wharf 
 or shipped. Every curing house should be 
 kept perfectly clean, and often white-washed 
 inside with strong lime, to prevent the in- 
 road and propagating of cock-roaches (a 
 creature of the beedle tribe) who eat and 
 mar the sugar. 
 
 The distilling-house on a sugar estate, 
 should be situated at the extremity of the 
 
 Pe | 
 
 
 
204 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 curing-house, or in a mean distance be- 
 tween it and the boiling-house, and lying 
 a little way: from that end of the boiling- 
 house, where the sugar-coolers are placed. 
 All three houses may be joined together, 
 embodied in a building, if the havoc oc- 
 casioned by fire was not to be contempla- 
 ted, and the dreaded evil to be guarded 
 against. This building should be extensive, 
 and well made of the best timbers and 
 mason work, with a tank inside the build- 
 ing, capable of containing from five to ten 
 thousand gallons of water, for the still 
 worms to be immersed in. This tank should 
 have a constant influx of cold water, and 
 an outlet to carry off the same quantity ; 
 a pipe should be introduced into the distil- 
 ling-house, not only to supply this tank 
 with water, but to wash the vessels and 
 mix the liquor with, when: wanted. . This 
 pipe should not run all round the walls, as 
 in some distilling-houses is. the case, as 
 thereby, (having cracks or holes in it) to rot 
 and moulder the walls, &c. but be intro- 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 20 
 
 duced through the wall plate, and run pa- 
 rallel with the centre of the tank, in a 
 horizontal direction ; the pipe should per- 
 pendicularly dip into the tank to the 
 bottom of it. A branch pipe should ex- 
 tend from that to the mixing cistern, .and 
 another to the main guttering that sup- 
 plies the liquor still, both with stop-cocks 
 attached to them. I have ever found that 
 cisterns sunk in stiff mason work, and 
 rammed all round with good clay, free from 
 stones, to within two or three inches of 
 their top, gave not only the greatest re- 
 turns of rum, but fermented best, and that 
 there was little loss sustained by leakage. 
 Vats or keyed cisterns fixed on sills, are 
 - more liable to leak inthe dry months, do 
 not retain fermenting heat as well as the 
 
 sunk cistern, want constant repairs, and are 
 not so useful to the workmen. ‘The inside 
 of a distilling-house, in my opinion, should 
 be in three compartments ; one for the fer- © 
 menting cisterns, one for the tank, (and 
 where the worm-cocks give'vent to the low 
 
 
 
206 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 wines, and rum from the stills, likewise 
 where the molasses and mixing cisterns 
 should be placed, ) and one for a small rum 
 store, to hold three butts, that would con- 
 tain from twenty to thirty puncheons of 
 rum. ‘The mason work for the fermenting 
 cisterns, being raised from about the centre. 
 of the house, carried its entire length, and 
 the cisterns being ready to be put down, 
 each of which should contain the same 
 quantity of liquor as the low wine still, they 
 should. be separated about fourteen inches 
 asunder, and nicely levelled ; so that their 
 frames, when the work is finished, will ap- 
 pear on an even surface with the top of the 
 mason work. ‘The intervals between each 
 should be neatly terraced to their surface, - 
 and the whole made to appear a neat, com- 
 pact, firm work. The distilling-house being 
 in amanner cut in two, by this mason wall 
 inclosing the fermenting cisterns, the other 
 half of the house comes next to be dis- 
 posed of and laid out. The tank neces- 
 sarily takes up.a great part of it. There 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 207 
 
 should be a space of three feet left between 
 it, and the wall inclosing ‘the fermenting 
 cisterns, for the low wine and rum cans to 
 be placed under the worm-cocks, and give 
 ample room for a man to pass and repass, 
 to carry them to and fro. At one extreme 
 end of the tank, that next to the boiling- 
 house, there should be a cistern to hold 
 redundant molasses, that the molasses may 
 be drawn from the curing-house, by a gut- 
 ter or pipe, to be convenient for mixing 
 liquor; and likewise, a mixing cistern 
 should be placed there, the molasses cistern 
 below, and the mixing cistern above it. At 
 the other extreme end of the tank, the low 
 wine butt should be placed, close in with 
 the wall that separates the rum still from 
 the inside of the distilling-house, and pa- 
 rallel with that still. It should be fixed on 
 a firm still, elevated enough, to give a fall 
 for the liquor to the still, and to preserve 
 its bottom from any foulness that may rot it. 
 The remaining part of this end, or division 
 of the house, between the low wine butt 
 
 
 
208 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 and end wall, should be taken up with a 
 small rum store, separated by a partition, 
 with a door and lock, from the low wine 
 butt and other parts of the house. As theft 
 is often practised by the negroes, on this 
 tempting liquid, they should be prevented 
 from so doing by all possible care. This 
 rum store should have two or three good 
 sized butts in it, to contain at least twenty 
 puncheons of rum, and a strong door, 
 opening to the yard, from which the wag- 
 gons are loaded, when rum is ordered to be 
 sent to the wharf. ‘This door should have 
 a good lock and bolts, and in the centre of 
 the door a small imbedded frame, with a 
 pane of glass to admit light, and the inside 
 secured by two or three cross bars of iron. 
 All the butts should have a coat of thick 
 paint once a year, to prevent worms from 
 eating through them. Strong white-wash — 
 will answer. Two cisterns to hold skim- 
 mings should be made, (one larger than the 
 other, ) outside the distilling-house, opposite 
 the boiling-house, which may be covered 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 209 
 
 over with a good shed, and boarded in, 
 with a door and lock, to prevent theft by 
 the negroes or hogs; the. skimmings may 
 be drawn by a pump, from the lower to the 
 top cistern, and then left to subside for some 
 hours to clarify itself; before it is drawn off 
 to the mixing cistern. The skimmings may 
 be drawn by a pipe with a stop-cock to 
 the mixing cistern, and a branch-pipe from 
 the skimming pump, be introduced through 
 the wall, into the molasses cistern, within 
 the distilling-house, reaching to the mixing 
 cistern, with a cock to stop the working 
 of the sucker upon the skimmings, while 
 the molasses is drawing, and the same with 
 the molasses when the skimmings are draw- 
 ing. | 
 
 The distilling-house, stoke-hole, or place 
 where the stills are hung, should have a 
 lofty shed over it, supported by masonry 
 pillars, at one end of which, the rum still 
 should be set, parallel to the low wine butt.. 
 At the other end, next to the boiling-house, 
 and parallel to the guttering, leading from 
 
 P 
 
210 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 the fermenting cisterns, the low wine still 
 should be placed, leaving a space be- 
 tween the still and the end of the shed, 
 for a dunder cistern, which should be sunk 
 in the ground, and made large enough to. 
 contain, more than double the quantity the 
 still does. Another smaller dunder cistern, 
 should be built over the bottom one, (to 
 contain as much as the mixing cistern) in 
 order to draw the dunder by a pump, from 
 the bottom to the top cistern, where the 
 dunder should remain for some hours to cool 
 and clarify. The top dunder cistern should 
 be a little higher than the mixing cistern, to 
 give an inclination for the liquor to run, 
 which may be drawn by a pipe, introduced 
 through the wall, and a stop-cock affixed to 
 it, to the mixing cistern. The liquorfrom 
 the mixing cistern may be drawn off by a 
 short pipe, with a stop-cock to it, mto a 
 temporary gutter, that should lead to the 
 fermenting cisterns. ‘The mixing cistern 
 should always hold as much liquor, as will 
 fill two fermenting cisterns. 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 211 
 
 The stills on a sugar estate are generally 
 of a large size, the low wine still contain- 
 ing, from a thousand to two thousand gal- 
 lons, and the rum still, from five hundred 
 to a thousand gallons. Being of such large 
 dimensions, they consume a great quantity 
 of fuel, mostly large heavy wood, which 
 requires great labour to hew it; and the 
 carriage is distant and heavy. Shal- 
 low broad stills would be the best to be 
 sent out, and fixed in every estate, because 
 the fire soon takes effect on the liquor 
 spread within a shallow still. And when 
 the ebullition takes place, it requires little 
 addition of fuel to keep the distilling liquor 
 
 running through the worms. High broad _ 
 
 goose necks answer equally as well as large 
 still heads, and are more portable, handy, 
 and less expensive. ‘The goose necks should 
 be soldered to the top of the still, and a 
 hole cut in the top of the still, (with a well- 
 fitted copper cover to it,) in order to admit 
 a negro going down to scour the still. 
 Round the hole, a firm strong copper rim 
 Pee 
 
Q12 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 should be soldered, an inch and a half 
 deep ; and the cover, should likewise have 
 a firm, strong copper rim, soldered to it, to 
 fit neat and close within the rim of the 
 hole. This cover should have two strong 
 handles, to take it off and put it on with. 
 When. fixed down, it should be fastened 
 with an iron bar, and locked to a staple, 
 then covered over with clay, till the still is 
 worked off. A temporary gutter should 
 always be ready, to throw water into the 
 stills when worked off and emptied, and to 
 clean them out. The main guttering in- 
 side the distilling-house, should be ready 
 filled with liquor, or the low wine ready to 
 descend into the stills, to load them with- 
 out delay; stills should never be quite 
 filled ; six or eight inches should be left 
 empty at the top, to prevent. accidents by 
 blowing, or sending the liquor or low wine 
 down the worms, instead of low wine from 
 the liquor still, and rum from the low wine 
 still. : 
 The worms, if possible, should go round 
 
 
 
THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 218 
 
 the tank, and converge (when they make 
 a circuit of it) to their respective goose 
 necks, and then dip with many coils to the 
 bottom of the tank. By having the worms 
 large, of good length, and making many 
 revolutions in the tank, with a good supply 
 of cool water descending to the bottom 
 of it, the low wine and rum will distil 
 cool and clean. An outlet from the top 
 of the tank should always be made to 
 carry off the warm water, which rises to 
 the top, which is occasioned by the heat of 
 the worms. <A door with a lock to it, 
 - should be made to the distilling-house wall, 
 to pass from the tank to the top of the 
 stills, so that the young man, who super- 
 intends the distilling-house department, may 
 occasionally go to view what is doing in 
 the stoke-hole, and that the fire-maker is 
 performing his duty. A moving light 
 pump, of sufficient length for the ferment- 
 ing cisterns to- draw the liquor to load 
 the stills, is very requisite, and a skimmer 
 ENS 
 
 
 
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 214 THE WORKS AND OVERSEER’S HOUSE. 
 
 
 
 and ladle to clean the liquor with. Clean- 
 liness is the life and soul of a distilling- 4 
 house, for good rum, or good returns, can- j 
 not be produced without its purifying 
 
 virtues. et 
 
 
 
 
 
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215 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION OF THE SUGAR- 
 CANE, &c. 
 
 Tue sugar-cane, in its primitive state, 
 seems to court the favour and auspices of | 
 the great luminary of day. In its infancy 
 it is cherished by it, in its youth it is 
 invigorated, and in its progress to maturity 
 it is ripened and supported. So many 
 favours proceeding from this great en- 
 livener of nature, induces the sugar-cane 
 to seek,’ as it were, a situation to benefit 
 by its sustaining powers. Providence has 
 so diversified the landscape,, that a variety 
 of grounds present themselves to the view, 
 of hill and dale, promising welfare to this 
 benevolent, useful, and desirable plant, and 
 to attract and induce (by having a genial, 
 open aspect) the planter to till such a piece 
 of land for the culture of it. I must, there- 
 
 Pp 4 
 
 
 
216 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 # 
 
 fore, beg leave here to premise, that it is an 
 essential point in plantership to study and 
 choose ground which may possess an aspect, 
 and obtain the influence of the sun. . The 
 plants come up sooner and better by this 
 means; swampy, cold places are dried up 
 quicker ; the dormant virtues of the land are 
 called into action by its generative warmth ; 
 the sugar-cane appears strong and healthy, 
 shewing a luxuriant promise, and the juices 
 are richer, and with more speed brought to 
 maturity, and make better, stronger-grained 
 sugar. So impartial is this luminary in 
 giving and distributing its nourishment to 
 the vegetable creation, that some time of 
 the day its rays will strike progressively 
 upon most parts of a cane-piece, save such 
 places as are sunk in gullys or dells, nature 
 excluding them from its bright beams, yet 
 giving and granting them the virtues of the 
 air that is heated and rarified by it. The 
 bounty of the morning sun is mostly to be 
 prized, mostly to be wished for on cane- 
 pieces. It dissipates the rigours of a cold, 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. a Of 
 
 damp, bleak night, makes vegetation glad, : 
 
 spontaneous, and thriving; and generally 
 when it shows upon land early in’ the 
 morning, its visits are prolonged till evening. 
 Those spots mostly exposed to its influence, 
 that happen to be gully or poor, I would 
 invigorate and enrich with solid manure, 
 that every advantage may be drawn from 
 it. Not that by so doing, other parts of the 
 cane-piece should suffer neglect, for the 
 whole should have impartial justice done to 
 it. Even the gullies where canes are most 
 apt to lodge, are generally out of sight ; 
 and where the canes degenerate to suckers, 
 and seldom produce rich juices, or good 
 sugars, should have their share of care and 
 attention. The canes in those places should 
 be well trashed, or bolstered with trash, to 
 keep them from lodging, and hunted for 
 rats frequently. Having now urged the 
 necessity and the advantage of an open 
 aspect for cane cultivation, I shall proceed 
 
 to point out what kind of land I presume — 
 
 to think best adapted to’ produce good 
 
 
 
218 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 canes and good sugar. Though we cannot 
 always have the choice of ground, a great 
 variety of soil presents itself to try the skill 
 of the planter. Ground nearly level, having 
 a gentle inclination to drain it, and pass off 
 superfluous water, is best for a cane-piece, 
 as the carriage to and from, and manuring 
 of it is easily effected. A thick stratum 
 (from twelve to eighteen inches deep) of 
 dark brown, friable, unctuous soil, upon a 
 yellow, moist, though warm clay, which 
 may easily be turned up, is the best to pro- 
 duce good, strong, long-jointed sugar-canes, 
 and bright-coloured, hard-grained sugar. 
 Such ground often presents itself to the 
 planter; yet from the exhausting nature 
 of the sugar-cane, its appetite, and great 
 ability in sucking the strength of the 
 ground, for the support of its large, fibrous, 
 prolific root, and tall, juicy, numerous 
 stems, it behoves the provident planter to 
 keep up the stamina of the soil in those 
 rich lands, by manuring every time the 
 piece requires replanting. It would even 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 219 
 
 be well to manure the ratoon, to prevent 
 few recurrences of turning the land up to 
 replant it, for it weakens the land, if it is 
 ever so good, to turn it up and break it for 
 a fresh nursery of plants. The ratoon, by 
 such management, and good care, may make 
 equal returns to the plant-cane, and far 
 better sugar; with less boiling, labour, and 
 fuel. The parishes of St. Thomas in the 
 East, St. Andrew’s, St. John’s, St. Dorothy’s, 
 St. Mary’s, Trelawny, St. James’s, and Cla- 
 rendon, in Jamaica, possess such a soil in 
 many places. So luxuriant are the canes 
 thrown up from this soil, that they often 
 tempt the planter to give them extra trash- 
 ing, which should never be done in dry 
 weather parishes, or districts; as thereby 
 the cane is dried up, burned, and shrivelled. 
 The trash often falls off of itself by excessive 
 heat, when by its dryness, it loses its ad- 
 hesion to the cane joints, nature thus re- 
 lieving itself. And this is sufficient, after 
 the first hand trashing, in dry parishes. 
 But in moist parishes, such as Portland, 
 
220 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 St. George’s, St. Mary’s, St. Thomas in 
 the East, &c., where canes grow from such 
 a luxuriant, heavy, strong soil, are very 
 thick, long-jointed, tall, and top-heavy from 
 their weight, three trashings will not be 
 too much to give them after the banks are 
 levelled, for the influence of the sun then 
 becomes necessary .and apparent, by ripen- 
 ing and thickening the juices. It is one of 
 the most glorious sights in the vegetable 
 world to behold a ten acre field of plant 
 sugar-canes, rising from such a soil, which 
 has justice done to them by the planter, in 
 one of those temperate parishes, after it 
 has received its last trashing, and within a 
 couple of weeks of being declared fit for 
 the bill. Nothing in the world of vegetable 
 substance, that has tried the art of man in 
 raising, has no noble, so generous, and 
 luxuriant an appearance. | i 
 
 Upon level grounds where the cane-pieces 
 are easily laid out, roads formed, manure 
 - earried, and the crop brought to the mill, I 
 would not have too much room taken up with 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGARCANE, &c. QUE 
 
 intervals, and only those formed, that may 
 be necessary to give access to the farther 
 cane-pieces. Extra or superfluous intervals 
 waste much good ground, which might be 
 planted with canes, and add no beauty or 
 safety to the cultivation. A general inter- 
 val of twenty feet broad, between two cane- 
 pieces, is quite sufficient ; cross intervals are 
 of little use, because those general inter- 
 vals partition the cane-pieces from each 
 other, mark their limits, and are commodious 
 enough for waggons to pass to and fro in 
 carrying canes, &c. A gang of negroes 
 when set in to cut a cane-piece, must always 
 make an opening for cane carriage, as they 
 cut down the canes. But I have known 
 many overseers intersect a level cane-piece 
 with several intervals, losing by such un- 
 meaning tracks, one eighth of the cane- 
 piece, or ground that ought to be in canes. 
 Neither would I waste any ground, between 
 a cane-piece and the surrounding fences, 
 farther than would be necessary to allow a 
 negro to clean the fences, and bank up the 
 head rows. In my opinion, the lining out 
 
 
 
cy ‘eae! 
 See ere ie 
 
 209 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 and levelling of water trenches, to carry 
 
 off redundant moisture from a level piece 
 of ground, should be much attended to, 
 
 ‘and performed by a skilful hand. So 
 
 should the lining out the ground there for 
 
 ‘cane-holes be done with judgment, that the 
 holes may all be of an equal breadth, per- 
 
 fectly straight, and no cross or half rows 
 intervening to spoil uniformity, or break 
 the formation or working of an effective 
 field gang. Whatever manure is necessary 
 to be expended upon a rich piece of level 
 land, should be carried to the ground, and 
 put up in heaps, at proper distances from 
 each other, and covered with trash till 
 wanted, when the ground is to be planted 
 with canes, and before the piece is lined or 
 trenched. Nature, in a great measure, points 
 out the course a trench will take: however, 
 she must be assisted by art sometimes; and 
 if impediments of no great magnitude arise, 
 they should be cleared away, or a circui- 
 
 tous track levelled forthe trench. In order 
 to avoid and obviate such a laborious 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &¢. 298 
 
 service, I would cut no more trenches in 
 a level, or a cane-piece, than what are ab- 
 solutely necessary to keep the land free 
 from water, or give proper vent to a spring. 
 It has been an old custom with some over- 
 skilful planters to tire their invention, by 
 traversing a cane-piece, both length and 
 crossways, with a multiplicity of useless 
 trenches, as if to shew or display nice 
 plantership by this intersecting game, or to 
 stamp upon the vulgar novice an high 
 opinion of their talents. By such prodi- 
 gality, they bring poverty on the land they 
 are commissioned to support and maintain. 
 Nothing impoverishes land more than use- 
 less trenches, or a great number of them ; 
 nothing is more likely to break it into deep 
 inequalities, which destroys a fine surface ; 
 nothing entails sterility on the soil more, 
 carrying away, by every discharge of heavy 
 rain, the best of the soil through those 
 superfluous drains, and leaves to view 
 scarcely any thing but a forlorn, hard, 
 cold clay, which, by its water-washed, white, 
 
 
 
294 PLANTING: AND CULTIVATION 
 
 sickly appearance, seems to bewail the loss 
 of its warm productive powers. Survey 
 then minutely the ground before it is trench- 
 ed, and let none be cut, but- what are 
 expedient to keep the land clear from cold, 
 swamps, or springy overflowings ; using as 
 it is lined out a level for so doing. After 
 the trenches are dug, the piece should be 
 cleared and stocked up of cane-roots anc 
 grass, &c., previous to lining it for cane- 
 holes.. A level piece of rich land should 
 
 never be lined into cane-holes of less than 
 
 four feet and a half; or five feet wide, and 
 a large wooden square, and flagged line 
 made use of, to strike and measure off the 
 rows and _ distances, setting off. from 
 the heading of a straight interval. Nor 
 should the ground be turned up deeper: 
 than the surface of the clay, or within an 
 inch of it; because the clay being cold, or 
 perhaps sour, may either retard the growth 
 and sprouting of the plant top, or burn and 
 wither it in the ground. The plant cane-tops 
 should be carried, and put down in heaps, 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 295 
 
 along the interval, the negroes should strip 
 and trim them there, and bring them to the 
 spot they are to be planted in, that the banks 
 may not be broken down by mules, or the 
 cane-holes broken up by them. The weed- 
 ing gang should attend with dung-baskets, 
 to carry and drop the manure into the 
 holes. The great gang having stripped, 
 trimmed, and carried as many tops as will 
 plant out a breadth, they should begin to 
 clear the bottom of the cane-holes well 
 with their hoes, weed the banks clean, (the 
 weeds to be put on the top of the banks, 
 with their roots turned up to the sun, in 
 order to kill them, ) haul the loose mold to 
 the banks, and the manure being dropt 
 before them in the cane-holes, they should 
 spread it pretty thick in the bottom of the 
 holes. Care should be taken that no tops 
 are brought to be planted but such as are 
 fresh, have good eyes, have not been 
 arrowed or sackered; and the longer the 
 joints are, the better. I would leave little 
 or none of the soft, furry part of the top 
 
 Q 
 
 
 

 
 226 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 to the plant, as a sucker may proceed from 
 it, by which the nourishment is extracted, 
 and extorted from the sprout that grows 
 from the eye. All these preparations being 
 ready, and the negroes formed in a straight 
 breadth, a negro to each cane-hole, set them 
 in to plant the tops. First, the manure being 
 spread in the holes, let each negro cast a 
 little light mold over it, that the plant top 
 may not be scalded, and to keep the sun 
 from absorbing the strength of the manure. 
 Then let each negro take two clean fresh 
 tops, and lay them firmly in the bottom of 
 the hole, across it, on the soiled manure, 
 and about eight inches asunder, the bottom 
 or hard part of one top opposite to the 
 soft, furry part of the other, then cover 
 over those two plants lightly with mold, 
 - suffering no weeds or grass to remain on 
 them, as weeds shake well from any earth ; 
 and place them on the top of the banks, 
 with their roots exposed to the sun, to kill 
 and wither them. When those two tops 
 are thus planted, and each negro is pro- 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. Qe, 
 
 vided with a measure-stick of fourteen 
 inches long, make each of them measure a 
 space with it, from the farther planted top, 
 and put down two more good plants on the 
 soiled manure, as the former were done, 
 covering them. with mold, and weeding 
 them clean as the two former plants were 
 managed ; and so on progressively to plant 
 out the breadth till it is finished and com- 
 pleted. Care should be taken to drop no 
 more manure in the cane-holes than what 
 will suffice for one day’s planting of tops, 
 as the sun may injure it by being exposed 
 to it. The trenches and intervals should 
 be cleaned of weeds, as the gang proceeds 
 in planting, allowing no grass to grow in 
 the interval within six feet of the canes. 
 When the first breadth is thus planted out, 
 let the great gang strip, clean, and carry 
 as many good tops as will plant out another 
 breadth, and so on till the whole of the 
 cane-piece is planted with cane-tops, leaving 
 every thing clean and secure upon it, for 
 Providence in its goodness to preside over. 
 Q 2 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 228 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 The fences round this and the adjacent 
 cane-pieces should be cleaned, closely made 
 up, every gap stopped, and the gates well 
 hung, with iron fasteners to open with 
 occasionally. The planting of corn or 
 French beans on the banks of such a piece, 
 
 at five feet asunder, can be no injury to 
 
 the canes. The crop of corn takes no ad- 
 ditional trouble to raise, except the planting 
 and breaking it in, a work of little labour, 
 and amply paying for such trifling expence 
 by the plenty which ensues from it. ‘This 
 crop of corn is taken off in four months 
 from the time of planting, the same period 
 that the plant-canes require the banks to 
 be levelled on, or round them, as the last 
 molding they are to have till ripe, and 
 cut down to make sugar. In rainy, moist 
 weather, the young plant-canes require al- 
 most constant weeding, so quick and ex- 
 cessive is the growth of sour grass and 
 weeds about them. On no account should 
 they be neglected. As soon as weeds or 
 
 grass appear growing among them, the | 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 229 
 
 weeding-gang should be set in with small 
 sharp hoes, to clean them of such foul 
 annoyances, using great caution to pull 
 out, with their hands, ‘the weeds that. in- 
 trude between the canes, and placing the 
 weeds on the banks, to be withered by the 
 sun, first shaking their roots of any earth 
 that may be about them. The banks should 
 be well cleaned of the growing weeds, and 
 a little mold drawn from them round the 
 young plants, according to their growth, to 
 impart gradual nutriment to them. Some 
 supplies may be wanted; I think but few 
 for the first cleaning, as the tops are not long 
 in the ground; but at the second cleaning, 
 which may be requisite shortly after, I 
 would set in the second gang, (a more 
 sensible people than the weeding gang, ) to 
 go through them; who should search well — 
 for any dead tops, and replace them by 
 lively fresh tops, molding such supply tops 
 lightly, and putting a little dung under- 
 neath them. ‘This gang should bring out 
 dung-baskets; dung should be ready for 
 Q3 
 
 a. “WOES ep ae ee) er a er a aw. ee 
 
230 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 them on the interval, and as they proceed 
 in cleaning and supplying the piece, they 
 should throw in some of the manure through 
 the cane sprouts, and draw mold round them. 
 No supplying should be after this, except a 
 great drought or blast comes on, which 
 Providence sometimes orders; then the 
 persevering ardour of the planter comes to 
 be tried, and replanting the piece may be 
 its fate. Even continual rain for a length 
 of time may strike a chill into the ground, 
 and retard its animating functions so long, 
 that the tops may rot. I will venture, how- 
 ever, to assert, that after such a cane-piece 
 has had its second cleaning, manuring, and 
 molding, it will soon begin to shew abun- 
 dance of vigorous, strong sprouts, of a deep 
 green colour. Their growth will be quick, 
 
 ’ waving abroad, with saw-edged leaves, and 
 
 their young stems will be stiff to the hand. 
 Thethird cleaning and molding they receive, 
 the second gang should likewise perform. 
 Then the plants will exhibit some white 
 small tender joints, from which may pro- 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 2381 
 
 ceed wiry, small, dry particles, or leaves of 
 trash, which should be gently pulled away, 
 if free to drop, and one half of the bank, 
 mashed fine with the hoe, should be given 
 and drawn round them ; taking care to free 
 them from all interloping weeds and grass 
 which may spring up, and placing them 
 (after shaking the earth from their roots) 
 upon the banks, with their roots turned up 
 to the sun, to wither and kill them. Few 
 weeds, after the third cleaning, will grow 
 up to annoy them; they nearly bid defiance 
 to their attacks. ‘They spread with amazing 
 luxuriance over the surface of the ground, 
 claiming the traveller’s attention as he 
 passes by. ‘The fourth cleaning and mould- 
 ing finishes the operation, for they then 
 must draw the veterans of the estate to 
 behold their rising beauties, and minister to 
 their prosperity. The great gang should 
 be set in at this period, to level their 
 mother earth, the banks about them, cut- 
 ting up every thing with the hoe by the 
 
 root that may in any measure blemish their 
 
 Q 4 
 
 
 
232 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 lovely appearance, or retard the quickness 
 of their growth. Any loose trash that may 
 be on them, should be pulled away with the 
 hand. ‘This will give them freedom, but 
 nothing to injure their joints, or expose 
 their still tender green stems to the parch- 
 ing sun, or the asperity of the weather. 
 The powerful hand and hoe of the great 
 gang should be brought into action, to 
 chop the remnant of the bank fine, and 
 haul the mold about them, but not to 
 raise any hills to their joints. This some 
 old planters do, in the vain hope of in- 
 creasing their growth, or prevent them 
 from lodging ; not considering that by thus 
 
 burying their joints, they cause them to 
 
 throw out suckers, thus checking their 
 growth, vitiating their juices, and making 
 
 them slender and spindling. A piece of 
 
 ground of this description, planted in the 
 
 before-mentioned way, the latter end of 
 
 April with cane-tops, will have the May 
 season to bring them up, and escape 
 arrowing in the October following, or the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 233 
 
 arrowing months, and attain their full 
 growth and age, without being checked or 
 any way empoverished, by this absorbent, 
 periodical malady of the sugar-cane. As 
 I said before, in moist parishes, with tem- 
 perate weather, such a cane-piece, after the 
 banks are levelled on it, will bear three 
 trashings before it is fit for the bill, or to be 
 cut down to make sugar of. But in no 
 instance, when they are ordered to be 
 trashed, should any of their joints be bled, 
 (a common phrase with planters, when 
 green trash is forced from the joints, and 
 their fibrous veins exposed to the sun, and 
 made to drip their vital juices) or any but 
 the dry, drooping trash pulled away. The 
 joints which lie under the dry trash, de- 
 clare their own hardihood, and being 
 cleared of it, the sun and air will gradually 
 swell and ripenthem. The aspiring sugar- 
 cane will sometimes require proping, to 
 keep its. tops from coming to the ground, 
 so heavy do they become, from the fatten- 
 ing care that has been taken of them. The 
 
234 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 dry trash which has been taken from them, 
 should in such cases be made as a pillow for 
 them to lie upon; some should be put near 
 their roots, and some in the middle of the 
 rows, to prevent their curved tops and stems 
 from lying on the bare ground, where they’ 
 might be induced to adhere and take root. 
 Thus, after receiving the third trashing, in 
 about two weeks, when thirteen and four- 
 teen months old, they become sugar-canes 
 in the true sense of the word; their roots 
 declare their inability any longer to support 
 their stems, (as they are pregnant with 
 embryo ratoons,) they require the relief’ of 
 the amputating bill. The overseer must 
 obey this natural summons, and direct 
 them to be cut down, carried to the mill, 
 and made sugar of. A piece of such 
 ground, manured, planted, and reared in 
 sugar-canes in the before-mentioned man- 
 ner, will often give from four to five hogs- 
 heads of sugar per acre. It will yield 
 nearly as much in the first ratoon, and pre- 
 serve its stocks for subsequent ratoons for 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 235 
 
 five or six crops,’ thereby saving the ex- 
 pense, labour, and trouble of digging the 
 land often to replant it. It will empoverish 
 it by so doing, and spread the cane culti- 
 vation over an enormous space of ground, 
 forcing an indifferent crop from it; causing 
 twice as much labour as is requisite, over- 
 working the cattle and mules, and present- 
 ing a large field of canes to the sight, 
 which gives but poor returns. I have thus 
 presumed to point out the utility and happy 
 results arising from manuring even rich 
 lands well in Jamaica, for cultivating sugar- 
 canes, and the still happier termination of 
 the overseer’s care, by planting it with 
 good tops in the proper spring season ; and 
 taking special care of the plants when they 
 come up, till they are fit to cut, and carry 
 to the mill. I shall next proceed to point 
 out the plan of manuring distant, hilly, 
 poor cane pieces, so as to save the necessity 
 of too much ground being taken up to ob- 
 tain a crop. 
 
 It should ever be a maxim with a plan- 
 
 v ys alice 
 
236 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 ter, who has the management of a sugar 
 estate, to bring his cane cultivation into as 
 close an ‘order, and as contiguous to the 
 works, as the nature of things, and the 
 required crops from the estate, will admit 
 of. Straggling cane-pieces have a confused 
 appearance, exemplifying a want of con- 
 nection or method, and principally evin- 
 cing, either the inability of the overseer, 
 in point of professional skill in using ma- 
 nure, his vanity in having a large, unpro- 
 ductive cane-field, or his want of cattle, 
 mules, and materials to produce it. Ina 
 former part of this work, I alluded to the 
 great necessity which exists of having an 
 adequate number of working and breeding 
 stock on an estate. For not only there is 
 less mortality among the stock, by such a 
 policy, having frequent spells to relieve 
 them, but a combination of circumstances 
 occurs, making a sufficiency of manure, to 
 return, and retain to the soil its strength 
 and virtue. Labour is hereby saved by not 
 digging too much, and expence is prevented 
 
 
 
 | 
 4 
 l 
 ‘ 
 if 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. pis 5 
 
 by not resorting to jobbing. The negro 
 strength of the estate is thrown upon the 
 plants and ratoons, to keep them clean and 
 do them justice. ‘The land yields one-third 
 more, by the acre of sugar, and the sugar 
 of a better quality. The canes are faster, 
 and with more ease, brought to the mill, 
 take less boiling, and less fuel. The field 
 trash is not obliged to be taken off the 
 cane-pieces, to furnish a supply of tran- 
 sient fuel, by which the poverty of those 
 grounds is increased, and labour lost in the 
 carriage. And, lastly, more negro labour 
 can be spared to clean the pastures, (which 
 sometimes run to ruin for want of it) and 
 procure copper-wood, build lime kilns, 
 make roads, &c.. All this can be done by 
 making plenty of manure, and confining 
 the cane cultivation to a moderate sphere. 
 In the course of this work, I shall beg leave 
 to relate one or two circumstances, in 
 which the resident agent had a principal 
 hand in overrunning an entire estate with 
 
 numerous cane-pieces, extending an im- 
 
 
 
2938 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 mense field of canes, cutting down, burn- 
 ing, and destroying valuable wood land, &c. 
 for the sake of stretching out a large field 
 of canes, which, in the end, did not pro- 
 duce more, or even so much, as when one- 
 third less land was in canes, and the jobbing 
 six times as much. I would begin, by having 
 cut and brought home from the woods, as 
 many mortice posts and rails as will make 
 three temporary or moving cattle pens, to 
 contain from eighty, to one hundred head 
 of cattle with ease; so that they could lie 
 down, get up, move about, and feed upon 
 what provender there might be in the pen, 
 without incommoding one another. I shall 
 premise here, that whatever manure may 
 be made about the works, from the mule- 
 stable and cattle-pen, should be heaped up 
 
 in pits sunk there, or contiguous to it, of 
 
 eighteen inches deep, that the urine, or 
 strong material of the juice that issues from 
 the dung, should be retained, and not 
 suffered to run off, (which is usually the 
 
 case,) losing by such neglect or oversight 
 16 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 2390 
 
 the most essential and best part of this 
 invaluable article in husbandry. This dung 
 made at the works, and so heaped up in 
 sunk pits, should, after the heap rises to 
 four feet, be chopped with sharp hoes by a 
 gang of negroes, moved to another. con- 
 venient pit, and the moisture or juice that 
 run through it be thrown on, and mixed 
 up with it; then a layer of strong, rich 
 earth, of eight inches deep, should be 
 thrown and spread on the top of it; after 
 which, and over the earth, more dung from 
 the cattle or mule pen may be put on it, 
 for three or four feet higher; then a second 
 time chopped, and removed either to the 
 former or another pit, taking care, what- 
 ever juice may be at the bottom of the pit, 
 to have thrown on, and mixed through it. 
 After this second chopping and removal, 
 the heap should be topped with another 
 layer of earth of eight inches deep, and 
 covered over with trash or cane bands. 
 All the moisture being retained in this 
 body of manure, it will soon vehemently 
 
 
 
24.0 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 ferment, intestinely and externally rot, and 
 become a solid heap of well-digested, avail- 
 able, and profitable manure. It will be 
 necessary in showery weather to take the 
 covering of trash off it, that the rain may 
 penetrate through, and assist the ferment- 
 ation and putrifying of it; but in dry, 
 parching weatner, this covering of trash 
 _ should be replaced; and it should be the 
 special concern of every overseer on a 
 sugar estate that not the smallest particle 
 of any thing whatever that can contribute 
 to make or increase manure should be 
 wasted or neglected, either about the works 
 or elsewhere. Every convertible substance 
 for that purpose should be scrupulously and 
 carefully thrown into the manure-pits. In 
 this manner should manure be made and 
 accumulated about and at the works of 
 every sugar estate. This manure so made 
 at the works, should be expended on the 
 near cane-pieces and bottoms,-and gene- 
 rally will be sufficient for that purpose, 
 except here and there a gully spot, which - 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 241 
 
 will plead for the aid of the cattle-pen, to 
 send its penetrating juices into its meagre 
 earth. This call of nature should always 
 be attended to, having the posts and rails 
 at home, with what apparatus may be wanted 
 _of ties and stockadoes to complete it. It 
 should be considered whether the land is to 
 be manured for a spring or a fall plant, as 
 the planting seasons are divided into spring 
 and fall, the first beginning, as it were, 
 in March, and ending in June or July, the 
 latter commencing in September, and end- 
 ing in December. The first having the April 
 and May seasons, (or showery weather, ) to 
 promote and bring up the cane-plants, the 
 latter the October rains to swell the earth, 
 after the parching months of August and 
 September, which proves generally effectual, 
 with good manure, to bring up strong plants. 
 I would leave the distant, hilly pieces for the 
 spring, the near hilly pieces for the fall, 
 and the bottoms for the spring or fall plant, 
 agreeable to the nature and situation of the 
 ground. -The spring plant comes first to 
 
 R 
 
 
 
 
 
94.9 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 be considered, and the number of acres 
 which should put in, to provide for a re- 
 
 - gular good crop the ensuing year. I would 
 -begin to manure, by cattle penning with 
 
 those temporary pens for the spring plant, 
 in the months of September and October, 
 and set up two cattle-pens on the piece I 
 intended first to turn up and plant, by lining 
 the ground out for them. The mortice- 
 posts should be seven feet asunder ; pitch- 
 ing the pens on that part of the ground 
 which proved to be the least productive, or 
 
 where the soil was light or cold. On those 
 
 parts I would let the pens remain for a 
 fortnight or three weeks, all which time 
 I would be particularly provident in sup- 
 plying them with plenty of green food, 
 either of long cane tops, guinea grass, or 
 both mixed, placed all round the rails, in- 
 side of the pen, for the cattle to feed on; 
 and have the bottom of the pen strewed 
 with dry cane trash, old guinea grass, the 
 choppings of intervals, &c. for the stock 
 to lie, dung, or urine on; in order to ac- 
 16 
 
 f 
 
 ea alN tee Var NOS) ehh wae, 1 PT eae 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &e. 248 
 
 cumulate by such means a considerable heap 
 on the spot at the termination of three weeks. 
 In each of those pens I would enclose, every 
 evening, the cattle, (except those which 
 may be intended for road work,) the breed- 
 ing and young cattle in one, and the work- 
 ing cattle in the other, (the road cattle to be 
 penned at the works,) so that no disagree- 
 ment may take place amongthem, and they 
 may have plenty of feeding. In the morn- 
 ing they should be dressed and reckoned 
 there, moving them about fora quarter of 
 an hour, to give them an inclination to 
 dung and urine in the bottom of the pens 
 before they are turned out to graze. By 
 thus confining the cattle in these temporary 
 pens at night, with plenty for them to eat, 
 strewing the pens with trash, withered 
 grass, or any slips, rubbish, and weeds, that 
 can be procured by invalid negroes, a heap 
 of manure will be raised, not only for the 
 spot where the pen is, but to throw on 
 other parts of the piece where the pens 
 are not placed. After three weeks’ time 
 r 2 
 
 
 
944 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 the pens should be moved to other poor 
 spots, closing up the mortice-post holes 
 where they stood. ‘Then the second gang 
 should set in, and cover over this heap of 
 manure with good earth, which may be 
 found in some gully or waste spot conti- 
 guous to the piece, at least six inches deep 
 - over the surface of it. This heap remain- 
 ing closed up with earth, confines the 
 moisture within the body of the manure, 
 any showers of rain that descend penetrate 
 through the earth into it, and cause an 
 ‘intense fermentation, which soon corrupts 
 and rots all the different substances it ‘is 
 composed of. In about a month or six weeks 
 after the first pens are removed to other 
 parts of the piece, I would set in the great 
 gang with sharp hoes to chop and mix up 
 this stuff, which has been made in the first 
 pens; which being done, they should heap 
 it up high, make it lie compact, and then 
 cover it with trash to prevent the sun from 
 injuring it. Sometimes it may require a 
 second chopping to make it unite and be- 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 245 
 
 come more unctuous, which is discretional, - 
 and easily performed. The pens should 
 be removed every three weeks to different 
 spots, well fed, supplied, and covered with 
 quantities of vegetable substances that will 
 soon ferment, rot, and unite themselves,- by 
 being closely condensed together. In the 
 course of eight or ten weeks a piece of ten 
 acres of poor land will have a sufficiency 
 of manure ready made upon it to answer 
 the purposes of planting with ability, in 
 the ensuing month of March or April; 
 which is early enough to put in a season- 
 able spring plant. The manure made on 
 this piece will be rotten fat stuff in the 
 following January or February. I here 
 beg leave to request my readers to cal- 
 culate, that this first piece of ten acres, 
 having taken ten weeks to make an ade- 
 quate quantity of manure upon it, it falls 
 out then that,. having began the first of 
 September to pen it, it will be completed 
 by this system, by the middle of November 
 following. Having by this time judiciously 
 R.3 
 
 
 
246 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 chosen another piece of poor ground to 
 throw the pens over for the same benefit, 
 remove those two pens to it, taking care to 
 stop up all the post-holes on the former 
 piece, and have the manure made up upon 
 it; taking the same before-recited method 
 with the other piece, you will finish the 
 manuring of it likewise by the middle of 
 the following February. This is taking it | 
 for granted that it will measure ten acres. | 
 Thus the planter may go on progressively 
 
 
 
 to another distant hilly piece, without de- 
 viating from the foregoing rules. He will 
 then have thirty acres of such land, in three 
 distinct pieces, ready manured by the middle 
 of May, in order to turn up for a spring 
 plant ; beginning with the first piece to dig * 
 and plant in March, the second in April, 
 and the third in May, all coming in, as it 
 were, in succession. All this is beside what 
 near pieces may be deemed expedient to be 
 put in for a spring plant, which may be 
 manured, in a great measure, from what 
 dung is made at the works, and carried out 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 24:7 
 
 to them. I must here remark, that the 
 very time I propose to begin cattle-penning 
 for a spring plant, is the providential time 
 of the year, which nature, by her temperate, 
 seasonable weather, blesses the planter with 
 abundance of feeding for the cattle, as if 
 by such bounty inviting him to such an 
 undertaking. Guinea grass, common grass, 
 and herbage of every description natural to 
 this climate, have a spring and luxuriance, 
 from October till May, which is astonishingly 
 prolific ; so that no want of green and dry 
 provender will happen if the planter is as pro- 
 vident as nature, in assisting her spontaneous 
 exertions, by keeping his pastures clean. 
 The spring plants, and the ratoons coming 
 ripe at that time, are mostly depended | 
 upon, in moist parishes, to make a crop 
 from. ‘The fall plants and ratoons coming 
 ripe early in the year, are looked up to, for 
 a crop in dry weather parishes. Not that I 
 altogether agree with old practitioners in 
 moist parishes, that the fall plant cannot be 
 brought in to answer equally as well as 
 R 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
248 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 in dry parishes, to make the bulk of the 
 crop; and should be, with equal ardour, 
 followed up and depended. upon. Indeed 
 if they would go more on the fall plant in 
 the north side of Jamaica, from Portland 
 to the west end of St. Ann’s, than what 
 ‘they do, they would get equally as good 
 returns, by manuring high, as they do from 
 the spring plant. ‘Their cane pieces would 
 become ripe in quick rotation, and they 
 would finish their crops by the end of May 
 or June; have most of their sugar shipped 
 in August, and in the mother country, and 
 sold, before Christmas; whereas, I have 
 known the estates in Portland, St. George’s, 
 St. Mary’s; and St. Ann’s, to have their 
 mills about, (with only intermissions for 
 digging and planting) from January till 
 within a day or two of Christmas; and 
 _ their cane pieces becoming ripe, with strag- 
 gling irregularity. The vicissitudes of the 
 weather seem to tell them, that they should 
 adopt the mode of bringing in their crops 
 to be taken off without intermission. To 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &C. 249 
 
 behold them working the mules, nearly up 
 to their bellies in mud, carrying distant 
 canes, from the beginning of October till 
 December, is distressing. For during this 
 period in those parishes, the weather is 
 rainy, and very unfavourable for cane car- 
 riage to the works, so that the poor animals 
 are miserably reduced and cut up. Besides, 
 a misfortune equally to be dreaded is, that 
 the canes cut at this season, seldom stock 
 or ratoon well, the cane-pieces are mauled, 
 ploughed up, and destroyed, by the mules’ 
 feet; large pools of water encircle the 
 cane-roots, which are indented and broken, 
 by the stock going into them to be loaded; 
 and immense labour expended, in supplying 
 those pieces afterwards, which are thus cut 
 up. Neither can the sugar be shipped, 
 till the return of some of the ships from 
 the mother country, in the month of Febru-. 
 ary following. All this while, it is lying at 
 the wharf or in the curing-house, sinking 
 and perishing in the cask, which must be 
 filled up or repacked, before it is in a con- 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 250 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 dition to be shipped. ‘This kind of ma- 
 nagement concludes with comfortless bad 
 roads, which are rutted up by bad weather, 
 for the heavy ox to drag the sugar to the 
 wharf, over a distance of perhaps 10 or 15 
 miles, making them a way-worn, weather- 
 beaten, emaciated set of beasts. 
 
 Relative to manuring for the fall plant, 
 by temporary, moveable cattle-pens, I 
 would without delay commence so doing, 
 the first or middle of May, and having 
 chosen some of the poor, hilly, near cane- 
 pieces for this purpose, or some of the 
 bottoms which were poor and gully, on 
 which water cannot lodge; I would on the 
 poorest piece, pitch two of these moveable 
 pens, line the ground out for them at seven 
 feet distance for the posts, secure and 
 tighten them well with strong rails and 
 stockadoes ; supply them amply with feed- 
 ing for the cattle; cover them with all the 
 dry litter, old grass, cane-tops, weeds, &c., 
 which can possibly be gathered and thrown 
 
 ‘mto them; pen the cattle in them every 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &Xc. ‘Q51 
 
 evening, and move them from place to 
 place, where strengthening and renovating 
 is required; taking care when they are 
 moved, to fill up the post holes. Cover 
 the manure with six inches depth of good 
 earth over the surface. When fermented 
 for some time, and beginning to corrupt 
 and rot, let it be chopped, heaped up, and 
 covered with trash. The weather from the 
 latter end of May to September, is gene- 
 rally hot and dry. ‘There should always 
 be a reserved guinea grass piece or two, 
 kept for the purpose of cutting, and feed- 
 ing the pens. The gullies under shade, yield 
 at this time abundance of assistance to the 
 grass pieces in feeding the pens, and these 
 should be preserved to come in at this 
 period. In dry weather, these pens need 
 not be moved for a month. They will be 
 the better for it, as the greater the quantity . 
 of stuff thrown in them, which being pressed 
 down by the weight of the cattle, and 
 dunged and urined over by them, will 
 sooner ferment, and accumulate a good 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 252 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 heap of manure, when chopped and made 
 up. But from September till the end of 
 December, the weather is moist and. rainy. 
 The pens at this period will become swam- 
 py, from the frequent treading of heavy 
 stock, and should be moved every two or 
 three weeks, so that the cattle may be kept 
 comfortable without lying too damp. Yet 
 they should remain sufficiently long, to 
 cause ‘them, to tread, mix, and stir up the 
 stuff in the pen. ‘The grass pieces which 
 had been rather parched in the hot months 
 of June, July, and August, assume in those 
 months their wonted verdure and lux- 
 uriance, affording abundance of fine grass 
 for the cattle by day, (which every good 
 planter should strictly attend to, and have 
 driven to the best of feeding) anda plente- 
 ous. suppering for them during the night. 
 As a good deal of what manure is made 
 at. the works (which is generally of the best 
 quality) can be easily carried out to some 
 of those near cane pieces, it will, in a great 
 measure, assist in giving the ‘fall plant 
 
 
 
Pei tee tat hh i 
 ERT A ee me ee | ee ee oA 
 
 OF THE SUGAR-«CANE, &c. 953 
 
 rather a greater share of such warm, in- 
 vigorating stuff, than the spring plant; as 
 the land at this cold inert time of the year 
 will demand it, to throw life into the plant 
 which lies imbedded in its bosom, foster its 
 exertions, till it embraces with its roots its 
 natural mother earth. I hope I have de- 
 fined with clearness, the great utility of 
 having plenty of working and breeding 
 stock upon a sugar estate, and the admira- 
 ble good consequences ultimately to result 
 by its adoption. By such a plan, moveable 
 cattle pens can be formed, where abun- 
 dance of manure may be made on the land, 
 without carrying it out in carts, and on 
 mules’ backs. A supply of this valuable 
 material in plantership, «should never be 
 wanting, either from the works, or the pens, 
 to keep up the strength of rich lands, or 
 renovate and restore the impaired stamina 
 of poor decayed soils. 
 
 I cannot dismiss the subject of a sugar 
 cane fall plant, without suggesting a few 
 hints, relative to the necessity, of having a 
 
 
 
 <A ae ont eee 
 
 
 
ae 
 
 ea ilar tt eS 
 
 
 
 Q54 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 field of canes growing, to serve as a nur- 
 sery to draw fall plant tops from, which is 
 a primary object to establish, and have 
 resort to, in any emergency when the tops 
 which grew upon pieces lately cut down 
 are either bad or arrowed. It is essential 
 to be more particular in picking tops for 
 the fall, than the spring plant. For if any 
 indifferent, sour, blemished, or arrowed 
 tops, are put into the ground in the fall of — 
 the year, when the ground is chilly or 
 spongy from rain, not one in four will per- 
 haps sprout, but lie dormant, and rot, 
 giving endless trouble in supplying the 
 piece ; which, when finished, after infinite 
 labour and expense, will shew an unequal 
 appearance, of high and low canes. The 
 arrowed top is a pithy, almost hollow, sap- 
 less trunk, with little life, few eyes, and 
 those mostly blind ones. How can such a 
 plant be depended on, to raise a stock or 
 root of canes from ? As to sour and ble- 
 mished tops, planted at this time of the year, 
 a cultivator might as well put so many 
 
 2 
 4 
 & 
 is 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 255 
 
 withered bulrushes into the ground to raise 
 cane sprouts. I would always then, have 
 this grand reserve of a nursery, in some 
 secluded place, to be called inas a maga- 
 zine, (if it may be so called,) to give effi- 
 cient plant tops for fall plants, in case no 
 other good ones can be had, contiguous 
 on the estate, to answer the wishes of the 
 overseer, to plant out the piece in proper 
 -time. I have known some select the worst 
 -piece of land on an estate, for the purpose 
 of a nursery. I would act contrary to 
 this, and appoint three or four acres of good 
 ground to be so occupied, in some. secluded 
 spot, not to mar the appearance of other 
 cane pieces, by shewing its irregular cut- 
 tings. For in a nursery may be _ ob- 
 served several growths of canes, making 
 a striking singular appearance, owing to 
 the necessity of drawing plants from it at 
 different times. I would likewise choose 
 cane tops of the most approved species, 
 which may answer the climate and land of 
 the parish, to put in as plants in the nur- 
 
 
 
a5 EO et 
 
 256 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 sery. Be particularly careful to keep it 
 clean, and not allow the breed of canes to 
 degenerate, by neglect or trespass. I would 
 always manage it so, that it should not be 
 a prey to arrowing, by keeping up the soil 
 with manure, and cutting it down about 
 the first of March. By so doing, the canes 
 will be of considerable height, and will not 
 be attacked or swelled by arrowing in the 
 October following, when their services will 
 be wanted. I would then take three lengths 
 of plants from each cane, those which are 
 vigorous and lively, and have plenty -of 
 full, prolific eyes. These seldom disappoint 
 the well-meant zeal. of the expecting over- 
 seer. I knew an overseer in a temperate 
 parish, so fond of thick planting, that he 
 expended sixty acres of tops, in setting out 
 eleven acres of land, and after all this most 
 extravagant work and waste, was obliged to 
 beg plants from his neighbours to supply 
 the piece, or in a great measure to replant 
 
 it, for want of this useful nursery at this 
 
 time of’ the year. 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 257 
 
 Hilly land on account of its various in- 
 equalities, requires the attention of the 
 skilful planter more than level ground, to 
 lay it out in roads, and lining for cane 
 holes. But being steep or of sufficient in- 
 clination, it does not want so much trench- 
 ing to carry off rain and moisture. It has 
 two disadvantages, that it is more liable to 
 be broken into chasms, the banks tumbling 
 into one another, and the land sooner wear- 
 ing out by heavy rain, than level ground. 
 Yet with all these dispositions to prepossess 
 people against it, nature has thrown it in 
 such a form in the planter’s way, that he 
 must take it for better or worse, and turn 
 his mind sedulously to work, to obviate its 
 defects, and improve its deformities and 
 imperfections. After feeding and clothing 
 it with manure, he must then lay it out for 
 cane carriage, and for cane holes, having 
 his large wooden square, level, lines and 
 pegs ready for so doing. He should lay out 
 his winding road so, that it may not rise— 
 abruptly, ortake up any unnecessary space; 
 
 S 
 
 
 
— Lees lee ae a mots 
 
 258 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 it should be made to serve fora general 
 travelling road, for negroes and_ stock 
 through the piece, to carry off and on the 
 canes, that a second road may not be re- 
 quired, thus occupying the ground whiclr 
 should be in cultivation. I shall here beg 
 leave to quote an instance of this needless 
 display of art, in having a multiplicity of 
 roads through hilly cane pieces, with no. 
 other apparent view but to excite the at- 
 tention of the traveller, his praise might be 
 resounded to this road-making overseer, 
 without knowing whether he was right or 
 wrong in so acting, 
 
 The estate I here allude to, lies in the 
 parish of St. Mary, with a ridge on it, 
 separating two rivers, which bend their 
 course north-west, but form a confluence 
 about three miles below the estate. From 
 thence their united stream, flows over a 
 rocky channel to Rio Nuova Bay. This 
 overseer had likewise a great inclination 
 for small, trifling cane pieces, insomuch, 
 that an old cane piece, or a new piece of 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c.° 259 
 
 ground, was sure to be mutilated by an 
 extraordinary number of intervals and 
 roads, perspicuous without utility, and 
 confounding the cultivation book of the 
 estate, with a list of new fangled and 
 complimentary names. ‘Two cane pieces 
 which lay on a declivity, over some bot- 
 toms, nearly opposite the overseer’s house, 
 were to be planted. They were thrown 
 out to rest for some time by the former 
 overseer. One contained ten, the other 
 about six acres, and had the remains of 
 former well laid out roads upon them, for 
 mule carriage; fully adequate to the crops, 
 with as much ease and safety, as the nature 
 of the ground would admit. ‘These inter- 
 vals and roads were left open, and the 
 stock naturally bent their way to them: a 
 sure sign of their being of easy inclination 
 for the beast to carry its burthen. It then 
 became apparent, that making extra roads, 
 was only wastefully cutting up the land, 
 and throwing the best negro labour of the 
 estate away, which should be expended on 
 s 2 
 
 
 
260 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 some more necessary work. The cane piece 
 of ten acres, he intersected with three ad- 
 ditional roads, and that of six acres, with 
 two additional roads. At the same time 
 making them so narrow, that when the 
 canes became high, they were covered. In 
 some places of these roads, where great la- 
 bour was used to dig down high banks, the 
 banks gave way, overwhelming the canes, 
 breaking them up by the roots, stopping 
 that part of the new useless road, and for- 
 ming galls, ugly and dangerous spots on the 
 cane piece. At last, when the canes were 
 cut down, it was discovered, that little or 
 no way had been made by the stock through 
 the tracks. That the mules instinctively 
 moved through the pieces, by natural easy 
 passages, to the old road, and that the 
 new roads, made so deranged an appear- 
 ance, that they were stopped up and dug 
 into cane holes. This was an experiment 
 practised by a self-taught overseer, who 
 happened to obtain a situation from the re- 
 sident agent, on account of some interest 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &Xc. 261 
 
 he had with the proprietor of a certain 
 estate in the parish of Clarendon, and when 
 that interest was used with the resident 
 agent, favour was shewed to this overseer. 
 His faults however became glaring, his 
 services were no longer necessary, and he 
 was obliged to seek an asylum, in the aus- 
 pices of another resident agent, who had 
 likewise the same views with the former 
 one. 
 
 . A road made through a cane piece, for 
 the purpose of easy carriage and convey- 
 ance, even for mules, should never be less 
 than eight feet broad, to give room for the - 
 mules loaded, to pass and repass one ano- 
 ther, without injury or impediment. It 
 should not be covered or hidden by reclin- 
 ing canes. As I hinted before, one well 
 laid out serpentine road, of such a breadth, 
 through a hilly cane piece from bottom to 
 top, will be found adequate for easy car- 
 riage. If possible it should not rise more 
 than one foot in nine. A moveable light 
 triangle, with a radius fixed toit, on which 
 
 Q 
 
 S$ J 
 
 
 
 
 
= 
 
 
 
 262 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 are marked degrees of elevation, and a 
 plumbet, to move or swing to those de- 
 grees, (according as it is wanted to rise or 
 fall the road) should always be used in 
 such an undertaking. High stakes should 
 be driven into the ground, through the 
 parts of the piece which it is designed 
 the road should run at certain distances 
 from bottom to top, as land marks, to di- 
 rect the attention to, from the point of 
 departure. And level from that departure, 
 either at nine or twelve feet on the radius, 
 towards the, first of those directing stakes, 
 a peg should be put down every three or 
 four feet; till it arrives at such stake, and 
 so on to the next directing stake; levelling 
 with the radius, and pegging the ground 
 at, every three or four feet, till it reaches 
 
 the summit of the piece, or where the road 
 
 is to terminate. Then place the great gang 
 with hoes, pickaxes, and iron crows, to dig 
 from those pegs, a road eight feet broad. 
 The mold dug out from the top of the 
 bank, should be spread on the lower part 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 263 
 of the piece, adjoining the road. Any stones 
 raised from it, may be placed firmly at the 
 lower edge of the road, and the road have 
 from the top bank a gentle slope, or lean to 
 the lower edge of it, with here and there a 
 small shallow trench to carry off the water 
 after heavy rain. I would let as little loose 
 mold remain on the road as possible, so 
 that it may soon get hard and durable. | 
 After having made this general road, in a 
 winding manner through the piece to a 
 given point, what few trenches may be 
 wanted, can be laid out and cut, and the 
 ground cleared of grass and cane roots, 
 previous to lining it into cane holes. I must 
 next propound my design in lining a hilly 
 piece for cane holes. The situation of such 
 a piece should be well considered, as to its 
 inequalities, its turnings, and its gullys. 
 For such a work, there must be a large 
 wooden square, of four feet, or four feet 
 and a half on each angle, to lay out the 
 rows from the interval, or centre of the 
 piece, and measure the distances of the — 
 
 s 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
264 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 rows, or breadth of the cane holes with. 
 Besides which, there must be an extensive 
 pliable line, flagged or marked every four 
 feet, or the width of the cane holes; two 
 or three mule load of strong wooden pegs, 
 to. mark the rows with, and a number of 
 high slender stakes, to take an observation 
 or direction from. According to the wind- 
 ings or turnings of the hills, I would di- 
 vide the cane piece into so many breadths, 
 putting along stake down at the top, where 
 the turning makes an angle, and another 
 stake at the bottom, where the turning 
 forms another angle. Then havingstretched 
 a head line down the, steep interval, which 
 separates that from the adjoining cane 
 piece, and close in with the head row of 
 the piece, which head line, when stretched, 
 should be pegged off at every four feet, or 
 the width of the cane holes, to the end of 
 the line, I would either begin to line the 
 cane holes from the top or centre of the 
 piece, but generally from the top, the head 
 row being marked out by the heading line ; 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 265 
 
 or I would take up the wooden square, and 
 laying one side of it close and even with 
 the head line, move it by such line to the 
 top interval, where I wished the cane holes 
 to commence, and taking the flagged line, 
 to which a peg should be attached, strike 
 such peg in the interval, close to the edge 
 of the square, and extending or stretching 
 the flagged line by the edge of the square, 
 and top interval, across the cane piece, so 
 far as the first tall upright stake, attach 
 another peg toit. Having tightly stretched 
 the flagged line by the square and top in- 
 terval, across the piece, to the first tall 
 stake, I would then fasten it in the ground ; 
 and put down a peg at every flag of the 
 line, where it is fastened in the ground. 
 Then taking the head line, I would stretch 
 it from where the flagged line is, at the top 
 interval, setting the edge of the square 
 to that flagged line, and stretching the 
 head line by the edge of the other angle 
 of the square, down the hill, and paral- 
 jel to the other head row, marked out 
 
 
 
206 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION - 
 
 on the steep interval, would put the peg 
 attached to it fast into the ground, and 
 then take the measure stick or square 
 of four feet, or four feet and a half long 
 and peg off this head line, the same distance 
 for the cane holes, that the head line was 
 pegged off on the parallel steep interval. 
 This being done, I would take up the flag- 
 ged line, and put it down, and stretch it 
 tight, between the parallel pegs of each 
 head line, across the piece; peg this row 
 off, take up the flagged line again, stretch 
 it between the next two parallel pegs, and 
 then peg this off, and so on, till the breadth 
 is lined out. Then I would begin at the 
 top of the piece again, stretching the flag- 
 ged line by the top interval, to where the 
 next directing stake is placed, which I 
 would peg off, and from that stretch another 
 head line down the hill, by the edge of the 
 square, pegging this off with the measure 
 stick parallel to the pegs upon the angle of 
 the first turning of the hill, and taking up 
 the flagged line, stretch it tightly between 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 207 
 
 the parallel pegs, peg this likewise off. 
 Thus I would proceed, moving the flagged 
 line between the parallel pegs, and pegging 
 off the rows by it, till the second breadth is 
 finished or lined out; going on, till the 
 lining of the piece is completed. Care 
 should be taken to have no half rows in the 
 middle of the piece, but if any should 
 happen, to cause them to come out at the 
 top or bottom interval. It is difficult to 
 instruct some young men in this exercise of 
 their duty, though they should be proud to 
 attain it, as it forms one of the prime ac- 
 complishments of a good planter. There 
 are many overseers, who know when a 
 cane piece is well lined, but are diffident in 
 attempting the work themselves; there- 
 fore, on a great many estates, this part of 
 the duty is performed by an experienced - 
 slave, (with an assistant to hold the line, ) 
 who has long been accustomed, by the ob- 
 servance of some former example, to lay 
 out land in this way. Bottoms are much 
 more easy to be lined, as the square, used 
 
 
 
 
 
268 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 with precision, will tell well and true there, 
 but only to set off the head rows and inter- 
 vals correctly, which will lead to a general 
 and fair finishing of the work. I would 
 never line hilly land at a greater distance 
 than four feet cane holes, because the 
 banks are so liable to tumble, the land 
 being much loosened, and apt to run into 
 ruts and gullys by wide digging. Hilly 
 Jand is more exposed than bottoms, to air 
 and sun, and does not require such great 
 distance in the rows, for the air to circulate 
 and sun to penetrate through them, to ripen - 
 the canes, as bottoms do. The land-is 
 likewise generally poorer on hills than 
 bottoms, sooner gets worn out by heavy 
 rains, which wash away some of the best 
 soil, and often open the ground into dread- 
 ful chasms, sometimes carrying it away 
 altogether. It would be adviseable, then, 
 where the land is rather steep, to bind it 
 here and there, by digging check, or 
 chequered holes, which can be marked out 
 on the flagged line, pegged off when the 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 269 
 
 piece is lining, and the negroes, when they 
 are digging the piece, observing where to 
 leave the checks, or small undug spaces. 
 In the cane holes of these’ steep places, 
 good strong manure should be thrown to 
 help the land, and throw up a strong cane. 
 Those spots are generally poor and gully, 
 and disfigure a cane piece, and do not yield 
 equal to the rest of the piece, unless so 
 attended. eu 
 
 - I shall now beg leave to offer some re- 
 marks on the difference of turning up 
 land, for cane cultivation with the plough, 
 and that of the hoe. Although in many 
 instances I have thought fit to condemn 
 old customs, which had little to recom- 
 mend them but stubborn practice, yet I 
 will here incline to give my vote for turn- 
 ing up land with the hoe, in preference to 
 that of the plough, and by adducing a few 
 reasons in support of it, to throw the dis- 
 paragement on the side of the plough. 
 First, the land being loosened by the close 
 turning up of the plough, gives the sun a 
 
 
 
270 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 superior influence in absorbing its enliven: 
 ing prolific powers, for it penetrates with 
 rapid violence through the soft loosened 
 stratum, and before the banks are made up, 
 or a gang can be set in to raise them to 
 regular distances by the hoe, the parched 
 earth loses most of its stamina, by moulder- 
 ing into a crumbled, a dry, wasted, spent 
 substance. Secondly, the people in that 
 country are most ignorant of the art of 
 ploughing; the cattle and negroes are 
 hard to be trained to it; ploughmen sent 
 out from home are at a nonplus for what 
 they think are requisites; much time is — 
 spent in getting every thing to their liking, 
 and when they do set to work, the cattle 
 are restive, and the negroes refractory ; the 
 arduous task begins too much to be borne 
 in that hot climate, by the white plough- 
 man; he becomes tired, listless, and per- 
 haps sick, before the piece is finished; and- 
 if it is fished, it has taken an immoderate 
 time to do so, (even longer than if dug by 
 the hoe, ) and all this time the loosened soft 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. Q71 
 
 earth is exposed to the parching rays of the 
 sun, to dissipate its strength. Thirdly, 
 after the piece has been turned by the 
 plough, a gang must be set in with hoes, . 
 to haul up and form the banks regularly, 
 and clear the cane holes for planting, which 
 is extra work. For if the piece is turned 
 up by the hoe, this work is done at once, 
 the cane holes are properly dug, opened, 
 and the banks hauled evenly up, and every 
 thing left in statu quo, to commence plant- 
 ing the piece. The labour, and perhaps 
 the lives, of the best cattle on the estate 
 will be saved, by not adopting the plough 
 in this work ; time will be saved in getting 
 the piece planted, to catch the favourable 
 seasons; the strength of the soil will be 
 preserved by not being too much loosened, 
 and the salary and maintenance of a white 
 ploughman will also be saved. The work 
 being gone through with, and perfected by 
 the hoe, the implement mostly used, and 
 best understood in that country, will be 
 timely and satisfactorily completed, to the 
 
272 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 advantage of the estate, and the good 
 understanding and comfort of the white 
 people and slaves upon it. 
 
 _ By digging with the hoe a piece of land 
 into cane holes, there is always some part 
 of the ground left undug, that is, the base 
 of the banks. For although the cane holes 
 may be lined four or five feet wide, yet 
 the bottom of the cane hole is not near so 
 broad as the distance between the top of 
 each bank. ‘The banks are hauled up to 
 the forming pegs with the hoe, in a sloping 
 manner, making the bottom of the hole not 
 more than sixteen or eighteen inches broad ; 
 whereas the distance between the top of 
 each bank may be four or five feet ; so that 
 when the canes are planted, and the banks 
 are levelled to them, the distance between 
 each row of canes will be three or four 
 feet; giving liberty to the negroes when set 
 in to clean, trash, or cut them, to have 
 room to work without injury to the canes, 
 and the sun and air to penetrate through 
 to ripen them. Another matter to  specu- 
 
 
 
 
 
hos de li Be sas A - 
 Pere ys Pea Oe TT NS a ae -" 
 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 273 
 
 late upon, which I believe few have thought 
 of or attempted, is (by a simple process) to 
 gain fresh ground for digging, the next 
 time the piece is to be turned up for cane 
 holes. Having before stated, that the base 
 of the banks, in digging cane holes with the 
 hoe, is left untouched or undug, it surely 
 must strike. the attentive observer, that 
 such base is virtually fresh ground, or 
 nearly equivalent to it, so that when this 
 cane piece is to be dug again, in order for 
 replanting, by either narrowing or widen- 
 ing the interval so much as the breadth of 
 this base or undug ground, fresh strong 
 land to dig and plant in is‘gained ; and the 
 former: space between the rows of canes 
 becomes, by such a plan, the ground in 
 which the subsequent canes will be planted. 
 I will not, however, in adopting this simple 
 plan, any way derogate from ‘the maxim 
 and system which I so strenuously ‘recom- 
 mended for keeping up the strength of cane 
 land, by rich, and the never-failing art of 
 manuring.. This little alternative will give 
 
 a 
 
 
 
Q74: PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 relief to the space of ground formerly oc- 
 eupied by the canes for their support; it 
 will give it time, in a great measure, to re- 
 gain its strength, which has been much 
 exhausted in raising a crop of plants, and 
 perhaps three crops of ratoon canes from 
 the same spot, or four years and a half of 
 unceasing cane vegetation. But while it 
 thus gives relief to the old occupied spot ; 
 while it thus supplies fresh ground, to en- 
 courage the growth of fine strong plants, 
 the never-to-be-forgotten plan of manuring 
 should be carried on with all its force and 
 effect. ‘The new ground should have its 
 full allowance of enduring manure, while 
 the old ground may retire within itself, to 
 give nature an opportunity to recruit it, by 
 a rest for some crops. Any soil the old 
 ground loses, in superficially drawing, as it 
 were, some of its mold, to give the adjoin- 
 ing ratoons occasionally, (which may only 
 happen twice a year,) will be amply made 
 up by the rotting cane trash which is pulled 
 off the adjacent canes when they are trashed, 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. Qh 
 
 and the piece is cut down to make sugar, 
 or when trash is turned on it; and which 
 is always regularly deposited in the spaces 
 underneath which the ground lies, which is 
 thus consigned to rest; instilling into it 
 gradual nourishment, and adding to its new 
 powers. 
 
 Hilly or distant cane pieces having been 
 prepared in the manner I have prescribed. 
 and laid down, by manuring, trenching, 
 clearing of grass, weeds, bushes of every 
 description, stocking up of cane roots, &c. 
 and lining with true method the ground 
 for cane holes, I would propose to set in 
 the great gang (first invoking Providence 
 for favourable weather to begin, go through 
 with, and end such work,) well appointed, 
 with strong, good-sized, sharp hoes, and 
 with heart and hand begin digging the 
 piece into cane holes that is first intended 
 to be planted. If the breadth is sufficiently 
 wide to admit the entire gang to be spread, 
 so much the better, as they not only per- 
 torm their work to more advantage by being 
 
 Treas . 
 
275 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 in a regular unbroken: breadth, but have a 
 more sightly and better marshalled appear- 
 ance. Their relative strength, one with the 
 other, is better observed, equalised, and 
 apportioned. Besides the piece is sooner 
 dug by this regulation. However, if it 
 happens that the entire gang cannot be 
 ranged in a regular breadth, let the gang 
 be split or divided into two bodies; one of 
 which should be placed at about fifteen 
 or twenty rows below the other, that the 
 driver and bookkeeper may have them 
 nearly in view, to observe and make them 
 do good work. When the top division 
 finishes digging to where the bottom di- 
 vision began, they should be moved down 
 fifteen or twenty rows below that, and so on 
 as often as possible, till this breadth or angle 
 of the piece is dug out; then rise to the 
 next breadth, digging each down in like 
 manner, till the piece is completed. Care 
 should be taken, as they dig the ground, 
 to make them haul the mold well up to 
 the forming pegs. It should lie firm in 
 
 get Fie ae Ut eee 
 
OF THE-SUGAR-CANE, &c. a7 
 
 the banks, to clear the bottom of the holes 
 of all loose mold; they should dig deep, 
 from eight to twelve inches beneath. the 
 surface, even with the pegs, and the banks 
 must be hauled up well, and straightened 
 with the pegs so as to exhibit an even unin- 
 terrupted row. A gang of forty able 
 negroes will dig an acre per day of cane- 
 holes, when the land is not too hard. or 
 tough, and the weather moderate. — At 
 this laborious juncture, pride, which.in some 
 measure is inherent in all mankind, ani, 
 mates the soul and body of the negro with 
 emulation: He is associated with tried 
 veterans of equal powers and talents in 
 the exertion of his strength; he bestows 
 his pains with exultation, to benefit his 
 owner, and please his overseer, and driver, 
 and by so doing to gratify himself. _No 
 wonder then, when his best exertions are 
 called forth, his strength put to the test, 
 his mind with ardour roused, and with sti- 
 mulating vanity urged’ to the work, so that 
 
 Q 
 
 hy oO? 
 
 oe eee ee ee ee ee ee One eer ee | 
 
278 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 none shall surpass him, and no fault be 
 found with him, I say, no wonder, that some 
 little recompence should be given to him, 
 some little reward for his pains, to refresh 
 his exhaustion, prevent him from catching 
 cold, excite his powers, and sustain him un- 
 der the fatigue. At this period it is found ab- 
 solutely necessary to give each negro a cer- 
 tain quantity of rum and sugar, not so 
 much as will make them drunk, but suffi- 
 cient to keep their spirits from flagging, 
 and prevent if possible the intrusion of cold. 
 The sugar being diluted in water, with a 
 mixture of limejuice, is found to’ be both 
 refreshing and nutritious for them, and they 
 should never be denied these salutary, 
 grateful restoratives, when engaged in the 
 laborious, arduous undertaking of digging 
 cane holes. An addition likewise of salt 
 provisions daily, should be allowed them 
 when so employed. ‘There will be found 
 
 no loss in it, for though ignorant and bar- 
 barous, they are extremely sensible of 
 favours and rewards, and made amenable 
 
 {7 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 279 
 
 by such simple, such trifling, cheap gra- 
 tifications. | 
 
 It is a common practice in planting the 
 sugar-cane, to let the land remain unplant- 
 ed for four or six weeks, to induce the 
 banks, by being exposed to the weather, to 
 pulverize. This speculation comes from 
 the old school, so much noted for dictating 
 rules, without much reason for them; 
 thoughts coming suddenly into the head, 
 or from some philosophical hints, which 
 they transiently have heard from the mouth 
 of some occasional visitor. These they 
 eagerly have caught at, treasured up, and 
 followed (as they thought) with infallible 
 devotion, and certain success. In my re- 
 marks relative to plough and hoe turning- 
 up of land, I made bold to descant on the 
 bad effects of having loosened land exposed 
 to the influence of the parching rays of the 
 sun; for though that luminary is_benefi- 
 cently kind, it is armed with fatal burning 
 shafts, which the Great Father of the uni- 
 verse bids us be prepared and guarded 
 
 gui 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 280 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 against, that while we court its favours, we 
 should studiously avoid its killing powers. 
 Those old dogmatists in this case, very sel- 
 dom have taken into their consideration, 
 what a long continuance of dry, and some- 
 times wet weather, happens in Jamaica, 
 even in the temperate parishes; and that 
 by exposing land in this way, for their for- 
 tuitous schemes, they, ten to one, fail en- 
 tirely of the wished-for pulverizing result. 
 That by a month of scorching hot sun, the 
 banks or clods are rendered harder, any 
 stamina that might have been in the soil is 
 absorbed and expelled, and by exposing it 
 to incessant rain, a great part of the banks 
 are levelled, broken away, the bottom of 
 the cane holes swamped and chilled with 
 water, the grass and weeds grow with 
 rapidity and luxuriance, scarcely to be re- 
 pressed, both in the cane holes and on the 
 banks; that require a strong gang of ne- 
 groes to clean them, before the cane-holes 
 can be planted with tops. And what is 
 worse, the land gets no way enriched, no 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c:* 281 
 
 way improved by such exposure; on the 
 contrary, the sun cannot enrich it by burn- 
 ing, with its hot penetrating rays, nor the 
 rain by swamping, and carrying away its 
 best particles of growing virtue. It would 
 be much better then, not to depend upon 
 the casual event of this parching, swamp- 
 ing, pulverizing scheme, but to plant the 
 land with cane tops as early as possible, 
 after digging it, and have the virtues of the 
 soil imparted to the plant, with as few ac- 
 cidents of this nature as possible, or when 
 it is possessed of its native vigour, and when 
 it is fresh; giving Providence a paramount 
 right to have a sway over it, by taking ad- 
 vantage of the earliest opportunity of time, 
 place, and circumstances, to get the plants 
 in the ground. ‘The seasons must not be 
 suffered to pass by, that are propitious for 
 planting; take then and plant the ground 
 out while it is fresh, if it is possible to pro- 
 cure good tops for so doing. The seasons 
 that the pulverizer waits for, will be more 
 
 favourable for bringing up, or making the 
 
 
 
 
 
282 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 plant shoot or sprout, than for forwarding 
 his notions. If the ground is to be melted 
 by rains, those rains will induce the plant 
 to grow, enough of light soil will always be 
 found about the cane holes, adequate to 
 cover the top with when planted, and when 
 succeeding care requires, fresh mold may 
 be added to them. The banks then will 
 be soft, free from weeds, and a proper 
 supply of mould can be given them. I hope 
 I have explained this matter, to the satis- 
 faction and conviction of my readers. 
 Having the plant tops carried to the con- 
 tiguous intervals, the great gang is to be 
 set in to plant the piece, attended by the 
 active weeding gang, with dung baskets, to 
 dig, and drop manure into the cane holes 
 before them. If the manure which has 
 
 been made by the moveable cattle-pens is — 
 
 too much to spread on the ground, what is 
 left should be carried out to the interval, 
 heaped, covered up, and left there till 
 wanted to give the plants their second 
 dressing. The great gang having stripped, 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 283 
 
 trimmed, and carried as many good fresh 
 cane tops to the holes as will plant out a 
 breadth, should set in to plant, placing a 
 negro in each row. They are to spread the 
 dung thickly in the bottom of the hole, first 
 cleaning it well out, and weeding the banks, 
 which weeds and grass must be shook well 
 from any earth adhering to them, and their 
 rocts turned to the sun, to wither and kill 
 them, placing the weeds on the top of the 
 banks. I would make them plant the tops 
 across the holes, in the hilly land, that they 
 may not be so liable to be displaced by rain 
 or accidents; and although I am no friend 
 to thick planting, I would do it rather 
 closer than bottoms, the sun and air having 
 greater power on it. I would then make 
 each negro take three good plants, and 
 sprinkling the dung over with earth, place 
 firmly in the bottom of the cane hole, on 
 the soiled manure, at eight inches asunder, 
 the hard end of one top.opposite to the 
 furry end of the other, and then cover them 
 lightly with mold. Each negro being 
 
984 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 provided with a measure stick twelve inches 
 long, should measure with it a distance or 
 space, from the most forward of the three 
 tops last planted, and having the manure 
 spread and soiled as before, plant three 
 more tops, at eight inches asunder, which 
 likewise he should cover lightly with mold. 
 Taking the measure stick again, he should 
 mark out another distance with it, spread 
 the dung and soil as before, take three 
 more good tops, plant them firmly, at eight 
 inches asunder, cover them lightly with 
 mold, and so proceed in planting out the 
 piece till it is finished; taking special care 
 to weed the cane holes and banks well, as 
 he goes on planting, and place the weeds 
 on the top of the banks, with their roots 
 turned up. The trenches likewise should 
 be well cleaned and cleared as the gang 
 plants the piece; the surrounding fences 
 trimmed, cleaned, and made up. The in- 
 tervals cleaned of weeds, all grass hoed off, 
 ‘six feet distance from the cane plants, and 
 it should be billed down to thirty feet dis- 
 
 
 
 ee 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 285 
 
 tance from it; so that rats will not have an 
 asylum close to the plant canes. Indeed, 
 the last direction is a most necessary one : 
 it not only may be the means of preventing 
 a great deal of destruction to the cane 
 pieces adjoining, by the depredations of 
 these lurking gnawing pests; but where 
 these places are cleaned, guinea grass can 
 be planted and cultivated, which at all times 
 will be of essential use in feeding the cattle 
 pens and mule stable. The grass cutters, 
 as they cut the grass daily, can keep it clear 
 from bushes, and the rats will seek safety 
 in a great measure, by retiring further back. 
 As I explained before the utility of plant- 
 ing corn (for the sake of plenty) over and 
 through cane pieces, I will here again ven- 
 ture to support that measure, by planting it 
 on the side of the banks, at five or six feet 
 distance. No injury. can happen to the 
 canes by so doing, it being a hasty crop, 
 and gathered in four months after planting, 
 in favourable weather. It has been known 
 even in very hot weather, to have been _of 
 
 Oa ee es ee ey eee eNO ar 
 
286 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 service to the plant canes, by shading them 
 from the scorching sun ; I would then give 
 it always a sanction, having a great many 
 virtues, and but few vices. It will be un- 
 necessary here to repeat the mode of weed- 
 
 -ing and moulding the plants as they come 
 
 up, till they require the banks to be levelled 
 to them. This I trust I have sufficiently 
 explained in a former place, where I dwelt 
 on themethod of planting canes on bottoms, 
 weeding, manuring, and molding them, 
 till fit to have the banks levelled to them ; 
 to which I beg leave to refer my readers. 
 Much depends on the kind of weather 
 which happens, or the soil it grows upon, to 
 instruct the planter when to trash the canes. 
 In dry weather parishes, such as St. Cathe- 
 rine’s, St. Andrew’s, Kingston, part of St. 
 David’s, St. Dorothy’s, part of Clarendon, ° 
 part of St. Elizabeth’s, the west end of St. 
 Ann’s, and Trelawny, one trashing is suffi- 
 cient after the banks are levelled, for there 
 the sun and the soil together, in a great 
 measure, combine to dry up the juices, and 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 287 
 
 ripen the canes ai an early age. Plant 
 canes in those parishes will be fit to cut at 
 twelve months old to make sugar; and they 
 are obliged to adopt a hardy callous species 
 of cane to plant there, called the riband, 
 and transparent cane, in order to withstand 
 the force of the sun, and the light weak 
 soils of those districts. They must manure 
 high, the cane will grow exuberant, but not 
 yield the quantity of liquor they do in tem- 
 perate parishes. ‘They give a great quantity 
 of trash from the mill, even more than ade- 
 quate to boil the sugar, which is frequently 
 thrown into the cattle pen to make manure, 
 but often produces neither so much, nor 
 such good sugar as the yellow, long jointed, 
 thick Bourbon cane. This last, and thetrans- 
 parent cane, is what I would promote the 
 planting of’ in most parishes, where I could 
 find strong soils to support them, for as to 
 the action of the sun upon the cane, that in 
 a great measure can be obviated, by not 
 trashing much. The Bourbon cane is a 
 cleaner, longer jointed, and more productive 
 
288 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 plant than other species of sugar canes, and 
 by giving it a little more age, together 
 with due attention in keeping it clean, it 
 will yield more, and better sugar than 
 other canes. Moreover, it always stocks 
 better, and. lasts longer in the ratoon, if 
 planted in deep strong ground, with_ade- 
 quate manure. In temperate parishes, such 
 as St. Thomas’s in the east, part of St. 
 David’s, Portland, St. George’s, St. Mary’s, 
 the east end of St. Ann’s, part of St. Eliza- 
 beth’s, St. Thomas in the vale, and St. 
 John’s, I would always plant the Bourbon 
 cane, and trash them according as the wea- 
 ther would allow. In the more moist dis- 
 tricts, that is St. Mary’s, St George’s, and 
 Portland, I would contrive to give them 
 three trashings, after the banks are levelled 
 to the plants, before they are declared fit 
 ‘for the bill, or to cut to make sugar; and 
 two trashings to the ratoons, after they are 
 six months old, before they are cut. . In the 
 other temperate parishes, two trashings to 
 the plants, after the banks are levelled, be- 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 289 
 
 fore cut to make sugar, and one trashing to 
 the ratoons, after they are six months old, 
 before cutting them down for sugar. But 
 those operations of dressing the canes, to 
 bring on maturity and good yielding, in 
 such temperate places, must be considered 
 as casual; for the influence of weather 
 should direct this event. Hilly lands do 
 not require so much trashing as bottoms, 
 but the canes are more liable to recline, 
 and lodge on those rising grounds; and 
 whenever they do receive such dressings, 
 care should be taken to place the trash in 
 bolsters under the recumbent canes, to pre- 
 vent them lying on the bare earth, their 
 joints taking root, throwing out early 
 suckers, breaking off from the roots, and 
 vitiating their juices. Every time the cane 
 pieces are cleaned by trashing or otherwise, 
 the gang should uniformly clean the inter- 
 vals and trenches of weeds, or any thing — 
 else which impedes or injures the canes in 
 their advance to maturity. I have now 
 brought this part of my system to a state of 
 U 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 290 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 forwardness, preparatory to commencing 
 crop on a sugar. estate in Jamaica. 
 
 I must beg leave to draw the attention 
 of my readers to the establishment of 
 fences on a sugar estate, principally to 
 those for the security of the cane cultiva- 
 tion. ew intersecting fences are wanted 
 between cane pieces, except where a line 
 fence between the canes of two neighbour- 
 ing estates may be deemed necessary, . to 
 mark the boundaries or prevent trespass. 
 The girding fences are those which claim 
 attention, to prevent intrusion from roads, 
 outlets, and pastures, into the bosom of the 
 cane pieces. ‘hese defences should be so 
 established and kept up, as to form an im- 
 penetrable barrier against cattle, mules, 
 pigs, or sheep; and at the same time, not 
 to allure (as an asylum) the crafty, hungry, 
 and destructive rat, to take up his quarters 
 there. For this purpose, I should always 
 prefer quick-fences. As to the erection of 
 stone fences round a cane piece, I esteem 
 them as ever truly pernicious and tottering. 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR CANE, &c. 2g1 
 
 They are strong habitations for rats and 
 other vermin, which they cunningly retire 
 to, being attracted by the vicinity of plenty 
 thus to satisfy their voracity. In those 
 walls they form an innumerable society, 
 and propagate with amazing fertility. Some 
 artless, superficial overseers, have a great 
 liking to stone walls about cane pieces, 
 even in the neighbourhood of river courses; 
 the haunts and lurking-places of the vagrant 
 rats, as if charity actuated them to provide 
 meat and drink at the same time for their 
 most inveterate enemies. They would 
 never be out of employment for the mason 
 slaves, in repairing those loose walls, after 
 every heavy fall of rain, gust of wind, or 
 pressure against them; yet I have known 
 some overseers persist in this destructive 
 plan, though the evil of it was glaringly 
 striking to them; because they thought 
 that kind of fence looked neat, resembled 
 inclosures in the mother country, and was 
 durable and forbidding to cattle; not for 
 a moment considering, that they being loose 
 U2 
 
 
 
| 
 i 
 | 
 | , 
 | 
 | 
 
 
 
 
 
 Q)j2 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 stone walls, without mortar to keep them 
 together, they were ever tumbling in some 
 quarter. I suppose also that such overseers, 
 know very little how to plant, or establish 
 a quick-fence in Jamaica. They are 
 ashamed to shew their ignorance, impatient 
 to produce something worthy of notice, but 
 loth to wait for the gradual, yet durable 
 and beautiful production of a well-esta- 
 blished quick-fence. Nothing is more 
 ornamental, and durable on an estate, if 
 well attended to. ‘The logwood and lime 
 quicks are mostly planted in Jamaica. For 
 
 this purpose, in the proper season, when 
 
 the seed of those trees is ripe, (from Au- 
 gust to the end of October), there should a 
 quantity of it be gathered, and dried in the 
 sun. A small piece of ground may be dug 
 up and prepared, in order to sow the seed, 
 from which to draw plants; or there may 
 be a drill lined out, where it is intended to 
 put down the fence, which should be dug 
 about four inches deep, and eight inches 
 wide. In this the seeds are to be sown, 
 
OF THE SUGAR CANE, &c. 293 
 
 but not too thick. Previous to digging the 
 drill, sowing the seed, or setting the plants, 
 there should be a durable post and rail 
 fence made, on the outside of the place 
 where the quick-fence is to be planted, not 
 only to protect it in its infancy, and to esta- 
 blish permanent high growth, but to en- 
 sure safety to the adjoining cane pieces, 
 from the trespass of cattle. When the 
 fence is put up, let the drill be lined out, 
 and dug in the inside, according to the 
 turning of the road, or the formation of the 
 cane piece; keeping about four feet dis- 
 tance from the edge of the canes. fthere 
 are logwood or lime plants to set or put 
 down, let their tops be first nipt off for an 
 inch or two, then be set six inches asunder 
 in the drill, in a zig-zag manner, making a 
 hole with a setting stick in the drill for 
 -each plant; into which introduce the root 
 
 end of the plant, as deep as the fibres of 
 
 the root appear on its stem. Take care 
 
 that the stem is some inches above ground, 
 
 and press the earth (but not too hard) 
 u 38 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 f 
 
 
 
 QA PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 ‘about the root. After the plants are set in 
 
 this manner, draw round them, into the 
 drill, some of the earth that was dug out of 
 
 it. The plants will soon strike root, and 
 
 when that is the case, give them more 
 mold, and let them be kept clean from 
 grass and weeds, and neatly and . evenly 
 trimmed. Care should be taken to let no 
 stock, of cattle, mules, sheep, or pigs, 
 touch them, till they are established. As 
 they grow up, preserve them close, with 
 their branches horizontally, and trans- 
 versely interweaving each other, so as to 
 form a compact, firm barrier, when they 
 are about five feet high. This should be 
 their standard, and they should be kept 
 lopped or trimmed to it. A logwood fence 
 in my opinion, grows quicker, inclines to— 
 closer contexture, is more hardy, durable, 
 and firmly resistible, than a lime fence. It 
 is equally as beautiful to the view. It re- 
 sembles, in a great measure, the white thorn 
 
 fence of the mother country; and when 
 
 established, requires cleaning and trimming 
 
 
 
OF THEMSUGARSCANE, | &cs; ~ 295 
 
 only twice a year, in February and August. 
 It harbours no rats or vermin, withstands 
 tempests and rain, gives adequate security 
 to the cane pieces, and highly embellishes 
 the estate. If it is intended to sow log- 
 
 -.. ° e 
 wood, or lime-seeds in a drill, for a fence. 
 
 round a cane piece, it should be dug five 
 inches deep, and eight inches wide. The 
 mold must be hauled well out of it to the 
 edge of the drill, broke fine, and made 
 a bank of. The seed should be dropped 
 along the bottom of the drill in a zig-zag 
 manner, but not too thick, and covered up 
 lightly with mold; it will soon shoot up 
 and bud sprouts, which when two or three 
 inches high must have more mold; and if 
 found to come up too thick, the superfluous 
 ones should be pulled out. After this they 
 ‘should receive the same kind of treatment 
 as the fence put down from. drawn plants. 
 The bamboo cane is a great acquisition 
 upon every estate, not only to make and 
 support fences for rails and stockadoes, but 
 as fuel for the distilling-house. When a 
 u 4 
 
 
 
 
 
296 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 property happens to be either divested of 
 the article of copper-wood, or the woods 
 lie at a great distance from the works, they 
 are excellent fuel, and if planted at a small 
 distance from the works, they save a great 
 deal of negro and mule labour, in cutting and 
 carrying home wood from a distance ; and 
 when established they are inexhaustible, 
 for anew, strong, and luxuriant growth will 
 rapidly spring from the same stock every 
 year. ‘Two or three acres of them, planted 
 even in indifferent ground, and taken care 
 of for twelve months, till they begin to stock 
 well, with a fence round to protect them 
 till that age from the intrusion of cattle, 
 will, after they are two years old, give an 
 ample supply of copper-wood annually for 
 the distilling-house, and abundance of long 
 stout rails for fences and stockadoes. So 
 little do some overseers know the value and 
 utility of this very beautiful, shady, and © 
 profitable production of nature, that few 
 plant them; and others, when they have 
 been planted, and half-reared by their pre- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 207 
 
 decessors, suffer the cattle to go in among 
 them, eat their tender leaves, and tread the 
 young stock out of the ground. It is sup- 
 posed that there is no vegetable production 
 in Jamaica which grows so quick as the 
 sucker from the bamboo stock. They often 
 shoot more than twelve inches in twenty- 
 four hours, and in a short time acquire a 
 degree of hardness scarcely penetrable. It 
 is hollow, and chambered within ; some of 
 the chambers from joint to joint will be 
 two feet long, and may contain a couple of 
 quarts of liquid. It soon gets dry when 
 cut, and assumes a beautiful yellow outside, 
 but will burn equally as well when green, 
 for nature has given it an oily texture. 
 
 It should not be planted close to a cane 
 piece, because the roots when established 
 spread to an amazing extent in length, - 
 breadth, and depth of ground. It over- 
 shadows the canes, which is injurious to 
 them, and may harbour an infinite number 
 ‘of rats, which would be still more hurtful. 
 For the purpose of planting them, I would 
 
 
 
298 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 choose a patch of waste land, not far from 
 the works, but apart from the cane pieces, 
 of two or three acres. This I would fence 
 - round, to prevent any trespass in it of cattle, 
 mules, pigs, or sheep. If the ground was 
 foul, it should be billed, hoed off, and 
 cleared; then let the ground be lined out 
 twelve feet square, and pegged off to that 
 distance. They must be planted wide, to 
 give space for their roots to spread, and for 
 the numerous stems which spring from the 
 stocks, which grow in clusters of thirty or 
 forty from one root, of a considerable thick- 
 ness and great height, and require room for 
 their lofty magnificent stems to wave. 
 They are armed with long slender branches, 
 ‘and clothed with long, narrow sharp leaves, 
 which throw shade round their vicinity. 
 A gang of negroes should be set in with 
 ‘hoes to dig good deep holes at each peg, 
 
 ‘two feet long, one foot broad, and nine 
 
 ‘inches deep. They should haul the. mold 
 
 out of the hole to the edge and break it, if 
 
 the clods are too large: and having the 
 16 
 
 
 
 SO on ny Re OD 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &Xc. 209 
 
 bamboo plants ready cut and trimmed, of 
 about two feet long each, (and:taken from 
 the ripe green joints, towards the top of the 
 stem), the negroes should plant one in each 
 hole, letting them lie a little reclining in it, 
 with a small part of one end above ground; 
 then let them take half the bank and cover 
 the plant with it; if seasonable weather, 
 young shoots will appear, sprouting from 
 the joints of the plant, in a month after they 
 have been put in the ground; and when 
 six or eight inches above the ground, they 
 should have the remainder of the bank of 
 mold given them, and be cleaned from 
 any foul grass or weeds; they require as 
 much cleaning and molding as a piece of 
 sugar cane, till they are twelve months old; 
 then they will take care of themselves, ex- 
 cept from trespass of cattle. The sur- 
 rounding fence should be kept up, to pre- 
 serve them till they have well taken to the 
 ground, and become hardy, tall, and well 
 established ; then they will begin to repay 
 all the attention given to them, by affording 
 
 
 
300 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 a perpetual supply of copper-wood annually, 
 and materials for fences. Every overseer 
 who knows their value, I am sure, will be 
 an advocate for establishing a patch of them 
 on every sugar estate. 
 
 Things being left in this forward clean 
 state throughout the cane cultivation, I 
 shall next beg leave to call the attention of 
 my reader, and the planter, to another care 
 which is particularly incumbent on him; and 
 that is, the cleaning, planting, and fencing 
 the guinea grass and common pastures on 
 every Sugar estate, previous to beginning 
 crop ; the neglect of such is sure to bring 
 on some: heavy loss or misfortune at no 
 ‘remote period. Whatever may be the ef- 
 fective strength of the estate in slave po- 
 _pulation, this most essential duty should 
 ever compose a part of their annual work. * 
 Even twice a year would not be too much | 
 to clean those grounds, which are appropri- | 
 ated to raise provender for the maintenance 
 
 ee 
 
 
 
 of the cattle and mules, as little can be done 
 on an estate without their assistance. It 
 
 ee ttn a tn at — 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 301 
 
 would be better to contract the sphere of 
 cane cultivation, than suffer the grass pieces 
 to run to ruin, or become an open common, 
 as a heavy loss and painful disappointment 
 must be the consequences of neglecting 
 them. They are easily kept clean, the 
 growth of nourishing grass maintained, if 
 regularly once or twice a year they are well 
 billed, and the sour grass and noxious weeds 
 stocked up ; but ifthey are suffered to run 
 to ruin, the grass wears out, the sun is ex- 
 cluded from giving its vital succour to the 
 roots; the strength of the ground is ex- 
 hausted, in the support of superfluous bushes 
 and weeds; the natural and artificial nu- 
 tricious grass for feeding the cattle becomes 
 extinct; want ensues; the cattle and mules 
 exhibit a lean, ragged, starved appearance ; 
 “weakness seizes them, and they are unable 
 to go through the heavy work that is allotted 
 to them. Such are the effects of letting 
 pastures on a sugar estate go to decay. 
 This is done for the sake of the shallow, 
 ostentatious motive, of keeping up a large 
 
 
 
302 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 field of canes, a great part of the product of 
 
 which must, in the sequel, be laid out in 
 
 the purchase of cattle and mules, which 
 have been killed by over-work and starvy- 
 ation; or. what is nearly as bad, being 
 forced to employ a jobber, at a heavy 
 expence, to bill the neglected pastures, 
 which can scarcely be reclaimed, the dis- 
 ease becoming incurable. Neither (will I 
 make bold to assert) is any work of this 
 kind ever done so well by a mercenary, 
 superficial jobbing gang, as it will by the 
 estate people. Another matter I must beg 
 leave to advert to, is the propensity in most 
 overseers of the old school to try every 
 means to swell the crop of sugar, at the 
 risk and expence of every thing else, of 
 equal magnitude, if taken upon the great 
 principle of preserving the capital of the 
 proprietor. Nothing argues well with the 
 persons but the magnitude of the sugar 
 
 ~ erop, which by its sickly bulk brings on a 
 
 fatal malady to other component parts of 
 the estate; and the only thing gained by 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 303 
 
 itis, that the overseer’s vanity is fed, and 
 his fame spread about, for making a large 
 crop of sugar. The resident agent seldom 
 visits the estate, and when he does, saunters 
 a little in the great house, takes a transient 
 view of some of the near cane pieces, and 
 asks a few cursory questions. The distant 
 cultivation is not often noticed; and he is 
 kept ignorant of the wretched state of the. 
 once verdant and flourishing pastures. He 
 mounts his horse, or gets into his chaise, 
 and drives off somewhere else, quite satis- 
 fied that the overseer and himself have done 
 their duty, and does not pay another visit 
 to the property for six or twelve months. 
 At last the mortality among the cattle and 
 mules is such (the woeful consequence of 
 hard work, starvation, and disease), that 
 the overseer must divulge and make known 
 to him the sad story. He prays for a fresh 
 supply of cattle and mules. This astonishes 
 the resident island agent: he is roused 
 from his lethargy, hastily comes to the 
 estate, and there beholds the sad remnant, 
 
 
 
304 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 the miserable spectacle of the few remain- 
 ing cattle and mules, reduced to such a 
 state by intense work, in taking off a heavy 
 crop of canes, in all weathers, and starved, 
 by the improvident measure of neglecting 
 the pastures, in order to increase the over- 
 . seer’s reputation in making a great (but 
 overcharged) sugar crop, and to swell the re- 
 sident agent’s charge of per centage on the 
 account sales. He then, to exonerate himself 
 from any charge of dereliction of duty, ac- 
 cuses the overseer of imposing false accounts 
 on him, assumes an air of dissatisfaction, blus- 
 ters a little, goes home, and seeks for another 
 overseer to succeed the former. In a short 
 time he proceedsto relieve him of his charge ; 
 and then the whole history-of former mis- 
 management is developed and explained. 
 
 A gang of forty negroes will clean better 
 than one hundred acres of pasture in a 
 
 _ fortnight, if not too foul. The masons 
 
 on an estate should, at the same time, go 
 round the stone-wall fences, to repair them 
 where they are broken. This being finished, 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 305 
 
 (except very dry weather ensues for a long 
 time, ) there will be plenty of provender for 
 the stock during the crop, with the addition 
 of guinea-grass intervals, gullys, and mar- 
 gins, (which are contiguous to the cane- 
 pieces, ) to cut, in order to provide feeding 
 for the mule stable and cattle pens. While 
 the great gang is employed in billing or 
 cleaning pastures, the second gang should 
 be engaged in the cane field, where most 
 necessary. The carpenters should be em- 
 ployed in making the necessary repairs to 
 the buildings, preparatory to crop. The 
 coopers should be employed in splitting 
 staves and heading, in the woods, which 
 may be carried by mules to the works, and 
 heaped and piled up there. After the stone 
 wall fences are made up, the masons should 
 be at the works, making preparations in 
 their department for what may be wanted 
 
 about the coppers, stills, the different build- — 
 
 ings, and white-washing the whole of the 
 houses, inside and outside. ‘The copper- 
 smiths and plumbers should be soldering 
 Xx 
 
 
 
306 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 any cracks or split seams in the leads of 
 
 the coppers, mill-beds, liquor-gutters, cop- 
 pers, and stills. In fact, every denomi- 
 nation of tradesmen should be fully em- 
 ployed after the old crop, in providing for 
 the new one. 
 
 It may be necessary to enlarge the pas- 
 tures sometimes, or to put in, or plant an- 
 other guinea-grass piece, when there may 
 not be sufficient feeding or grazing for the 
 stock on an estate; to fatten or recruit 
 those, that are either condemned as unfit 
 for work, or are reduced from hard work, 
 disease, or sores. I would always strive to 
 keep the grass cultivation as connected as 
 possible, and subdivided by stone walls or 
 double ditches, one from the other, and 
 penguined over. In the vicinity of pasture 
 lands, on an estate in Jamaica, there is ge- 
 nerally some waste ground that will answer 
 to plant guinea-grass, as an additional 
 nursing, fattening pasture. It does not re- 
 quire the best land to plant this artificial 
 grass, or a great depth of soil. Ground 
 
 
 
 ———_—_ 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 3507 
 
 that may be somewhat stony, will suit it, 
 and if it abound with stones, may be cleared 
 of them, to build a wall round the pastures 
 where wanted. If a piece of land, of eight 
 or ten acres of this description can be ob- 
 tained, close to, or adjoining the other pas- 
 tures, so much the better; it will be still 
 more favourable, if a spring or pond of water 
 is in it, as the fences of the old pastures will 
 divide it from them, and partly surround it. 
 To plant and establish this piece of land in 
 guinea-grass, I would set in the great gang 
 with good sharp bills and hoes, and if the 
 land has any underwood upon it, it should 
 be cut down, junked, and sent home by 
 mules to the works, for copper-wood ; then 
 billed down and hoed off from bushes and 
 weeds ; no fruit trees, such as lemons, limes, 
 oranges, citrons, or even large guavas, 
 should be cut down, except they are too 
 thick on the ground. When the bushes 
 and weeds are dry, they should be burned, 
 and the land being thus cleared and pre- 
 pared, the masons should be put in, to make 
 x 2 
 
 SS SE ee a ee eT CR TT Pe ee PER tee me mean CE eRe CC rer ree OMe 
 
i e 
 a SAR Tyee) ee 
 
 808 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 a five-foot wall round it, (of the stones in 
 the vicinity,) on the defenceless side, to 
 join the fences of the old pastures, as far as 
 the stones will go;'and if there is not enough, 
 the fence may be continued, by a double 
 ditch, topped with penguins, to reach and 
 join the fences on the old pastures. The 
 carpenters should make proper gates for the 
 ingress and egress of the cattle. When the 
 land, in two or three days, has been cooled 
 from the burning of the weeds, and Provi- 
 dence sends favourable, showery weather, 
 I would again set in the great gang with 
 hoes to dig the grass holes. The ground 
 should be lined at two and a half feet 
 square for them. ‘The holes should be six 
 or eight inches deep, twelve inches long, 
 and eight inches broad, and the mold 
 hauled up to the edge of the hole as a 
 bank. ‘Then having plenty of guinea- 
 grass roots prepared, trimmed, and divided 
 into proper plants, of a size which may 
 easily be grasped in the hand, let the ne- 
 
 _ groes drop two plants at each hole, through 
 
 16 
 
 . 
 aL ee ee ee ee 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 309 
 
 the piece, and begin planting them, by 
 placing the two plants for each hole oppo- 
 site one another, in a reclining position, in 
 the bottom of it, with their roots down in 
 the hole, and nearly touching each other. 
 The stalky part of each plant should be 
 above ground a little, and extend in a re- © 
 clining way, opposite each other, to the 
 extreme length of the hole. Then the 
 mold should be drawn from the bank upon 
 them. In this manner the ground may be 
 planted out in guinea-grass. The best time 
 to plant it, is the month of May, for it will 
 seed (if taken care of and kept clean) in 
 the following October. Guinea-grass re- 
 quires to be molded, when the stalks and 
 roots throw out new stalks and grass shoots. 
 The holes should be well filled up with 
 soil, and any sour grass and weeds, which 
 may spring up through the piece, must be 
 -well hoed off, whenever the piece begins 
 to be foul. It will require at least two 
 cleanings before October, when it will seed, 
 and when ripe, the seed will scatter through 
 x 3 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 310 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 the piece, and sow and establish itself. 
 After the first seeding, some light cattle 
 may be turned into it, to nip the top of the 
 grass, but no more, and their feet will 
 tread the seed into the ground. ‘Then let 
 the gates be fastened, and the piece shut 
 
 up from grazing or cutting, till the grass — 
 
 is quite high, and the seed has taken to the 
 ground, and grown high. 
 
 When the great gang has finished clean- 
 ing the pastures, and planting guinea-grass, 
 they should be set in to cut, and split as 
 much copper-wood as may answer to boil 
 one-third of the distilling house crop. The 
 able negro men ought to have sharp axes, 
 and bills, and the women sharp bills for the 
 purpose. The wood should be procured 
 in the most convenient place, for the carry- 
 ing it home, and lopped to such lengths, as 
 will fit the mules’ backs without galling or 
 incommoding them. This copper-wood 
 should be brought home to the works in as 
 favourable weather as possible, the carriage 
 being distant and burthen heavy, so that 
 
 i RE i ig Be Ta a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. Si 
 
 the mules may have the advantage of dry 
 roads, and the burthen made comparatively 
 easy to them; and should be piled up com- 
 pactly near the distilling-house. 
 
 It may be necessary to build a lime kiln, 
 preparatory to commencing crop on a sugar 
 estate; for this should never, be done if 
 possible during crop. If no fixed kiln is at 
 the works, it will be absolutely necessary 
 to take the great gang, together with the 
 carpenters, masons, and all the able hands 
 which can be mustered, and proceed to the 
 woods, for the purpose of making one, the 
 men with axes and bills, and the women 
 with bills and baskets. It is a most labori- 
 ous, expensive, and dangerous work. Some 
 of the best timbers and wood on an estate 
 must be felled and lopped to certain lengths 
 for the purpose; each tier of wood must 
 have its different measured lengths, ac- 
 cording as they proceed in building the 
 kiln. The bottom tier, may be composed 
 of the heaviest timber, and greatest lengths, 
 with the thick end of the timber outwards ; 
 
 x 4 
 
 
 
312 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 in order to: give an inclination to the kiln, 
 according as it burns, for the lime to fall in- 
 wards. The masons and coppersmiths 
 should be provided with sledges, iron crows, 
 hammers, and picks, to raise and break the 
 ‘stones small. When wood and stones 
 enough are cut and broke, to form the bot- 
 tom tier, a circle of twenty feet in dia- 
 meter, should be scribed and marked out, 
 on a spot, where the materials are contigu- 
 ous, and a high stiff stake drove in the cen- 
 tre of this circle, to form the draft funnel 
 by. The negro men should then lay the 
 thick end of the heaviest wood to the edge 
 of the circle, and the thin end towards the 
 stake in the centre of it; leaving a small 
 space for the funnel to be raised from: 
 when the tier of heavy wood is laid all 
 round the circle, and close together, and 
 the interstices filled up with small wood, so 
 as to make it level and even, then the women 
 
 | 
 
 . 
 
 Fn a ae RTs A ICT ROT ee 
 
 and inferior people must take their baskets, 
 which they are to fill with the broken 
 stones, and throw them on the top of the 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 313 
 
 wood, which the people who laid the tier 
 of wood should spread on it, at least a foot 
 thick. An experienced carpenter negro 
 should be placed at the centre stake, to 
 build the funnel, as the kiln advances in 
 height. When this tier of wood and stones 
 are laid compactly, the axe-men are to cut 
 lengths of timber, about twelve or fourteen 
 inches shorter than the under tier of wood, 
 sufficient for another tier ; and stones are to 
 be broken likewise for it. When this is 
 done, let them lay the second tier of wood, 
 on the top of the tier of stones, with the 
 small end of the timber close to the funnel. 
 This must be made to lie close, and fill in 
 the crannies and spaces with small wood, 
 so as to make the kiln gradually small to 
 the top, and incline to the centre. Cover 
 this likewise with about twelve inches of 
 broken stones, taking care to proceed ‘in 
 forming and making the funnel, as the kiln 
 gets high. In this manner keep on build- 
 ing the kiln, for six or seven tiers; gradu- 
 ally making each tier of less diameter, and 
 
 
 
314 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 putting a sufficiency of good heavy timber 
 in it, intermixed with small wood, in order 
 to ensure the burning of the stones 
 thoroughly. When the lime-kiln is built 
 as high as is requisite, or the before-men- 
 tioned number of tiers, let a dry ants’ nest 
 be obtained, which being set fire to, must 
 be thrown down the funnel, and some dry 
 sticks along with it, and placed over it, so 
 as to catch fire. A negro should be placed 
 ‘to watch it, and feed the fire at the bottom 
 of the funnel, with light dry chips, till the 
 fire catches the adjoining timber with pro- 
 per effect. There is then no fear of the 
 lime-kiln not burning well, and in a few hours 
 the whole of the timber will be consumed, 
 the stones burned through, and lying in one 
 promiscuous heap of strong lime. A kiln 
 of twenty feet in diameter, will make six- 
 teen sugar hogsheads of lime, or perhaps 
 more. It will take some days to cool be- 
 fore it is fit to carry home; and it may be 
 necessary when it gets cool, to make a shed 
 over it to protect it from the weather. 
 
 
 
 ae ee 
 
 pei 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 315 
 
 The building of a lime kiln in the woods of 
 Jamaica, should never be done if possible : 
 it is laborious, dangerous and expensive, in 
 drawing off the principal people of the estate 
 from other work. By having a fixed kiln at 
 the works, a few hogsheads of lime can at any 
 time be conveniently and speedily burned ; 
 there will then be fresh lime for tempering 
 cane liquor whenever required, and a great 
 waste of it prevented ; which cannot some- 
 times be avoided in the alternative of going 
 to the woods to build a kiln. One half of 
 it often lies there to be washed away by 
 rain, or stolen by the negroes. It likewise 
 loses its active alkaline qualities, by expo- 
 sure to the weather and air. The carriage 
 home will be saved, which is a troublesome 
 job, for the negroes and mules. 
 
 One thing more [I shall beg leave to in- 
 trude on the notice of my readers and the 
 planter, which is, the care and cleaning of 
 the provision grounds, previous to beginning 
 crop, that were planted or established for 
 the support of the resident white people on 
 
 
 
 
 
316 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 the estate. There are many planters who 
 think this duty even worse than a minor ob- 
 ject in the scale of true plantership. This 
 is a despicable thought, for if there are no 
 such provisions, if there is a dearth of them, 
 where is their resource for a supply? Is it 
 by begging of their neighbours, or the 
 slaves of the estate, that they are to obtain 
 it? or is it by bartering away the produce 
 of the estate, that they are to be furnished 
 with such necessaries? In any of those 
 cases, there is a lamentable precarious de- 
 pendance. If we do not sow, we cannot 
 reap; if we do not plant, we cannot gather ; 
 and if we abandon those necessaries of life 
 when planted, to perish for want of care, 
 we commit a double crime against God and 
 nature, and deserve the punishment and 
 affliction of famine: especially in such a 
 climate as Jamaica, that is subject to such 
 violent vicissitudes, such perishing heats, 
 and destructive storms, we should be ever 
 watchfully provident, to have a good scope 
 of ground provisions planted in patches, to 
 
 
 
OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. 317 
 
 become ripe in succession ; such as cocoas, 
 yams, cassava, and sweet potatoes ; the me- 
 thed of planting which, I shall describe in 
 another place. ‘The space of ground they 
 cover, is trifling in comparison to the cane 
 and grass cultivation on an estate. ‘Three 
 acres of ground provisions, kept moderately 
 clean, after they are established, will give 
 an ample supply, even for years, for the 
 support of the resident white people on an 
 estate. The cocos, cassava, and sweet po- 
 tatoes, will ratoon for two or three years; 
 the negro yams are a yearly crop, but the 
 white yams will last in the ground for 
 several years. A gang of thirty negroes 
 will clean and mold three acres of ground 
 provisions in little more than a day, and 
 all they require is two good cleanings in a 
 year, yielding by this trivial attention a 
 supply of provisions, in case of storms, 
 which will in a great measure bid defiance 
 to their effects. Other provision grounds, 
 which will not bear storms, should likewise 
 have their share of notice, that is, the plan- 
 
 
 
318 PLANTING AND CULTIVATION 
 
 tain walk, or walks, which an estate is gene- 
 rally provided with, but if suffered to go to 
 ruin, will produce very little. The plan- 
 tain walk will stand very dry weather, 
 though not a storm, so that in case the 
 ground provisions should be backward, on 
 account of dry weather, the plantain walk 
 will furnish the table with excellent nutri- 
 tious food, generally esteemed by the 
 negro epicure, as his best vegetable diet ; 
 and the white man in Jamaica terms it 
 bread-kind, or a good substitute for it. I 
 have known some overseers, after receiving 
 the charge of an estate, where abundance 
 of all kinds of provisions were already 
 planted and established to their hand, so 
 shamefully neglect them, that in about 
 eighteen months, they had scarcely any 
 provisions to gather in and eat. They then 
 resorted to the expedient of bartering to 
 procure some, and had courage (or rather 
 audacity) enough to ask their employer, to 
 purchase flour for them, to supply their 
 table, instead of what they wantonly and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 OF THE SUGAR-CANE, &c. $19 
 
 improvidently neglected. Let me _ here 
 strenuously impress the necessity of paying 
 impartial regard to this most essential re- 
 
 -quisite, to avoid the sad consequences of 
 
 famine, by such fatal short-sighted conduct. 
 
 To conclude this part of my work, I must 
 observe, and lay it down as a rule, that 
 after the copper-wood, staves, &c. are 
 
 brought home to the works, the mules ~ 
 
 should have rest for a fortnight, with good 
 feeding, and attention paid to their wounds 
 if they have any, before crop begins. 
 
 | 
 | 
 . 
 
 
 
320 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 CHAP. VI, 
 
 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES AND MANUFACTURING 
 SUGAR. 
 
 Hayrye (with as much precision as I pre-. 
 
 sume to think attainable) brought the theory 
 and practice of plantership in general into 
 a system, so far as relates to the manage- 
 _ ment of a sugar estate, down to the period 
 in which the sugar cane is deemed fit to 
 cut, in order to be manufactured into sugar ; 
 I will now venture progressively to go on 
 in describing the method.of cutting the 
 cane, and transforming its juices into sugar 
 and rum. ‘The necessary apparatus for the 
 working cattle and mules being ready to 
 tackle them with; the mill in proper order 
 to bear stress of work, well secured and 
 clean; the gutterings, coppers, and stills 
 perfect, scoured, clean, and fit for the re- 
 ception of ripe uncontaminated cane liquor; 
 the curing-house cleaned out, the mill-yard 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
r . 
 a See 
 
 AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 321 
 
 and works cleared from weeds, grass, and all 
 description of filth and rubbish ; the water- 
 trenches about the mill-yard free from all im- 
 pediment, so that no water will overrunit, and 
 the mill-yard swept, ready for canes to be de- 
 posited there; the mill-dam made up, to col- 
 lect and supply an adequate force of water 
 
 for the wheel; and the leading water gutter - 
 
 from the dam, perfectly cleansed from sand, 
 stones, and rubbish, so that the water will 
 have an uninterrupted course to flow to the 
 wheel, without waste or overflowing ; those 
 requisites being completed, and the great 
 gang furnished with efficient sharp bills and 
 knives, they should be set in to cut canes 
 (Providence giving favourable weather) on 
 the piece, either plant or ratoon, which first 
 becomes ripe for sugar making. A book 
 of cultivation, describing the course to be 
 taken, should always be kept by every good 
 and wise planter on an estate. The great 
 gang should be formed into two divisions ; 
 one placed in the rear of the other. The 
 front division as cutters, the rear as tiers of 
 v 
 
322 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 the canes. The tiers, or rear division, to 
 be only one-third as numerous as the front, 
 or cutters; because the tiers will bundle 
 the canes up faster, than the cutters can 
 supply the proper number. <A gang of forty 
 negroes will compose thirty cutters, and ten 
 tiers of canes. The gang should be set in 
 on a fair breadth, generally at the farthest 
 end of the cane piece first, as it may suit 
 best, to prevent the ratoon sprouts as they 
 come up being injured or eaten by the 
 stock, when carrying canes or tops off the 
 field, or as that part of the piece may come 
 ripe first. Each negro in the front division 
 should have a cane-row assigned him, and 
 they should be made to cut their rows, or 
 work in as regular a manner as possible. 
 The rear division, or tiers, must keep re- 
 gular pace or time with the cutters. The 
 driver and book-keeper should have a strict 
 watch over them, to prevent any sour, rat- 
 eaten, or sucker canes being tied up, to be 
 sent to the mill for sugar boilings. These 
 will make bad sugar, plague and distract 
 
 21 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 323 
 
 the negro boilers, or contaminate several 
 hundred gallons of liquor. The cutters 
 should junk the canes, to a convenient 
 length, for the mules to carry them. They 
 must not be too long, lest they pierce the 
 mules necks; nor too short, to make an 
 awkward load for the mule boys to place on 
 the beasts. 
 
 It may sometimes happen, that plant tops - 
 
 are wanted at this period, or shortly after, 
 to plant out, or supply a cane piece with. 
 The cutters should in that case cut plant 
 tops, as they proceed in cutting the sugar 
 canes, making separate rows of them, and 
 the tiers keep pace in tying them up ac- 
 cordingly; throwing them in distinct heaps 
 from the sugar canes. It would be very 
 advisable in every overseer to study the 
 nature of the ground the cane grows upon, 
 which he orders to be cut to make sugar 
 from, whether it is rich or poor, light or 
 heavy soil ; and the management such canes 
 have progressively received to their matu- 
 rity; thus he may best direct the driver 
 ¥ 2 
 
 
 
 
 
324 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 how to top the canes, whether long or short. 
 Much depends on such skilful circumspec- 
 tion in making good sugar, with little boil- 
 ing or fuel, and preventing subsequent 
 trouble, in correcting the bad effects of 
 spurious liquor being mixed with the ripe, 
 genuine cane juice ; which a little previous 
 and experienced forethought might have 
 obviated. In rank, moist, heavy soils, the 
 sugar cane, when ordered to be cut for 
 making sugar, should be long topped; that 
 is, the plant top should be left long, as the 
 juices in the four or five joints towards the 
 summit of the canes is poor, unmatured, 
 and difficult to granulate in the boiling ; 
 taking an overplus of lime, not only to pre- 
 vent it turning sour. soon, but to separate 
 the essential salt of the liquor from its 
 spumy muscous parts. If this is not at- 
 tended to, the sugar will be soft grained, 
 dingy coloured, take a great deal of boiling, 
 and expend much fuel in the operation. 
 Canes which are, or lately have been ar- 
 
 rowed, suckered round the top joints, or 
 
 SS ee 
 
 a a a ee ee i 
 
 sel ine oo 
 
 Se ee 
 2SS= 
 
 Ene rene 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 325 
 
 suffered to run foul by not being brushed, 
 require to be long topped ;_ but canes which 
 have grown from poor, dry, light soils, are 
 not arrowed or suckered, and which have 
 been kept even moderately clean from trash, 
 do not need such long toppings. Two 
 joints in that case left on the top will be 
 enough, as the juices in canes from such 
 -Jands sooner become ripe, are richer, take 
 less time, boiling, and fuel, to convert them 
 into good sugar. 
 
 The borer, an insect of a subtle, perni- 
 cious nature, often infests both half grown 
 and ripe sugar canes. Itis a dreadful malady 
 in this plant, which hardly any experiment 
 can get the better of. It rages like a plague; 
 its pestilence is insinuating and contagious, 
 and makes horrid havoc for some time, and 
 when not expected, it suddenly ceases its 
 ravages and disappears. ‘This insect is so 
 diminutive, as scarcely to be perceivable. 
 It makes its way into the cane by a small 
 puncture through the rind, which quickly 
 (by its venom) appears black, communi- 
 
 ¥'S 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 326 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 cates its poison to the circulating juices of 
 the cane, and soon renders it an unfit sub- 
 stance to be converted into sugar; at least 
 that part of the plant, and its vicinity, that 
 happens to be the seat of this destroyer. 
 The pith of the cane, by its active putre- 
 fying nature, assumes a light crimson color, 
 ‘soon dries up, acquires a foetid sour smell, 
 and all the part so affected, must be cut and 
 thrown away. If it is mixed with the un- 
 injured, untainted part of the-cane, which 
 is proposed to be made into sugar, the juices 
 will be perverted, and all the art and skill 
 of the manufacturer cannot turn it into 
 sugar. I generally found that this pesti- 
 lence attacked the canes which happened 
 to be foul, had a quantity of rat-eaten canes 
 lying in the cane-pieces through the rows, 
 and close to the stocks or roots of the canes ; 
 which in the middle of the year, when the 
 sun is unusually powerful, and after show- 
 ery weather, caused quick and intense cor- 
 ruptive fermentation in such foul ingre- 
 dients ; these generate such noxious insects, 
 
 eee ee oe PRP or. oe gene ay = 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 327 
 
 and bring this curse upon the canes. As 
 in the community of mankind, and the 
 animal creation, cleanliness is not only con- 
 ducive to health, but the principal means 
 of prolonging life, and preventing distem- 
 pers; so it is likewise with the vegetable 
 world ; all means to promote and secure 
 their welfare by cleanliness (the best and 
 most salutary of doctors).should be attended 
 to by those who have the care of them, and 
 to remove from them and their vicinity, 
 whatever may either be.of no use, or inju- 
 rious to them. For this reason, whenever 
 a cane-piece is cut down, I would put ina 
 gang of negroes carefully to pick and tie 
 up all the rat-eaten sour canes, have them 
 brought to the mill-yard, heaped up there 
 by themselves, and when no sugar is mak- 
 ing, have them put through the mill. Any 
 juice which may come from them may be 
 sent to the distilling-house, and the trash 
 carried to the trash-house for fuel. This 
 would answer a double good purpose, in 
 cleaning the cane-pieces from such an 
 yA: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
> iy | 
 
 3 
 
 y 
 
 : ‘ 
 
 
 
 328 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 annoyance, and adding to the stock of fuel. 
 Immediately after these pernicious canes 
 are removed from the cane-piece, I would 
 set the gang in to turn the trash off the 
 cane stocks ; give them air, clear them from 
 weeds or grass; and if the sprouts are any 
 height, give them some mould. I am not 
 an advocate for burning off cane-pieces, 
 especially in dry weather parishes; as the 
 surface of the ground, the trash, and other 
 light vegetable substances, which soon 
 make, or are converted by the weather, 
 into some kind of light manure, and keep 
 the ground and cane stocks cool, may be 
 injured by so doing. But when the borer, 
 or even many rats invade a cane-piece, I 
 would set aside this consideration, and re- 
 sort to the alternative of burning off the 
 cane-pieces so infected, after I had picked 
 and carried off the ground the refuse rat- 
 eaten canes ; steady attention to cleanliness 
 in cane-pieces, keeping the trenches free 
 and open, no stagnated, putrefying water, 
 or pervading sour substances suffered to 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 329 
 
 remain on them, the rat-eaten refuse canes 
 removed from them, the trash turned with- 
 out delay, and lastly, (but perhaps not the 
 least remedy, ) that of burning off, after the 
 cane pieces have been cut down, is the only 
 feasible cure, that I think can be devised, 
 with a hope of success, to annihilate and 
 counteract the .workings, of this cruel 
 scourge the borer, from and among sugar 
 cane pieces. 
 
 At such a period as crop time, the never- 
 to-be-forgotten cure of the stock, should be 
 a leading consideration with the manager ; 
 some weakly people may be put in to follow 
 the gang, which is cutting and tying sugar 
 canes; to tie up long tops for the cattle and 
 mule pens; that is, tops with the leaf at- 
 tached to them, which are lopped from the 
  spungy end of the plant tops; they should 
 always be gathered fresh and green, pre- 
 vious to being tainted with sourness. The 
 stock would relish, eat heartily of them, 
 and not. be bloated or attacked with the 
 gripes by feeding on them. They are 
 
 % 
 es 
 
 
 
330 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 strengthening enlivening provender, for 
 both cattle and mules; greatly assist in 
 furnishing the pens, both for day and night 
 feeding, and spare the consumption of 
 guinea grass, which would otherwise take 
 place. I do not approve of turning stock 
 
 into a cane-piece to feed, (which is very 
 
 often done) as the negroes cut down the 
 canes, as they tread, with a heavy impres- 
 sion, the ground too much; _ break and 
 crush the projecting, and peeping cane- 
 roots, which may bring on them ruin; and 
 the feet of the stock are liable’to be cut by 
 the sharp ends of some of the cane stocks. 
 However, in wet weather, they should never 
 be turned to feed on a cane piece, except 
 one thrown up, and it matters not, in what 
 kind of weather, they are turned into such 
 an one to eat it down. It should be a 
 necessary routine of duty in every overseer 
 on a sugar estate, to regulate the number 
 of cattle and mules for work daily, or by 
 spells or teams in crop time;- either in 
 carrying canes to the mill, turning a cattle 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 3d1l 
 
 mil, or drawing sugar to the wharf, and 
 carrying provender to the pens. The 
 mules and cattle which work one day, 
 should not (if it can be avoided) be worked 
 _ the next day. Sometimes it will be expe- 
 dient to bring home canes to the mill, by 
 both cattle and mules. Light carts should 
 be had for the cattle, and plenty of good 
 tackling for the mules. On an estate where 
 bottoms in cane cultivation, lie contiguous 
 to hilly land which is to be cut, fewer 
 mules will answer. They can carry the 
 canes, from the hilly distant land to the 
 bottom, where the carts may be loaded, 
 and thence by the cattle, drawn in carts to 
 ‘the mill. Where bottoms alone are to be 
 cut, no mules need be employed in carry- 
 ing canes to the mill; the cattle and carts 
 will perform all that service. But when 
 an estate is mostly hilly, or no roads fit for 
 carts to be brought to act, the entire of the 
 cane carriage must be done by the mules. 
 It then requires an additional number of 
 mules, according to the distance of the cane- 
 
 
 
 
 
332 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 piece from the works, but generally, I 
 found, upon an average of distant and 
 near cane-pieces, that fifteen or eighteen 
 mules, in moderate weather, when the 
 roads are tolerably good, were adequate to 
 keep the mill supplied with canes, to pro- 
 duce fifteen hogsheads of sugar weekly. 
 
 ‘This quantity, one set of coppers, compris- 
 
 ing two syphons and four low coppers, 
 were equal to turn out weekly, to be potted 
 in the curing-house. It then comes to 
 bear, that if fifteen mules can keep the mill 
 in canes, to make this return weekly, and 
 that those fifteen mules can be spelled by 
 fifteen others, at a stated time in the day, 
 making thirty mules for one days’ work, to 
 carry canes to the mill; and that thirty 
 more mules are in readiness, to work the 
 following day for the same purpose, that 
 the mules which work one day, need not 
 
 be imposed upon to work the next; and 
 
 that sixty mules will perform the requisite 
 cane carriage to the mill, with ease, safety, 
 and satisfaction, if well fed and tackled: 
 
 Oe a ee 
 ee 
 
 SF a ee ea 
 = pent a ee Se ot 
 
 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 333 
 
 twelve more mules will be equal to do the - 
 other by-work which may be wanted; 
 making a total of seventy-two effective 
 mules, to take off a crop of two hundred 
 and fifty hogsheads of sugar annually ; with 
 other incidental work, which can be brought 
 in when the mill is notin use. On an estate, 
 where bottoms principally support the cane 
 cultivation, except a few patches of gentle 
 acclivity, few mules will be required, as 
 carts drawn by cattle, can always approach 
 close to the place where the negroes may 
 be cutting canes. It then will require a 
 greater number of working cattle, to answer 
 the purposes of cane carriage, bringing 
 provender to the pens, mill-work, and draw- 
 ing the produce to the barquadier. Cattle, 
 - in the long run, turn out more profitable 
 than mules. They make more manure, 
 and when condemned as unfit for work, 
 they can be fattened for the butcher, and 
 sold for little less than what they cost; 
 whereas, when a mule becomes infirm, or 
 unserviceable by age, disease, or accident, 
 
 
 
334 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 it is a dead loss. No one will purchase | 
 such a live, worthless trunk. He prowls 
 about the property, breaking fences, tres- 
 passing on some enticing provisions, which 
 he instinctively finds out, is a mischievous 
 freebooter, and devours what the effective 
 stock should feed upon. A _ poll-tax is 
 assessed for him equal to a prime beast, 
 and I believe he is suffered to exist, chiefly 
 on account, that his name should not be 
 included in the decrease list, or bills of 
 mortality for an estate ; than which nothing 
 is more dreaded by an overseer, as his cha- 
 racter for good or bad plantership, is in a 
 great measure estimated, by this recorded 
 criterion. 
 
 It is at this crisis of plantership, after a 
 cane-piece has lately been cut down, when ~ 
 nature swells and animates the cane-root, 
 when the earth makes it bud forth new 
 shoots, that the fostering care of the planter 
 is required, to administer to its succour 
 and support. The trash which has fallen 
 from the canes, (as they have been cut 
 
 
 

 
 AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 335 
 
 down,) lies promiscuously with dry cane 
 tops, sour rat-eaten canes, and other rub- 
 bish, on the imbedded cane-roots, which 
 naturally call to be relieved from its incum- 
 bent burthen, and silently implore the be- 
 nefit of a free expanse of air, that they 
 may quicken in their growth. The over- 
 seer should then, as soon as the cane-piece 
 is cut down, (except he intends to dig 
 and replant the piece,) set in the great 
 gang to turn this load of trash off the cane- 
 roots, place it regularly in the spaces be- 
 tween them, and clean the trenches out, 
 to prevent water from lodging. It would 
 be rather soon then to dig any mold to 
 give them. They only want and demand 
 freedom and air, to cherish and make them 
 start from their stocks. This turning of 
 trash off them, is transient work, and soon 
 performed. But in about two or three 
 weeks afterwards, or when the sprouts are 
 six or eight inches high, it will be necessary 
 to put a gang in, to give them a plentiful 
 molding, in order to cover their roots and 
 
 
 
336 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 feed their stems; and likewise to hoe off or 
 pull up any grass or weeds which may grow in 
 the spaces, or between the sprouts, and clean 
 the intervals and margins, from bushes or 
 weeds. “This work comes in the line of me- 
 thod, which every overseer should prescribe 
 to himself, in the management of a sugar 
 estate, which if once lost sight of, will en- 
 danger and confound the whole system, 
 making it both vague, deranged, and ulti- 
 mately unproductive. 
 
 Cleanliness should ever be strictly ob- 
 served in every department connected with 
 sugar boiling, as it chiefly promotes the 
 manufacture of sparkling, strong-grained, 
 fair-coloured, marketable Muscovada sugar. 
 Slimy sourness will be prevented or coun- 
 teracted by frequent cleansing and washing 
 the mill-cases, mill-beds, liquor-gutters, re- 
 ceivers, and syphons; the leads of the low 
 coppers, strainers, ladles, and skimmers ; 
 no trash should be allowed to remain long 
 in the mill-house, nor spumy pith in the 
 mill-bed or gutterings, which often gathers 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 337 
 
 imperceptibly there, soon ferments, and 
 _ diffuses, by its slimy sourness, rank pesti- 
 lence to the cane liquor, as it descends to 
 the boiling house. A perforated plate of 
 copper or lead should be soldered across 
 the liquor-gutter, a few feet from the mill- 
 bed, to prevent particles of trash or slime 
 from running with the liquor; but this is 
 so often neglected, that sometimes the re- 
 ceiver in the boiling house gets partly filled 
 up with this poisonous stuff. A negro boy 
 or girl should always be stationed in the 
 mill-house, to keep this plate or strainer 
 clear; and likewise the mill-bed and gutter 
 free from trash. It has been a custom to 
 keep a barrel in the mill-house to throw 
 this vile stuff into, but I condemn such a 
 practice, and would have a vessel, stationed 
 outside the mill-house, at some distance to 
 receive it. The best vinegar obtained on an 
 estate is from the drainings of this barrel, 
 which plainly evinces its quickness in be- 
 coming a strong acid. ‘The smell of' it is 
 wafted to the adjacent cane liquor, its con- 
 Z 
 

 
 338 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 tagion spreads through it, the opposition 
 of its nature is soon perceptible, more time 
 is required to counteract its effects, and 
 often to preserve the rest of the liquor in 
 the boiling house from being contaminated, 
 it is turned down to the distilling house, to 
 be made something of there. I should 
 always prefer this latter mode, instead of . 
 striving to restore, and make sugar of it; for 
 it never can be brought to concoct, or granu- 
 late, when far gone in acidity. It should 
 be mixed with other good purified liquor in 
 the low coppers for so doing, and all will 
 at last be converted into a dull, dark, heavy, 
 inspissated, and ungranulated substance, 
 totally unmarketable. After spending much 
 fuel in the boiling of it, the work will be at 
 a stand for some time, as the coppers must 
 be well cleaned from impurities before any 
 more cane liquor should be allowed to go 
 into them. 
 
 An ostensible slave officer, called the 
 boatswain of the mill, should always be put 
 in commission, whenever the mill is at 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 339 
 
 work, to guarantee, by his presence and 
 experience, the safety of it; to keep the 
 mill-gang to their work ; to see that the 
 stokeholes are supplied with dry trash, the 
 green trash taken from the mill to the trash 
 houses, and well packed there; the mill 
 furnished with canes by the cane carriers ; 
 the mill well braced; the cogs and gud- 
 geons greased; the mill-bed, cases, and 
 gutterings, well washed three or four times 
 a day, and plenty of water to turn the 
 water wheel. ‘This officer: should be a car- 
 penter, who understands the formation, of 
 the mill machinery, can. easily detect any 
 fault or tameness in its members, and, quick- 
 ly find a remedy for the defect. The mill- 
 gang and inferior boilers are chosen by the 
 head driver, from among the great and 
 second gangs, and are composed of such 
 effective people as he may deem proper for 
 the work. ‘The head boiler should always 
 be an experienced negro in such work. 
 He is chosen by the overseer, to follow his 
 directions, and to conduct the critical busi- 
 
 Ze 
 
 
 
a ee ae 
 
 
 
 3840 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 ness. . Sometimes there are two ostensible 
 boilers, to spell and relieve one another ; 
 but this breeds envy.and strife between 
 these jealous-headed people, and often con- 
 fusion is produced throughout the work. 
 It would be better, therefore, to have only 
 one principal boiler, make him the respon- 
 sible person in the boiling house, and when 
 he is obliged to be spelled, for the purpose 
 of natural rest, he should leave his injunc- 
 tions to a judicious negro, whom he and 
 the overseer can trust and put confidence 
 in, to carry on the work in the boiling house 
 till he returns. Many of the junior boilers 
 are proud and emulous of such an under- 
 taking, and often turn out excellent manu- 
 facturers of sugar. It will be well for the 
 overseer not to chide or check the head 
 boiler much, except a glaring fault occurs 
 in him; he may become dispirited, diffi- 
 dent, and careless, by so doing. It often 
 occurs, that this man has a very general. 
 knowlege of the method of making good 
 sugar, from almost every cane-piece on the 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 341 
 
 estate, is conversant with the soils, the 
 management the canes have received, and 
 when the overseer may be in a dilemma, 
 knows how to proceed to correct some per- 
 verseness in the cane liquor. This useful 
 slave may, by his ready experience, explain 
 the cause, and apply a remedy to prevent 
 its bad consequences. The head boiler 
 and boatswain of the mill are the leading, 
 ostensible, and confidential persons about 
 the works in crop time, while sugar is ma- 
 nufacturing. 
 
 As the cane liquor descends from the 
 mill-house to the boiling-house, to be there 
 ‘collected in a receiver, there should be a 
 coarse strainer made appendant to the end 
 of the liquor gutter, and overhanging’ the 
 receiver, to prevent the particles of trash 
 and pithy slime substances from falling into 
 the receiver, and mingling with the liquor 
 in it. This strainer should be frequently 
 washed, not only with pure water, but with 
 thin lime-water, as it is very apt to gather. 
 -and accumulate sour excrescences, to the 
 
 z 3 
 
 
 
842 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 detriment of any cane liquor which may 
 run through it. I would have no more than 
 one receiver, containing just as much as 
 one of the syphons, because having a great 
 quantity of liquor in two receivers, besides 
 the syphons being full, the liquor by re- 
 maining in those vessels long, before it is 
 drawn off to the low coppers, to be boiled 
 and purified by skimming, becomes sour, or 
 takes an overcharge of time to preserve it 
 fresh. The slow heat which operates round 
 the region of the syphons, and which is, in 
 some measure, imparted to the receivers, 
 soon causes the dreaded acidity in the 
 liquor; and before the low coppers, by 
 rapid boiling, can cause sufficient evapo- 
 ration, to admit of more liquor being drawn 
 down from the syphons into them, the li- 
 quor in the receivers assumes an acid, 
 slimy nature. I would, therefore, never 
 have more liquor in the boiling-house than 
 what will keep the low coppers constantly 
 _at work. If possible, they should never 
 run short of liquor, except when boiling 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 343 
 
 off on Saturday night, when plenty of 
 water should be thrown into them, in order 
 to have them cool, to be ready for scouring. 
 By stopping fire, in order to restore, or re- 
 gain a proper quantity of liquor to thosé 
 coppers, a good week’s work is interrupted, 
 labour is lost, as some of the workmen 
 remain idle; fuel is wasted; the coppers are 
 apt to scale and burn; whatever liquor re- 
 mains in them becomes rancid, cloudy, and 
 skips indifferent sugar. Some overseers are 
 passionately fond of night work, and send 
 the mill-gang and boilers to the field during 
 the greater part of the day, on purpose to 
 push on, some favorite field work, which, in 
 my opinion, is a bad plan, if it can be 
 avoided. There may be an excuse for such 
 stoppages when they have not stock to sup- 
 ply the mill with canes, when there is a 
 dearth of water, or the mill is not powerful 
 enough to supply the coppers with liquor ; 
 otherwise, I presume to think, such schemes 
 are untoward; have nothing but shallow 
 policy to justify them, and are designed to 
 Z 4 
 
 
 
344 CUTTING. OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 cover.some mistake or error that has crept — 
 in, and which they do not wish to be dis- 
 covered. 
 
 The lime to temper the cane liquor, 
 should be of the purest and strongest kind, 
 devoid of stones, and in a pulverized state. 
 The fairest way to apportion the quantity 
 of it, to the specified number of gallons of 
 cane liquor, the receiver can contain, is by 
 weight. So many ounces of lime, to what 
 the receiver may hold of cane liquor. . Yet 
 there is a nicety to be observed in so doing, 
 and the experienced boiler must bring his 
 best talents to bear on this point. The 
 event of good or bad sugar being manufac- 
 tured, greatly depends on tempering the 
 liquor with lime precisely. Plant canes 
 generally take more. lime than ratoons, to 
 cause the juices to granulate. When the 
 canes grow in rank, heavy, moist soils, the 
 liquor will take more lime, than when they 
 grow in poor, light, dry soils. Well trashed, 
 clean, unarrowed canes, take less lime than 
 canes which have been kept in heavy trash 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 345 
 
 and weeds, and are top-heavy from arrow- 
 ing. All this must be taken into the account, 
 and a nice circumspection used (knowing 
 these different circumstances) in tempering 
 the cane liquor with lime. I have seen 
 - some cane liquor, take more than a pound 
 of strong lime to three hundred gallons, 
 and other liquor, not more than two ounces 
 of lime to the same quantity. This is a 
 problem which requires to be solved, to 
 make the efficacy of the operation certain. 
 The only way to elucidate it, to make it 
 perceptible to the mind, so as to form it 
 into a fixed practice, is to pay attention to 
 the before-mentioned remarks. There are 
 two motives for mixing strong lime with 
 cane liquor; one is, to prevent and. super- 
 sede the souring of the liquor, the other to 
 cause it to granulate, (after it is purified by 
 boiling and skimming,) and: separate its 
 essential salts from its spumy, mucous sub- 
 stances. ‘The addition of lime is as a pre- 
 server ; it does not clarify the cane liquor, 
 nor give a fair color to the sugar. On the 
 
346 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 contrary, a large quantity of lime mingled 
 with the cane liquor, gives a dark blackish 
 hue to the liquor, makes the grain of the 
 sugar too large and hard, liable to crack 
 and scale in the coolers, and sink in the 
 hogshead when potted, shewing a scaly, 
 porous, light body, and gives a reddish 
 brown color to the sugar, not suitable to a 
 good market, and therefore not profitable. 
 I would strongly recommend, when cane 
 liquor is to be tempered with lime, that 
 ~ only one half of what is requisite to be 
 given it, should be mixed in the receiver 
 with the liquor, purely to keep it from 
 turning sour; and after the liquor gets 
 partly clarified in the syphons, is drawn 
 from them into the low coppers, well puri- 
 fied and boiled there; passed to the tache, 
 and boiled there to a proper consistency, 
 then add to it, the remainder of what lime 
 may be necessary. ‘This the head boiler 
 will soon know, by dipping the ladle or 
 skimmer into the tache, drawing it out, 
 and observing how the syrup or sugar runs 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 9347 
 
 off it, in seedy-like particles. If those 
 seedy-like particles do not appear nume- 
 rous, or the syrup is rather frothy, and 
 runs off the ladle quick, he may add the 
 remainder of the lime, or such part of it as 
 will produce the proper appearances on the 
 ladle. The lime to be added in the tache, 
 (when the syrup comes to a proper consis- 
 tency,) should be melted and diluted in 
 some clarified liquor, and strained previous 
 to being put into the syrup, that is boiling 
 in the tache. Another method, which some 
 people practice, to ascertain the crisis for 
 skipping sugar, from the tache into the 
 coolers, or to know when it comes to a 
 proper granulating consistency is, to take a 
 little of the syrup from off the ladle that is 
 dipped into the tache between the finger and 
 thumb, draw it to a thread, and if it breaks 
 suddenly, when lengthened out, the sugar 
 is sufficiently boiled. Another method is 
 put in practice, to ascertain this critical 
 point, which is, dashing a skimmer into the 
 boiling syrup in the tache, drawing it out, 
 and holding the skimmer up, resting its 
 
348 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 handle on the rail over the coppers, or 
 keeping it in a position, so that the edge 
 of the skimmer will drain off what syrup 
 may be on it. When most of the syrup is 
 run off, if there should be a thin membrane, 
 or glossy web appear, pending from the 
 edge of the skimmer; if this should break, 
 and drop suddenly from the skimmer, with- 
 out forming wiry threads, the syrup is suf- 
 ficiently boiled, granulated, and becomes 
 sugar; but if otherwise, it will take more 
 boiling and perhaps more lime, before it is 
 fit to be skipped into the coolers. But I 
 prefer the former mode, as by it the double 
 purpose is answered, of knowing when the 
 sugar is properly boiled, and rightly tem- 
 pered with lime; or the alkaline prevailing 
 over any acidity, which may happen to 
 have been in the liquor ;_ besides the former 
 mode of assay, is performed and acquired 
 with more ease. 
 
 ~ When the liquor is tempered with lime 
 
 in the receiver, the vessel full, and a syphon 
 
 ready to contain it, with a moderate fine 
 strainer placed over the syphon, for the 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 349 
 
 liquor to run through, it should be drawn 
 off from the receiver into the syphon, but 
 no grounds or filth should be allowed to 
 follow it mto that vessel. The damper be- 
 longing to the flue, which revolves round 
 the syphon, should then be hauled up, to 
 convey heat to it, till a thick scum gathers 
 on the surface of the liquor, denoting the 
 effects of the purifying heat. ‘The syphon 
 should not be allowed to boil, but as soon 
 as this scum appears, the damper should be 
 run down the whole of its groove to the 
 bottom; and the negro stationed to mind 
 the syphons, should take a skimmer, and 
 gently take off the greater part of the scum, 
 though not by any way to disturb the body 
 of the liquor. I must here premise, that 
 all skimmings and washings from the 
 syphons and coppers, should be thrown into 
 a gutter, and conveyed to the distilling- 
 house. Nothing of this kind should be lost 
 or wasted, as the distilling-house crop is 
 
 much increased, by mixing it with the 
 molasses, in preparing liquor in that depart- 
 ment for fermentation, in order to produce 
 
 
 
350 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 rum. When the liquor is drawn off from 
 the receiver, that vessel should be particu- 
 larly well washed out with pure water, 
 which will not take long in doing, It 
 should then be filled again with liquor, and 
 tempered with lime while filling. When it 
 is full, and the other syphon ready clean, 
 let the liquor be drawn from it to the second 
 syphon, taking care to place the strainer 
 as before on the syphon, for the liquor to 
 run through it, and no mud or filth suffered 
 to go from the receiver into that vessel. 
 The damper belonging to that syphon 
 should then be hauled up, till the oper- 
 ation of the heat through the liquor, causes 
 a thick scum to form on its surface. Then 
 let the damper down as before, take the 
 scum gently off with a skimmer, without 
 disturbing the body of the liquor. When 
 the liquor in these two syphons is partially 
 purified, by moderate heat pervading it, it 
 is to be drawn down by a stop cock, from 
 the first syphon to the low coppers, so far, 
 as the convex part of the bottom of the 
 syphon may be seen. ‘Then stop the cock 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. os 
 
 for a short time, for the remainder of the 
 liquor for two or three gallons is muddy 
 and scummy stuff, (which descends with 
 the liquor, upon its surface, according as it 
 is drawn off to the low coppers, ) and unfit 
 to be mixed with the rest of the liquor to 
 make sugar. When the cock is stopped 
 for a short time, (in order to prevent any 
 filth from running into the grand copper, ) 
 it is to be again opened, and what filthy re- 
 crement is left in the syphon, should be 
 turned into the skimming gutter, which 
 leads to the distilling-house. This syphon 
 should then be well washed out with pure 
 water. ~All this should be run off the 
 syphon before the cock is stopped ; when 
 well washed, the syphon should be again 
 filled with liquor from the receiver, and its 
 damper hauled up; then the liquor from 
 the second syphon, must be drawn off in 
 like manner to the low coppers, observing 
 to stop the cock for a short time. When 
 the bottom of the syphon appears, let the 
 dross be turned to the distilling-house, then 
 the vessel well washed with pure water as 
 
 
 
352 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 before, the cock stopped, and filled again 
 with liquor from the receiver. . But so pe- 
 nurious are some overseers of the boiling- 
 house liquor, that they will scarcely let a 
 drop of the spumy stuff, from either re- 
 ceiver or syphons, be turned down the 
 skimming gutter to the distilling-house ; 
 but all in a promiscuous filthy deluge, sent 
 from the syphons to the low coppers; there 
 to be boiled and compounded together, in 
 order to swell the crop of sugar; the qua- 
 lity of the sugar being a minor object with 
 them, and of little import what market it 
 may meet with. So much they think their 
 present good character depends, on a great 
 number of hogsheads of sugar being made, 
 that the quantity, and not the quality of 
 the sugar is their sole object. The bulk of 
 the distilling-house crop, is a matter of no 
 moment to them; they think their employer 
 will attach no blame to them, for any 
 failure or deficiency there, because a sub- 
 ordinate white man superintends it. But 
 who can make comparative good returns in 
 the distilling-house, if the overseer denies 
 
 
 
« AND MANUFACTURING suGAR. 353 
 
 him the materials of sweets to do so; or filches 
 from him (because he is possessed of para- 
 mount authority,) the very dregs of the 
 boiling-house coppers, and boils the sugar 
 so hard and high, that little drainings of 
 molasses will issue from it. The resident 
 agent seldom visits the boiling-house. A 
 cooler of good sugar will be made now and 
 then by such an overseer, a sample of 
 which he dexterously sends to the agent, 
 who approves of it. He is lulled and 
 duped into an approbation of the abilities 
 and integrity of the overseer, and imagines 
 this sort of sugar prevails throughout the 
 crop; but it is only when the account sales 
 arrive from home, depicting the miserable 
 sales of the sugars, on account of their bad 
 quality, that this fraud will be clearly seen. 
 If this overseer happens to be a favourite 
 with the resident island agent, he only re- 
 ceives a rebuke, with injunctions to mend 
 his practice in this particular for the future. 
 I perfectly remember a most heinous trait 
 of this description, in a certain elderly over- 
 AA 
 
 
 
354 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 seer. The estate he had the management 
 of, had two resident island agents, one a 
 little. more active and observant than the 
 other. One of these gentlemen only visited 
 the estate annually, the other somewhat 
 oftener. However, the most active one 
 was expected at the estate on a certain day. 
 This overseer had been in the. habit of 
 making the negro stationed on the syphons, 
 whenever he drew off the liquor from the 
 receivers to them, send down every kind of 
 filth with a mop, from that vessel into them ; 
 and when the scum appeared on the sur- 
 face of the syphons, not to touch it, till the 
 liquor was to be drawn off to the grand 
 copper, and then with a mop, turning the 
 liquor in the syphons, and mixing up all 
 the spumy qualities with it, which had been 
 thrown up by the purifymg heat, to shove 
 this adulterated body of liquor into the 
 grand copper; where it was boiled up and 
 only partially skimmed. But the day that 
 the agent was to visit the estate, the over- 
 seer caused a transient revolution for the 
 16 
 
 
 
BN ii 
 
 AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 355 
 
 better. All the old liquor was boiled off: 
 Receivers, syphons, low coppers, and gut- 
 terings, were made perfectly clean, the 
 boiling-house was full of liquor, and the 
 syphons ordered not to be allowed to 
 boil, The spume, when it arose, was 
 taken off gently by the skimmer, and 
 when the liquor was to be drawn off to the 
 grand copper, the necessary contrived im- 
 portance of the syphons was attended to. 
 No mop was made use of, to confound the 
 pure liquor and filthy spume together, and 
 the liquor was gently drawn off by the 
 regulating stop-cock to the grand copper, 
 till such time as the bottom of the syphon 
 appeared, and then the recrement remain- 
 der was turned to the skimming gutter. 
 All these measures were taken in time; 
 some good sugar was skipped on the top of 
 what remained in the coolers; the agent 
 made his appearance, was pleased with the 
 state of things, and soon took his leave. 
 The old system was gradually put in force 
 again, with as much care as the spider re- 
 AA 2 
 
 
 
a 
 
 356 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 turns to mend and re-weave his shattered 
 web. However, this overseer only reigned 
 there for another crop; his low cunning 
 artifices were abolished by a voice from the 
 mother country, complaining of the con- 
 tinual bad quality of the sugar; its sale 
 was bad, and it was found expedient to 
 send another manager to the estate. Over- 
 seers on sugar estates should beware lest 
 they fall into such errors, for a momentary 
 vain glory, or derogate from the true and 
 honest system of making good sugar, with 
 sound rich cane liquor. A strainer should 
 be placed between the grand and second 
 copper; a finer one between the second 
 and third; and another still finer at the 
 tache, on the skipping gutter. The two 
 syphons of liquor having been drawn off to 
 the low coppers, in the before-mentioned 
 manner, strained from one copper to the 
 other, and each copper, from the grand to 
 the tache, having a due quantity of liquor 
 (which these two syphons ought to be ade- 
 quate to furnishing) the fire-maker or stoker 
 
 
 
 
 
Ce ee ee 
 
 AND MANUFACTURING OF SUGAR. 357 
 
 should be called on to make a strong fire 
 under the tache. The fire made in the fur- 
 nace communicates, with amazing force and 
 rapidity, by draft flues collateral to the 
 chimney to the other coppers and syphons. 
 According as the liquor slowly works up, 
 by the force of the fire, the head boiler 
 being at the tache, and the other three low 
 coppers, having a negro each attending 
 them, should be cleanly skimmed from any 
 foulness or scum that is thrown up to the 
 surface ; such skimming may be turned into 
 the gutter leading to the distilling house. 
 This requires constant attention, according 
 as the liquor evaporates in the tache, it is 
 to be filled from the liquor in the adjoining 
 copper; the adjoining copper to be replen- 
 ished from the second copper, and. the 
 second copper from the grand; straining 
 the liquor from one copper into the other, - 
 but taking care not to empty the coppers 
 so far that they may burn, but keep their 
 sides cool with liquor, till beyond the power 
 of the fire to injure them. Nearly all the 
 
 Q 
 
 A A (2) 
 
 
 

 
 358 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 liquor should be passed from the grand cop- 
 per to the other low coppers (to which it is 
 tributary) before fresh liquor is drawn into 
 it from the syphon. As what has been 
 already boiled in the grand copper has been 
 in a great measure clarified by skimming, 
 it would be wrong to add impure to pure 
 liquor. The grand copper being again filled 
 from the first syphon, which has been par- 
 tially purified by heat, the syphon, as be- 
 fore directed, should be well washed out, 
 again filled from the receiver, and the con- 
 stant routine of skimming the low coppers 
 persisted in. The fire having penetrated 
 through évery aperture of the furnace and 
 flues, by being constantly fed with the 
 strongest dry mill-trash, its power becomes 
 so great that the surface or leads, which 
 unhité the low coppers, appears a sheet of 
 foaming liquor. Keeping up such a con- 
 _ stant good fire (if the liquor is pure and 
 00d) will be a principal means of making 
 fair-coloured crystaline sugar. The over- 
 seer, head-boiler, or book-keeper, should 
 
 
 
AND- MANUFACTURING OF SUGAR. 3859 
 
 pay implicit attention to this main point. 
 The liquor in the coppers being thus roused 
 into foaming action, by strong incessant fire, 
 the evaporation is great, and every oppor- 
 tunity is afforded to take away from it any 
 dirty particles by the skimmer. At last, the 
 eye is gratified by the liquor assuming a 
 transparent appearance, of a colour resem- 
 bling Madeira wine: a sure and happy 
 symptom of good sugar being made. In 
 this manner the low coppers should be re- 
 plenished, the liquor strained and skimmed, 
 till evaporation condenses the liquor in the 
 tache into syrup, and that qualifying re- 
 ducing vessel is full to the rim. ‘hen let 
 the head-boiler have ready lime diluted in 
 pure cane liquor, which should be strained; 
 and having dipped a ladle in the syrup to 
 try its consistency and state of granulation, 
 if it is found to want any more lime temper- 
 ing, he can add what may be necessary to 
 produce the desired effect; taking care to 
 throw in.a little liquor from the adjoming 
 copper, so as not ta let the syrup boil too 
 AA 4 
 

 
 360 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 hard or high. In about a couple of minutes 
 after this operation the syrup becomes sugar, 
 and fit to skip into the cooler. ‘This is as- 
 certained by the head boiler ordermg the 
 stoker to stop the fire, and open the cool- 
 ing gate at the tache end of the furnace, so 
 that the coppers will not burn while the 
 sugar is skipping into the cooler. This be- 
 ing done,-and the grating bars in the fur- 
 nace cleared of ashes and cinders, the liquor 
 from the third copper passed into the empty 
 tache, that from the second to the third cop- 
 per, and from the grand to the second cop- 
 per, and the liquor from the syphon that is 
 longest purified drawn into the grand cop- 
 per; then fire is again to be made under 
 the tache, and the same routine of steady 
 strong boiling kept up, strainmg, skimming, 
 and passing the liquor from one copper to 
 the other, as waste by evaporation demands, 
 till the liquor in the tache is again con- 
 densed into syrup, sugar again produced, 
 and fit to be skipped into the cooler. In 
 this manner the work is to go on in the 
 
AND MANUFACTURING OF SUGAR. 361 
 
 boiling-house, with little interruption,. till 
 the coolers are nearly full, or sufficient in 
 them, to pot one or two hogsheads of sugar. _ 
 As soon as the sugar is skipped into a cooler, 
 the head boiler is to take a stirring stick, a 
 long stout rod, made flat for eighteen inches 
 at one end, and three inches broad where 
 it is flat, and with this stick work the sugar 
 to and fro in the cooler to mix it well, then 
 gently pass the end of the stick over the 
 surface of it, till it is streaked by so doing 
 all over. Then let it rest for about twenty 
 minutes, till it forms a crust on the surface, 
 at which time, before it is too cool, ‘take the 
 turn stick again and pass it over the sur- 
 face gently to break the crust, and give a 
 crystalised variegated appearance to the 
 sugar in the cooler. This method is to be 
 observed with every skip of sugar that is 
 passed into the coolers. 
 
 When a sufficiency of sugar is alice 
 in the coolers to pot one or two hogsheads 
 of sugar, and that it is so cool that the 
 finger may remain in it, then let a couple of 
 

 
 Ee 
 
 j 
 : 
 i 
 b, 
 
 
 
 362 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 seasoned well-hooped hogsheads be placed 
 in the curing-house, on the rangers, and 
 made to stand level, so that the sugar will lie 
 even in the cask, and, when full, have an even 
 level surface. The hogsheads should be as 
 firm on the rangers as possible, for, if un- 
 steady, they may give way and cause un- 
 pleasant accidents to the negroes or sugar. 
 The head-boiler or book-keeper should su- 
 perintend this business; a good deal de- 
 pends on the manner in which the sugar is 
 potted, to make it stand the cask well, not 
 sink much, cure properly, and turn out 
 when weighed the proper quantity, con- 
 formable to the size of the hogshead. A 
 couple of negroes, with middle-sized pails 
 to carry the sugar, another with a strong 
 spade and shovel to dig it in the coolers and 
 fill the pails, will be sufficient for this work ; 
 enough of invalids can be found for this 
 purpose, without drafting away able people 
 from other work to do it. The-sugar, if 
 hard in the coolers, should be chopped, but 
 not so much as to injure the grain of it. No 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING OF SUGAR. 863 
 
 large lumps should be sent to the hogshead; 
 they should be broke moderately small, and 
 the whole mixed well in filling the pails. 
 The hogsheads, if tight in the bottom or 
 very close, should have four or five small 
 augur holes bored in them, and some plan- 
 tain stalks run through the holes and drawn 
 perpendicularly to the top of the cask, where 
 a cross stick should be placed, likewise bored 
 in various directions, and the stalks run 
 through it, in order to let the molasses drain 
 off from the sugar in the hogshead. The 
 negroes should throw the sugar from the 
 pails into the hogsheads all round, and in 
 the middle, and as they gradually fill them, 
 have a stick to make the sugar lie close and 
 dense; and even in the casks. If the sugar 
 is not too soft or hot, it will preserve its po- | 
 sition in the casks ; not sink or break into 
 inequalities, and be firm in an hour or two. 
 If it is crisp hard-grained sugar, it will cure 
 in three weeks and be fit for shipping. I 
 shall here conclude my observations and in- 
 structions on the management of sugar- 
 
304 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 canes, and manufacturing their juices into 
 sugar, by stating, that though much depends 
 on the care and management the cane re- 
 ceives in the field, to be successful in 
 making bright strong-grained fair-coloured 
 sugar, together with a due and satisfactory 
 quantity of it, according to the means which 
 can be brought into action for that purpose : 
 yet this prudent judicious management may 
 be in a great measure defeated by wilful 
 neglect, ignorance, inattention to cleanli- 
 ness, bad fires, or clandestine plotting in the 
 boiling-house. So that though much has 
 been done in the field towards prosperous 
 results, the operations in the boiling-house 
 should ever claim due attention, as there 
 the long weary trial of patient skill is to 
 -stand a. philosophical test ; for a happy or 
 an unfortunate termination. 
 
 Once more I shall beg leave to intro- 
 duce to the notice of my readers and the 
 planters, the necessity and effect of manur- 
 ing high for cane culture; as the rearing 
 _of that plant causes great exhaustion to the 
 land. And further, strongly to urge the 
 

 
 AND MANUFACTURING OF SUGAR. 365 
 
 good consequences which follow from con- 
 fining the cane cultivation to an improved 
 compact compass; and having all the cane- 
 pieces within that compass well manured 
 and taken care of, instead of stretching an 
 unbounded, scattered, ill-attended, and ill- 
 cultivated field of canes, that would be 
 accompanied and saddled with immense 
 labour, loss of stock, and indifferent re- 
 turns of sugar. As an instance of this false 
 and destructive management, I shall here 
 beg leave to introduce a circumstance of 
 deplorable and unbounded extravagance in 
 a resident island agent; or rather to point 
 out his partiality for waste and destruction, 
 his ostentatious prodigality, his tyranny in 
 prosecuting it, his deception in tampering 
 with and ensnaring his constituent into a 
 belief of the immense advantages to be de- 
 rived from his ill-fraught, ill-digested, but 
 selfish scheme; his bold, but weak, rash 
 undertaking ; his choice of overseers to pro- 
 secute his darling object. The fate of this 
 estate, and its entire capital, will be remem- 
 bered for many years by those concerned 
 
 
 
366 CUTTING OF sSUGAR-CANES, 
 
 in it, and exist, as an indelible mark of 
 folly and vanity. 
 
 In an angle of the parish of St. Mary’s, 
 in Jamaica, bearing nearly equidistant from 
 Port Maria, Oracabessa, and Salt Gut, and 
 about three miles from the borders of St. 
 Thomas in the Vale, lies an estate, whose 
 amphitheatre of hills embosoms, and nearly 
 wraps up its compact, eligible, set of works. 
 Its only public road, for the carriage of 
 its produce to the wharf, winds by the 
 course of a rivulet, which, after running in 
 a serpentine direction, for about a mile and 
 a quarter, joins the main road in a corner 
 of the vale of Bagnals. ‘The almost insu- 
 lar position in which it is placed, and 
 sequestered station, the narrow winding 
 road leading to it, the view of its durable 
 works, which bursts suddenly on the sight, 
 and its surrounding abrupt hills, which are 
 cultivated with sugar-canes, in some places 
 nearly to their summit, impress the stranger 
 (nay even those acquainted with it) with 
 the romantic sublimity of the place,’ and 
 draw forth an expression of admiration, as 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 367 
 
 to the persevering, arduous labour of man, 
 in establishing it as a sugar estate. A most 
 noble spectacle in the scenery here is, a 
 stupendous white shelving rock, that with 
 dreadful grandeur spreads to a considerable 
 curve-like breadth, and upwards of one 
 hundred feet in height, overhanging in pro- 
 jecting strata, from its immense base to its 
 impending summit, which threatens mo- 
 mentary destruction to every thing under- 
 neath; yet the hand of Providence, and 
 natural adhesion of the massy strata of this 
 frightful precipice, keeps it from tumbling 
 to the bottom, and preserves unshaken its 
 terrific aspect. In rainy weather, from the 
 top of this rock, and out of a channel, 
 (which time has formed, by the action of 
 an impetuous stream from heavy rain,) de- 
 scends a torrent of water, into a natural 
 basin below. ‘This cataract is seen from a 
 ereat distance after heavy rain, and the 
 foaming surge made from it, causes a roar, 
 and mist to arise, which is truly striking 
 and picturesque. Even in dry weather, 
 when some springs cease to pour forth a 
 
 
 
 
 
368 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 supply of -water, the strata of this rock is 
 always seen to percolate, and drip down to 
 the receiving basin beneath, a gentle shower 
 of filtered, limpid water. From this basin 
 likewise, as well as from some neighbouring 
 springs, a large mill-dam is supplied, whose 
 water turns an extensive mill on the works 
 of this estate, and is also the parent of the 
 rivulet which flows at the base of its hills, 
 along the margin of its winding, barquadier 
 road, that at last loses itself in the Rio 
 Nuova river. 
 
 The resident island planting agent for this 
 estate had to deal with a constituent, who 
 though residing in the island, was wholly en- 
 grossed in mercantile speculations, astranger 
 to the duties and qualifications of a planter, 
 and had his residence in the emporium of 
 the island. He confidently trusted to the 
 skill and unbiassed conduct of this (as 
 he thought) efficient planting agent. The 
 estate was a partnership concern for some 
 years, and one of the partners resided on it. 
 It was involved in a chancery suit. In the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 369 
 
 year 1809, the partner who lived on the 
 estate was induced to leave it, and resign 
 his claims for a certain consideration to the 
 representative of the other partner, who 
 now became its possessor, although still 
 pending in chancery. When the resident 
 partner (who was likewise the overseer, of 
 the estate) was about leaving, it was found 
 necessary to send an overseer to obtain pos- 
 session from him, and take charge of it. 
 These changes were anticipated for some 
 time. Every thing was in a state of back- 
 wardness for commencing crop, though in 
 the month of March. No copper-wood 
 was cut; half the pastures in ruin; no land 
 prepared or dug to put in spring plants; and 
 the coppers in a deranged state; but few, 
 and they all worn out, crippled Spanish 
 cattle on the estate, to make manure and 
 carry the produce to the wharf; immense 
 jobbing, which previously was spent on the 
 estate, was suspended or withheld; and it 
 was not till the month of May that the over- 
 seer who received. possession, and took 
 BB 
 
 
 
370 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 charge, could get things in a state of 
 forwardness to commence crop, and pre- 
 pare ground for a spring plant, in order to 
 ensure some satisfactory returns the ensu- 
 ing crop. This overseer had the toil and 
 anxiety of bringing such a property, from 
 so low a condition, to comparative prospe- 
 rity, and advantageous crops, without much 
 jobbing, labour of hired mechanics, little 
 loss of stock, none of effective or working 
 
 slaves, and had an increase of slaves far © 
 
 beyond the decrease. A field of one hun- 
 dred and sixty acres of promising clean 
 canes, he had established, which the prying 
 eye of a critical planter did not find fault 
 
 with, but approved of, and had the works — 
 
 newly covered with shingles, procured from 
 the woods of the estate. The mills and 
 mill-houses were put into complete repair ; 
 the boiling-house coppers newly hung, 
 plenty of strong mill-trash brought into the 
 trash-houses, to boil the sugar with; cop- 
 per-wood cut, and brought home to the 
 works for the distilling-house ; the cane and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 871 
 
 grass pieces cleaned ; the cattle in compa- 
 rative good order, the mules in excellent 
 condition, and every thing ready, in the 
 early part of the year 1811, to begin crop. 
 He had actually commenced an expectant, 
 promising crop, of near two hundred hogs- 
 heads of sugar; when the capricious, de- 
 signing, venal policy of the resident island 
 planting agent was put in practice, to sup- 
 plant this overseer. He sent a well-feigned 
 story to his constituent, in order to get his 
 acquiescence for discharging him; thus 
 cruelly and barbarously taking from thisman 
 his situation and his bread, and, if possible, 
 his fair, hard-earned reputation and charac- 
 ter; and this without deigning to allege a 
 fault, or impute a crime to him, and throw- 
 ing into the hands of the succeeding over- 
 seer an estate which was in excellent con- 
 dition of cultivation, to build his reputation 
 (if possible) upon the spoils of that of his 
 predecessor. All this was done to answer 
 the purpose of a deep-laid scheme for his 
 own private advantage. But fate, though 
 
 BE 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 a a 
 
 
 
372 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 slow, ordained it otherwise ; for the succeed- 
 ing overseer was a novice of a planter, a 
 creature of the agent’s will and pleasure, 
 though illiterate and ignorant; a person 
 whom he was resolved to promote, at the 
 risk of propriety and discretion, because a 
 secret combination of circumstances linked 
 him to this man, which he did not wish the 
 world to know of. I could here relate some 
 of those secret circumstances, but it would 
 break in upon my narrative of what hap- 
 pened on this estate, and the reasons that 
 induced this agent to dismiss the former 
 overseer, and fill his place with another. 
 When the storms of a western revolution 
 threw a number of refugees on the British 
 West India islands (some of whom were in 
 a destitute and naked condition) as adven- 
 turers, to seek an asylum and employment 
 there, the native hospitality of Jamaica re- 
 ceived’ a number of those wanderers, and 
 without prejudice or partiality,. or any dis- 
 parity, on account of what principles they 
 might profess, generously ranked them as 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 3873 
 
 part of the island family, and employed and 
 patronised them. In thus giving protec- 
 tion, and affording impartial opportunities 
 to the deserving and the upright, they never 
 reflected on the licentious views which 
 might have been transplanted with those 
 emigrants, or the dark but aspiring policy 
 which has marked their gradual exaltation. 
 They have now mastered the Floridas, and 
 will soon have a powerful navy, both sta- 
 tioned in, and sweeping the gulfs of Flo- 
 rida and Mexico. We may look to Cuba 
 and Jamaica for their next enterprising at- 
 tempt; for they will seize an unguarded, 
 favourable moment to attack and possess 
 themselves of those valuable colonies. “No 
 matter in what corner of the world, any of 
 those ramblers were, or are placed; a latitude 
 hasbeen given to their endeavours and enter- 
 prises, which has levelled almost every thing 
 to their mental standard, and made them 
 partake of the enjoyments and privileges, 
 not only of British subjects, ies of citizens 
 of the world. 
 BB 3 
 
 
 
374 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 An estate in the parish of St. Thomas, 
 in the vale, (nearly two miles to the north- 
 east of Bogwalk, which verges on a branch 
 of the river Rio Cobre, ) nurtured a middle 
 aged, but now nearly superannuated soldier, 
 of this western tribe of emigrants. He 
 there basked in the sunshine of prosperity for 
 some years, and patronage accumulated on 
 him, till his ambition made him vain, super- 
 stitious, and at last not very scrupulous how 
 this estate, and others under him, was at- 
 tended to. Always aiming at personal 
 agerandizement, he did not regard a little 
 
 infraction of justice. After a number of 
 
 years spent with various success, he ven- 
 tured, in his advanced age, on the solacing 
 scheme of matrimony, and united himself 
 with a young Creole lady, not twenty-five 
 years old. In the natural course of time 
 she blessed him with so many children, as 
 to. alarm him, and cause his brain to be 
 prolific in ways and means for their sup- 
 port, education, and future fortunes. Re- 
 trenchment was first adopted, his constitu- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 875 
 
 ent’s property was next assessed, parti- — 
 tioned, and loaded with the incumbrance 
 of his family, both in point of house-room, 
 provisions, servants,, small stock, grass, and 
 corn. He then looked about with anxious, 
 unrelenting solicitude, for a situation suit- 
 able to his views, central in a great mea- 
 sure with some affluent, comfortable estate 
 that he was concerned for; and after vari- 
 ous perambulations, and artful enquiries 
 about the benefits to be derived from such 
 a situation, and a specious display of what 
 great service his near residence would ren- 
 der to any estate he was employed to man- 
 
 age, he insidiously worked on his unwary — 
 and credulous constituent, and was allowed 
 to remove to, and take up his quarters, in 
 the great house of a cultivated mountain, © 
 adjoining the estate I have already de- 
 scribed, as lying in an angle of the parish 
 of St. Mary’s. On this he displayed his 
 talent of extensive tillage, but brought po- 
 verty on the land, with no increase of crops. 
 This event, as I said before, was prefaced 
 
 BB 4& 
 
<376 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 -with the discharge of the first overseer, be- 
 cause he imagined that man.(as he often 
 said, was of rather too independent a turn 
 of mind for him) was not, or would not, be 
 congenial to his schemes, and that contri- 
 butions for his table would be but slowly 
 and scantily sent in. 
 
 Although this estate had a number of 
 excellent Negro carpenters upon it, and 
 belonging to it, who were fully adequate to 
 what work of that kind might be wanted, 
 yet this agent, in the unrestrained latitude 
 of his spirit, called in the assistance of a 
 white carpenter, at a considerable expense, 
 to erect a shoot, or strong wooden trough, in 
 order to precipitate the canes from one part of 
 his field to the bottom of the hill.. This was 
 a piece of rude mechanism, which the estate 
 carpenters could accomplish, with no ex- 
 pense but their own labour.. He not only 
 heaped this expense on the property, but 
 threw up and destroyed a valuable produc- 
 tive cane-piece of eleven acres, which lay 
 contiguous to the works, to make room for, 
 
 | 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 377 
 
 -and erect, this favourite, worthless trunk, 
 that in two years after was found of no use, 
 but rather an inconvenience; at the end of 
 this time its death-warrant was announced, 
 by pulling the tottering, rotten fabrick 
 down. But to proceed with this man’s ex- 
 travagance and waste of valuable land. On 
 the summit of the before-mentioned roman- 
 tic rock, there lay a piece of ground, co- 
 vered with valuable hard-wood timbers, and 
 such trees as were fit to split for the purpose 
 of hogshead staves and shingles, which 
 served for some years, and would have 
 lasted many more, as a resort for the estate 
 carpenters and coopers to procure. those 
 requisite and necessary materials in, and 
 save the expense either of more laborious 
 carriage, or purchasing foreign lumber. A 
 track had been made some years before, for 
 mules in dry weather to proceed to it, to 
 carry home the lumber that had occasion- 
 ally been split there; and although this 
 land was valuable as a repository of wood, 
 yet it was cold, clayey, and rather a spongy 
 
378 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 soil, unfit and unprofitable for the cultiva- 
 tion of canes, a bad, distant, and a broken 
 up track or road, for carriage to and from 
 it; and what was of infinite injury to any 
 canes that were planted there, the entire 
 neighbourhood of this land was surrounded 
 to a great distance by ground which har- 
 boured an endless number of large rats. 
 To the extent of twelve to eighteen acres of 
 
 this wood, did he order his novice of an- 
 
 overseer to have cut down, burned off, and 
 planted with canes, though even the plant 
 tops were obliged to be carried by mules 
 from a great distance to it, through a bad 
 road, over the stumps of trees, and through 
 tough, boggy holes. This land was sepa- 
 rated by a high rocky hill from any of the 
 
 ~ eane-pieces, or cultivated spots on the estate, 
 
 and unprotected by fences. Although land 
 
 of far better texture for the cultivation of 
 
 canes was on the estate, which was divested 
 
 of wood, and had not been much exhausted 
 
 by tillage, lay more commodious for carri- 
 
 age, had an exposed aspect to the sun, 
 13 
 
 , 
 a a ee 
 

 
 AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 379 
 
 (which this wood land had not) and much 
 nearer the works than this, which some ma- 
 nure would have made adequate to produce 
 three hogsheads of good sugar per acre, yet 
 itwas passed by unheeded. After bestowing 
 the most arduous labour of the negroes and 
 mules, cutting down, burning, and destroy- 
 ing this valuable wood, and striving to esta- 
 blish this land as a cane-piece, it yielded 
 only two poor crops of bad sugar. The 
 rats became masters of it, and it now lays 
 a ruinous memorial of the folly and extrava- 
 gance of this vain resident planting agent. 
 In enumerating the almost endless, and I 
 may say fruitless folly of this man, in the 
 planting system, I should too much digress 
 from my main subject. Suffice it to say, 
 that he not only destroyed this wood land, 
 by putting it in canes, which was thrown 
 up shortly after, but he made this and two 
 other successive overseers mutilate the 
 estate, and its fine grazing pastures, and 
 devote one-third of them, at a great dis- 
 tance from the works, to cane-culture: he 
 
 
 
380 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 half-starving the cattle and mules, a great 
 part of whom perished by overwork, 
 and want of the plenty they were accus- 
 tomed to. All this while, the old cane- 
 pieces of the estate were turned up, dug 
 and planted in canes, without intermission 
 or rest, and little manure, save one solitary 
 piece.’ Even the very negro grounds, that 
 had thrown up guinea grass, and which was 
 serviceable and convenient, for cutting as 
 provender, for the mule-stable, and cattle- 
 pens, was taken up in cane-pieces ; so that 
 an immense field of canes was spread out 
 in every direction. Such an extended 
 field necessarily required a great deal of 
 negro labour, to plant and preserve. A 
 jobbing gang belonging to a neighbouring 
 mountain, was by this agent’s command, 
 called in to aid this work. Not less upon 
 an average than 40 effective slaves daily, 
 throughout the whole year, were constantly 
 employed on this estate, at this period, 
 which could not be less than an expense of 
 
 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 381 
 
 17007. ‘currency of ‘Jamaica annually. 
 But these projects were ill-judged and ill- 
 executed, in a great measure frustrated by 
 their overgrown weight, and after a lapse 
 of three years, the bubbling scheme burst. 
 The inutility and burthensome expense of 
 it, was too apparent to the constituent ; 
 his selfish views became visible, and his 
 dismissal proclaimed the wisdom of his em- 
 ployer; saved the estate from farther de- 
 falcation ; and it is to be hoped, drew the 
 sphere of cane cultivation on it, into a 
 narrower, more healthful, and more profit- 
 able condition. With all this immense 
 jobbing, of 1700/7. per annum, they could 
 not preserve this large field of canes clean; 
 they yielded poorly, because they were 
 planted without judgment as to season, 
 without manure, with imperfect tops, badly 
 fenced, rammed into the cane holes in a 
 careless way; cut in all weathers, to en- 
 force the mill to grind them in time; and 
 trash turned too late on the pieces, without 
 

 
 382 CUTTING OF SUGAR-CANES, 
 
 supplies. This agent never made up at 
 annual crop, during the three years I be- 
 fore mentioned, of 200 hogsheads of sugar, 
 which the estate could have produced from 
 a field, of 60 or 80 acres less of cane cul- 
 ture, in far better order, and a saving of 
 800/. or 9OO/. a year. 
 
 But though vanity and pride were the 
 principal features in this agent’s character, 
 he never could divest himself of an in- 
 clination to support himself and family, at 
 the expense of his constituents. No dimi- 
 nution of his per centage occurred, in the 
 account sales of the produce; or reduction 
 for the maintenance of himself and family. 
 This was amassed with rigid parsimony. 
 Though wealthy, he was ever needy. ‘The 
 spirit of avarice was never abandoned by 
 him; and though detected in his meanness, 
 his schemes exploded, himself and family 
 banished from his former abode, he still, 
 with matchless effrontery, sought for 
 another asylum of this kind, and esta- 
 
 
 
 
 
AND MANUFACTURING SUGAR. 383 
 
 blished himself on a property belonging to 
 another of his constituents, who resided in 
 England; and made changes of overseers 
 on several plantations, to suit his conveni- 
 ence and interest. 
 
384 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 
 
 Cirantinass is a principal means to pro- 
 duce not only good, but large quantities of - 
 rum. For this purpose, every vessel, which 
 is to be made use of in its manufacture, 
 should be kept as clean, as the nature of 
 things will admit. ‘The skimming molasses, 
 dunder, mixing, and fermenting cisterns, 
 should all be well cleared out, preparatory 
 toarum crop. Even the tank should have 
 its share of attention in that respect, the 
 stills be brightly scoured inside, and the 
 worms forced with water, to discharge any 
 scum, mud, crustated stuff, or other matter, 
 which may obstruct the free passage of the 
 distilling liquor, or adulterate it. It is 
 
 - sometimes difficult in the commencement 
 
 of a rum crop, (when the distilling-house is 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 38895 
 
 cold from disuse,) to bring on free, quick, 
 and strong fermentation in the liquor, after 
 it is compounded. It will be requisite, in 
 order to promote this essential property, to 
 bring into action something to assist its 
 natural efforts. The fermenting cisterns 
 should be well cleaned and dryed out, then 
 filled with some green milltrash, which has 
 not been much squeezed, that the fer- 
 mentation arising from it may sweat and 
 warm the cisterns. This trash should _re- 
 main in them ‘covered up, till they are 
 wanted to be filled with liquor from the 
 mixing cistern. ‘The house should have a 
 fire made in it so central, that the warmth 
 of it will diffuse through it, and dispel the 
 chilly cold dampness of the fermenting 
 part of the house. The liquor should be 
 compounded (the first round of the fer- 
 menting cisterns) rather lightly of heavy 
 sweets, so as to induce by its volatile light 
 quality, quick fermentation, and that in 
 two or three rounds of the house, by 
 gradually strengthening the liquor with 
 Ge 
 
386 MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 
 
 strong heavy sweets, the standard of fer- 
 mentation may be critically fixed, to answer 
 the disposition of the house, in yielding 
 good returns from the liquor. The house 
 being thus regulated, nothing is wanted but 
 cleanliness, economy, and a due share of 
 sweets from the boiling and curing-houses, 
 to give an adequate return of rum, to the 
 number of hogsheads of sugar made; that 
 is, one half the number of puncheons of 
 rum, to the number of hogsheads of sugar ; 
 which if produced, is a criterion to judge 
 by, that the distilling-house department has 
 been managed with attention and ability. 
 But a parsimonious conduct in the affairs 
 of the boiling-house, may quash an impar- 
 tial crop in the distilling-house, and render 
 both crops poor and unproductive. 
 
 No old dunder (or wash from the liquor 
 still) from a former crop, should be made 
 use of to mix with liquor of a new crop. 
 This pernicious stale stuff, should be thrown 
 away, and the dunder cistern left empty, 
 to receive the new dunder from the first 
 
 
 
 
 
MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 387 
 
 liquor that is distilled ; good fresh clarified 
 dunder is an ingredient, when given in 
 right proportion, which will enhance the 
 strength and fermentation of the liquor ; 
 but if of a weak, muddy, and bitterly sour 
 nature, it will ruin all the other ingredients, 
 retard fermentation, make it work heavy, 
 take a long time to ripen, and give poor 
 returns. If the skimmings have not been 
 purged from spume and dross, and in a 
 manner clarified, previous to being mixed 
 with the liquor preparing for fermentation, 
 they will cause the liquor to be ropey, work 
 heavy, be slow in fermenting, vapid, and pro- 
 duce small returns; it then behoves a per- 
 son superintending the distilling-house, to 
 be nice and exact as to good clean dunder 
 and skimmings. 
 
 Twelve per cent. sweets will be high 
 enough to set the liquor, in the beginning 
 of a distilling house crop; but when the 
 house is warm, with good strong fresh 
 dunder to make use of, and powerful fer- 
 mentation pervading all the cisterns, I 
 
 CC's 
 
 
 
388 MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 
 
 would set the liquor as high as fourteen, or 
 fifteen per cent. of sweets. A measuring 
 rod is a useful implement, to ascertain the 
 quantity of each ingredient. This may be 
 put into the mixing cistern, with a per 
 centage scale scribed upon it, equal to the 
 depth of the mixing cistern; so that, if the 
 mixing cistern holds twelve hundred gallons, 
 this rod should be marked with twelve cross 
 scribes, and the space between each scribe 
 divided by ten nicks; each scribe de- 
 noting one hundred gallons, and each nick 
 ten gallons. The skimmings and dunder 
 having been ‘in some measure clarified, 
 this twelve hundred gallon mixing cistern 
 I would proceed to fill with its compound- 
 ing ingredients, at fourteen per cent. sweets ; 
 that is, one hundred and sixty-eight gallons 
 of heavy sweets or molasses; taking it for 
 granted, that every eighty gallons. of good 
 skimmings, is equal to one gallon of mo- 
 lasses. I would have turned into the cistern 
 four hundred and eight gallons of skim- 
 mings, which is equal ‘to sixty gallons of 
 
 
 
 
 
MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 389 
 
 molasses. It then requires one hundred 
 and eight gallons of molasses to make up 
 the complement of sweets, which should 
 be likewise thrown into the cistern. Having 
 its proportion of sweets, and being filled up 
 to five hundred and eighty-eight gallons, 
 with skimmings and molasses; that is forty 
 per cent. on the measuring rod of skim- 
 mings, and nine per cent. of molasses; the 
 cistern now wants six hundred and twelve 
 gallons of liquid to complete it. I would 
 then add, for this purpose, four hundred 
 and thirty-two gallons of dunder, and one 
 hundred and eighty gallons of pure cold 
 soft water ; that is, thirty-six per cent. of 
 dunder, and fifteen per cent. of water on 
 the measuring rod. ‘Total, twelve hundred 
 gallons, being the contents of the mixing 
 cistern, and mixed at the rate of fourteen 
 per cent. of sweets. This liquor so com- 
 posed, should be well stirred up and 
 commixed, by a perforated broad board, 
 placed to a well-fixed staff or handle. 
 The liquor must then be left to rest, 
 Cg 
 
890 MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 
 
 till it begins to ferment. The foul drossy 
 head should be skimmed off it, and the 
 fermenting cisterns being ready for its re- 
 ception, it should be pumped, or allowed 
 to run into them till they are full. In this 
 manner should liquor be set in the height of 
 crop. The liquor, when it is passed into the 
 fermenting cisterns, must be kept clean by 
 a skimmer; when no skimmings are to be 
 had, the full quantum of molasses must be 
 mixed at the rate of fourteen per cent. ; 
 that is, one hundred and sixty-eight gallons 
 of molasses, with fifty per cent. of good 
 pure dunder, or six hundred gallons of it ; 
 making together with the molasses, seven 
 hundred and sixty-eight gallons. The 
 cistern must be filled up with pure cold 
 soft water, and will require four hundred 
 and thirty-two gallons at the rate of 
 thirty-six per cent. on the measuring rod, 
 making a total of twelve hundred gallons, 
 being the contents of the mixing cistern, 
 comprising fourteen per cent. molasses, fifty 
 per cent. dunder, and thirty-six per cent. 
 
 ee ea 
 
MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 891 
 
 water. When beginning to ferment, it 
 should be skimmed, and then pumped or 
 passed to the fermenting cisterns. In this 
 manner should the house be set round with 
 liquor. When the fermentation subsides, 
 or ceases in the fermenting cisterns, the 
 liquor is ripe for distilling, which may be 
 known by whitish bead-like particles, or 
 small globules appearing on the surface of 
 the liquor, or a thin white surface shewing 
 itself on it. There should no time be lost 
 in distilling it. It should be passed into 
 the low wine still, the still well closed, and 
 a strong fire put under it, till the low wine 
 begins to run slowly from the worm. A 
 moderate fire must be kept up, till the low 
 wine is run off. According as the ferment- 
 ing cisterns are emptied, they should be 
 washed out with warm water, and filled 
 immediately again, so that the fermenting 
 spirit may be retained in them. 
 
 Good strong liquor should give a fifth 
 from the still in low wines. Care should 
 be taken to run off the low wines cool from 
 
 cc 4 
 
 
 
——_- =". 
 
 392 .-MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 
 
 the worm, and no liquor allowed (by the 
 strong a fire being made under the still) to 
 descend with it, through the worm. When 
 there is enough low wine made to fill the 
 rum still, or a couple of hundred gallons 
 
 more, it should be passed into it, the still > 
 
 well closed up, and a quick strong fire made 
 under it, till the rum begins to trickle from 
 the worms. Then most of the fire should 
 be damped or withdrawn, and the rum suf- 
 fered to run cool from the worm. Good 
 low wine will give one-third strong rum, 
 or rather more. Plenty of water should 
 be running into the tank, to keep the worms 
 cool, and the surplus warm water, which 
 rises to the surface of the tank, should be 
 let off by a proper outlet. Neither the low 
 wine or rum still should be filled higher 
 than within six or eight inches of the rim 
 of the still, that no accidents may take 
 place by explosion, or any of the liquor or 
 low wine from the stills, be suffered to pass 
 down the worms, to contaminate the distill- 
 ing liquor. The still heads and goose 
 
 
 
 
 
 Be Pee e 5 
 
 Se 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 3938 
 
 necks, must always be well closed and 
 secured, whenever the stills are loaded with 
 liquor or low wines, and a brisk strong fire 
 made under the stills to bring them down, 
 or make sufficient ebullition by boiling. 
 After this, moderate fires will work off the 
 distilling liquor. For the purpose of pre- 
 serving good dunder to mix the liquor with, 
 the entire spirit from the liquor still, (or 
 rather low wine still, ) should not be run off 
 the still, but a few distill-house cans re- 
 tained in the still, of the last runnings of the 
 low wines, so that the dunder may be strong, 
 and kept fresh and good, to mix in subse- 
 quent liquor, which it much enhances the 
 strength and fermentation of. Whenrunning 
 off, or distilling rum, a proof bottle should 
 be kept, into which (by a phial containing a 
 certain small quantity) a portion of the rum, 
 from each distilling house rum can should 
 be put; and when the rum so put into the 
 proof bottle comes to the mean standard 
 of twenty-two strong proof, by a London 
 or Glasgow proof-bead, the remainder of 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 394 MAKING AND DISTILLING OF RUM. 
 
 the spirit, which comes from the still worm, 
 should be thrown up into the low wine 
 butt. Any more mixture of it in the rum, 
 will both make it weak, and give it a bad 
 taste and flavour. 
 
 Every week the stills should be com- 
 pletely scoured, and every time they are 
 filled they should be well washed out with 
 - water. The dunder and skimming cisterns 
 should be cleaned out every week or 
 fortnight. 
 
395 
 
 CHAP. VUL 
 
 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 Iurerrecr as this treatise may appear to 
 the nice discerning eye, to the critical ob- 
 server on speculations of this kind, I do 
 not mean to arrogate to myself a vain pre- 
 sumption to enquire into deep researches, 
 but to give a plain unpolished system, as 
 to the theory and practice of managing a 
 sugar estate. I feel, in taking upon myself 
 such a task, that I should be guilty of a 
 gross error, and an unpardonable fault, if I 
 did not, in some measure, advert to the 
 prime rule of planting and taking care of 
 as much vegetable provisions as will suffice 
 to sustain the resident white people on such 
 a property. It is rigidly imcumbent on 
 every overseer or manager not only to have 
 a knowledge of the method of planting 
 
 ‘3 - sa eA Se i rr 
 ee ae ee ae es a Ne 7a Ee 2 oy EES Pe, 
 
 ——— 
 
396 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 such provisions as are natural to the soil, 
 but to have plenty of them to resort to, 
 for the support of himself and the white 
 people living with him; and for the benefit 
 of some of the slaves, who may happen to 
 be devoid of provision grounds in bearing. 
 A magazine or reserve of ground provisions 
 will always be of great service. It is true, 
 that an annual supply of salt provisions, 
 with five or six barrels of flour, comes out 
 to almost every estate for the use of the 
 white people and slaves; but this will go 
 but a little way indeed towards their. main- 
 tenance. It will be a mere mite to depend 
 upon. Almost every article for human 
 subsistence must be raised by the planter 
 and slaves themselves. The rearing and 
 
 care then of provisions is concomitant with 
 the principle of plantership ; for it would 
 be imperfect and lifeless without it. 
 
 Some managers have a hiding propensity 
 in the choice of a situation to plant pro- 
 visions in; for which purpose they. fix 
 upon one of the most remote corners of 
 
 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 397 
 
 the property, and care not how much 
 valuable wood they destroy by so doing. 
 At some future period this may be wanted 
 for buildings and copper-wood, and save 
 the expence and delay of purchasing a sup- 
 ply. They may imagine, perhaps, that pro- 
 visions require prime virgin land to grow | 
 in, that they shall never come in contact 
 with any other cultivation; that they will 
 be censured by their employers, for. bring- 
 ing them in the scope of cane or grass 
 tillage, or devoting time, labour, and at- 
 tention to them. Most of these reasons 
 I will venture here to refute. But at the 
 same time, I beg leave to explain that I do 
 not mean that either cane or grass culti- 
 vation should be injured, or cut up, by the 
 introduction of. provisions in their place, 
 or that they should be planted close to the 
 works, to the disparagement of other cul- 
 ture ; that they may be close to the view, 
 and under the eye of the overseer. With 
 respect to new land being taken to plant 
 provisions in, it is a waste to employ it so, 
 

 
 398 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 when many patches of good strong land 
 lie unoccupied in various sheltered corners 
 contiguous to the cane culture, capable of 
 throwing up strong luxuriant provisions. 
 These have been deemed, perhaps, too dis- 
 tant for the carriage of canes, too laborious 
 and tedious for the stock, to bring home to 
 supply the mill, and not wanted to convert 
 into pasture, as enough of grazing grounds 
 may have already been established for the 
 support of the stock. ‘To this it may be 
 added, that by having provision grounds 
 for the white people close to the farthest 
 cane cultivation, any weeds that might 
 otherwise grow there, would be kept down, 
 and done away with, to the advantage of 
 the canes ; because the system of cleaning 
 the provisions so close to them would be 
 an essential safeguard, a benefit to the 
 canes. A watchman would be stationed 
 there, the subordinate white people would 
 often frequent the place, and have pro- 
 visions cut and gathered; and the over-: 
 seer’s visits would be necessarily drawn to 
 21 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 399 
 
 such a convenient spot. By taking up land 
 of this kind in provisions, the new virgin 
 woodland would be preserved, the cane 
 culture would not be intruded on or in- 
 jured, and labour would be saved. I have 
 no doubt but every reasonable employer 
 would be satisfied with the work, and 
 applaud the undertaking as a laudable one. 
 
 So much corn is usually grown through 
 the cane pieces, that seldom a separate 
 corn piece is wanted on an estate to afford 
 a supply. However, when the overseer is 
 forbidden to plant corn in the cane pieces, 
 he must have a separate piece of ground, 
 as an alternative to sow corn in for the sub- 
 sistence of small stock; on which himself 
 and the other resident white people are to 
 live; for occasionally giving to the negro 
 children, convalescents, and weakly dis- 
 tempered mules and cattle. ‘There should 
 in such cases be a piece of about ten acres 
 of tolerable good land set apart, contiguous 
 to the cane culture, and fenced in, where 
 liable to trespass from cattle, by a post and 
 
400 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 rail fence, or a double ditch, penguined 
 over. ‘This piece of ground should be 
 stocked up and hoed off; and if heavy in 
 grass or weeds, cleared by burning when 
 dry. JI would have this ground regularly 
 lined out, at four feet and a half distance 
 between the corn-rows, which should be 
 pegged off every two feet; then set in a 
 gang of negroes. with hoes to dig corn- 
 holes, where the pegs have been put down, 
 through the entire piece, which will be 
 planting the corn four feet and a half 
 space, by two feet distance. The corn- 
 holes should not be more than five inches 
 deep, and six inches square when opened. 
 
 The mold must be hauled up to the edge 
 of the holes, broke fine, and made a small 
 bank of. The banks and holes through 
 the piece must be parallel to each other. 
 Then let each negro have a basket of good 
 ripe manure, and put about half a handful 
 in each corn-hole. When a_ favourable 
 opportunity offers, I would set in the gang 
 to plant it with good seed corn, which 
 
 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 401 
 
 should be steeped in water for a few hours 
 previous to planting. Let the gang be set 
 in, a negro to each corn-row, each negro 
 being provided with a small calabash or 
 vessel to hold his quantity of seed corn, 
 and make each of them drop four distinct 
 corn seeds in every hole; not too close 
 together in the hole, and then cover it -up 
 with the bank mold. If the weather is 
 seasonable, it will in a week begin to shew 
 itself above ground. When it is four or 
 five inches high, the weeding gang should 
 be set in to clean, weed, and mould it up. 
 It will then grow rapidly, and will require. 
 another cleaning and moulding in four or 
 five weeks’ time. This crop of corn will be 
 ripe for breaking or gathering in, (if favour. | 
 able weather, ) in four months. The corn 
 planted from March to October is generally 
 the best and most productive. There is 
 one advantage in having a separate corn 
 piece from cane cultivation. It can be 
 underplanted, in the spaces between the 
 corn-rows, when the first corn is near three. 
 DD 
 

 
 402 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS, 
 
 months old, by digging corn-holes in the 
 middle of the four feet and a half spaces, 
 ‘not exactly opposite the former corn-holes, 
 but at a mean distance between them. 
 These holes should likewise have a small 
 quantity of manure, and every time the 
 piece is planted, should have attention paid. 
 to this direction, to keep up the strength 
 of the land; which will ensure good corn, 
 if the weather is favourable and the seed 
 good. By thus underplanting, there may 
 be two, if not three, crops of corn from 
 the same piece of ground annually. This 
 ground by being lightly manured in. the 
 corn-hole every time it is planted, will pro- 
 duce corn for years, and give an ample supply. 
 When the first crop of corn is gathered in, 
 the corn stalks should be pulled up and 
 made to lie flat in the row where they grew, 
 so that they will not choke or impede the 
 growth of the neighbouring young corn. 
 In a former place I noticed the pressing 
 necessity, of taking proper care of what 
 ground or vegetable provisions, there might 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 403 
 
 happen to be on an estate. I now wish to 
 lay before my readers the way to plant such 
 provisions. I would begin with a patch for 
 ground provisions. Supposing that three 
 acres will be adequate to support the white 
 people on an estate, I would look out for 
 ten acres of as good land as could be 
 found, adjacent to the cane culture, and in 
 as sheltered a situation as possible, that 
 was thrown out of such culture, by reason 
 of its laborious distance for cane carriage, 
 giving indifferent or bad sugar for want of 
 proper exposure, or the soil too rank and 
 spongy to continue in canes. ‘This ten 
 acres I would subdivide, first, in a patch of 
 three acres for ground provisions, which I 
 would parcel out into five or six divisions ; 
 the remaining seven acres should be laid 
 out in a plantain walk, and be the most 
 sheltered part of the ground. ‘The whole 
 of this ten acres of ground, should be well 
 stocked up and hoed; if heavy in grass, or 
 wéeds, cleanly burned off, and any lodg- 
 ments of water let off the land by a trench. 
 DD 2 
 
 —4 
 
404, PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 It should be fenced against trespass, by a 
 double ditch topped with penguins, or a 
 post and rail fence, on that side, which 
 does not border on the cane cultivation. 
 Cocoas or eddoes are the most lasting 
 and durable ground provisions, as they 
 ratoon for years; and by planting them in 
 successive patches, can be gathered in at 
 any time of the year that they become 
 ripe. ‘There are several kinds of them; 
 the bourbon, which is large, but rather soft, 
 less nutritious, but more palatable to white 
 people, and sooner becomes fit to dig in; 
 and the country white and black cocoas, 
 which are small, more prolific, more nou- 
 rishing, drier, and more agreeable to the 
 negroes, but which take a longer time to 
 become ripe. I would appropriate two 
 acres, out of the three that I intended for 
 ground provisions, for planting and rearing 
 cocoas, and the other acre for planting and 
 rearing of yams. These two acres for cocoas, 
 I would divide into four patches, in order 
 that they may come in at different periods. 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 405 
 
 A patch should be planted every six weeks 
 till the ground is occupied ; two patches of 
 bourbon, and two of country cocoas; the 
 ground should be lined out two feet and a 
 half square, and be pegged off; the gang 
 should then be set in to dig the cocoa-holes 
 at every peg, which should be six or eight 
 inches deep, and a foot square. When the 
 holes are opened, the bank must be hauled 
 up to the edge of the holes and broke fine; 
 then having obtained some good, ripe, dry 
 cocoa heads, with good vegetating eyes, let 
 them be cut into plants of two and a half 
 inches square, with good eyes to each plant, 
 and carried to the piece of ground. - Each 
 negro must take a parcel of these plants, 
 and put two of them firmly in the bottom 
 of each hole, three or four inches apart 
 from each other, with the skin-side down- 
 wards, and cover them up well with the 
 bank mold; and so finish the planting of 
 the patch. At the end of six weeks, put 
 in another patch; when this is planted, the 
 former will be above ground, and may re- 
 DD 3 
 
406 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 quire cleaning and molding, which should 
 be attended to. In this manner proceed 
 in planting the two acres in cocoas, till 
 completed; taking care to clean and mold 
 the other patches which were planted. The: 
 first patch will cover the ground, and be 
 thick strong stems, by the time the last is 
 planted. Cocoas will require two moldings 
 and three cleanings, before they begin to 
 button or bear at the roots, and get the 
 better, or overpower the growth of weeds 
 that spring up among them. Bourbon 
 cocoas will be ripe in nine months, and 
 country cocoas in twelve months after they 
 are planted. According as each patch is 
 dug, it should be well hoed; the cocoa 
 heads made steady in the ground, the old 
 leaves mostly lopped off the heads, (except 
 the top sucker) and the head well molded 
 up. After this, by giving them one mold- 
 ing, and two cleanings annually, there then 
 will be a succession of cocoas for years. 
 There are several kinds of yams. The 
 negro and white yams are principally cul- 
 
 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 407 
 
 tivated. They are the largest, most lasting, 
 and nutritious; the Indian yam though 
 floury, and delicate, is not much planted, 
 is capricious and hard to be reared, and 
 therefore not much in use. The yam is a 
 yearly vegetable. The period for planting 
 it is about Christmas for the negro yam, 
 and February or March for the white yam. 
 
 Care should be taken to have a sufficiency ~ 
 
 of yam heads or plants ready to be put in 
 the ground, of good sound quality, against 
 the proper time. ‘The ground should be 
 lined about four feet square, and pegged 
 off to such distances. ‘The gang must be 
 set in with hoes to dig yam holes, or as it 
 is termed, to raise yam hills; a negro to 
 each peg in a fair breadth to dig the piece 
 out. They are to form a circle of about 
 18 or 20 inches in diameter round the peg 
 with the hoe, using the peg as a centre, 
 (to which the mold is to be hauled up, ) 
 and dig the mold about three inches below 
 the surface of the ground, within the cir- 
 cle. ‘The mold is to be hauled up out of 
 DD 4 
 
408 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVI Si ONS. 
 
 the hole; then the ground inside the hole 
 must be chopped to loosen it. After that is 
 done, the mold which has been dug out of 
 the hole, should be hauled up in a conical 
 form round the peg, the hole again filled up 
 with it, and some more mold scraped, or 
 lightly cut by the hoe from the space’ be- 
 tween the pegs, which is to be drawn, and 
 - added to each conical hill; and thus the yam 
 holes dug, andthe hills madehigh, bulky, and 
 pervious, for the reception of the yam head 
 or seed. When the yam heads are ready, 
 or prepared for planting, they should be of 
 good size, about half a pound weight each, 
 sound, and have lively eyes. Each negro 
 should then take a parcel of them, and 
 place two at each yam hill, till each hill 
 has its appointed plants stationed at. it. 
 Then let each negro set in to plant them, 
 by cautiously introducing one of his hands 
 into the bosom of the hill, on one side of 
 it, make rather a deep opening for the 
 plant, and deposit it firmly, rather inclining 
 to the base of the hill, and the eye or vine 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 409 
 
 part of the plant uppermost. Then cover 
 it up, and close the mold; make an open- 
 ing in like manner in the other side of the 
 hill, introduce, and plant the other head 
 in the same way, and in this manner, is 
 the yam piece to be planted out till it is 
 finished, | | 
 Corn may be planted through a yam 
 piece immediately after it is planted with 
 yams; when the budding vine from the 
 yam head, which has been planted in the 
 hill, makes its appearance, peeping as it 
 were from the side of the earth, a parcel 
 of stiff prongy stakes. should be obtained, 
 and one drove firmly and perpendicularly 
 down by the side of the hill, near where 
 the vine is seen to shoot its tendril; and 
 when the creeping tendril, is long enough 
 to bear coiling round the stake, a careful 
 person should be made to help its efforts, 
 and twine it gently and tenderly round the 
 stake, that it may climb on, and branch 
 from it. This should be done at every hill 
 as soon as the vine appears. It assists the 
 
 RN Ht 
 
410 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 growth of the plant, which descends into 
 the ground, as the vine advances in height 
 and magnitude. The stakes being perpen- 
 dicular above, the yam inclines to grow 
 perpendicular downwards, and hinders it 
 from appearing above the surface of the 
 hill, which would give it a disagreeable, 
 bitter flavour. ‘The yam swells, lengthens, 
 and descends into the ground as it grows. 
 When the vine stops growing, or begins to 
 wither, the yam is nearly ripe, and will be 
 soon fit to dig. When grass or weeds begin 
 to make them foul, they should be hoed off 
 in the spaces, and the weeds or grass 
 gently pulled from the hills. The hills 
 should have additional mold, so that none 
 of the yam may be uncovered, or appear 
 above ground. In the month of August, 
 one half of the negro yam piece may be 
 cut for heads, that is, a number of negroes 
 should be put in with sharp knives; and 
 gently introducing one of their hands into 
 the hill, where the yam is growing, with 
 the other hand and knife, cut the head of 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 411 
 
 the yam off, near the but of the vine; then 
 dig the bottom of the yam out of the hill or 
 hole, leaving the but of the vine, with the 
 small piece of the yam head on it, firmly 
 sunk in the hill; which, by Christmas, will 
 again grow to a considerable large bulbous 
 head, with a sizeable bottom to it, and will 
 serve for future plants. The yams which 
 have been dug out in this manner in August 
 are young, they are to be brought home, 
 and soon made use of for the table. They 
 are similar to young potatoes at this time, 
 being rather soft, moist, and will not keep 
 long; however, they are esteemed a rarity. 
 At Christmas time, the negro yam vines 
 are all withered; the whole of the yams 
 should be dug in, carried home, cleared 
 from earth, powdered with lime or ashes, 
 then heaped up, so as not to bruise one 
 another, and made use of when wanted. 
 The white yams are to receive the same 
 mode of management, only that they are 
 not to be cut for heads or plantsin August. 
 They should be planted in February .or 
 
412 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 March, and gathered or dug in when their 
 vines are dry, about February or March 
 following. A piece of the head or body 
 of the white yam, being left in the ground, 
 will remain to bear for years there, only 
 a little, or rather somewhat degenerated 
 in size, but often dug up in. great perfec- 
 tion. . 
 
 I now come to that part of the system, 
 which includes the laying out a plantain 
 walk, which. is much esteemed, for the 
 perpetual, wholesome, nutritious supply of 
 vegetable food which it affords the planter 
 and the negro, if storms. do not destroy 
 it. The plot of seven acres which I re- 
 served for its occupation, and which should 
 be the most sheltered part of the ten acre 
 piece of ground, I would have lined out 
 ten feet by seven; ten feet space, and 
 seven feet distance. The plantain row 
 must be pegged off every seven feet, and 
 spaces of ten feet between row and row. 
 The rows should be fair and parallel one 
 with the other.. This broad way of plant- 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 413 
 
 ing it is necessary, as the plantain root or 
 sucker is extremely prolific, the plantain 
 tree majestically thick, large and high, 
 when full grown, and many of these ex- 
 uberant stems grow at once from the 
 same stock ; throwing out a foliage of sur- 
 prising shade and beauty. It is then neces- 
 sary to plant them wide, in order to let them 
 have a freedom of air, and that the sun may 
 prevail to mature their fruit. ‘The ground 
 being all cleared from grass, bushes, and 
 weeds, and lined out, the great gang should 
 be put in with hoes, to dig the plaintain 
 holes at every peg, a negro to each row. 
 The holes should be dug deep, two feet 
 long by sixteen inches broad, to give room 
 for the large, ponderous plantain sucker to 
 be placed in them. The mold must be 
 hauled up to the edge of the hole, and 
 broke if too large. The plantain suckers 
 being ready, and trimmed, each negro 
 should take some, and place one good 
 sucker at every hole in the piece, and be- 
 gin to plant them, by taking a sucker, and 
 
414 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 placing it with the but, or rooty end in the 
 bottom of the hole; make the sucker lie in 
 a leaning, reclining, or half horizontal 
 position in the hole, with the small, or 
 sucker end of the plant a little above the 
 ground ; and when thus placed, draw the 
 mold from the bank, and cover the plant 
 well with it; leaving a little of the plant 
 above the ground. In this manner the 
 plantain walk should be formed. In a few 
 weeks (if the weather is favourable) the 
 young plantain shoot will be seen rearing 
 its perpendicular head, perhaps three or 
 four growing from the same stock. ‘They 
 should then be carefully molded, and 
 cleaned of grass and weeds, when they 
 are a few inches high. No cavities or 
 water logging holes should be near them. 
 The banks must be levelled about them, 
 the holes filled, and properly closed up, and 
 some fine mold given them, to encourage 
 their growth. There will be no occasion 
 to give them-more than two moldings 
 till they are established, but they must 
 
 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 415 
 
 be carefully kept clear from weeds or 
 grass ; and when any dry trash happens to 
 be hanging about them, it should be gently 
 cut off with a knife, and placed about their 
 roots, to keep them either free from too 
 much sun or chill. A plantain walk, well 
 taken care of, will be in bearing twelve 
 months after it is planted, amply repaying 
 for the labour and trouble of planting it, 
 and giving an almost inexhaustible supply 
 of fine provisions, if the vicissitudes of 
 hurricanes or storms (which this climate is 
 unhappily subject to) does not destroy it, 
 and which no human foresight or care can 
 prevent. When a plantain walk is made, 
 there may be a row of cocoas in the middle 
 of the ten feet spaces, which will yield a 
 crop by the time the plantain walk bears 
 fruit, but they must then be pulled up. A 
 few banana suckers can be planted in the 
 plantain row, instead of plantain suckers ; 
 sometimes they are much in request, as a 
 luscious, wholesome fruit, and for the 
 strong, fine-flavoured vinegar which is prov 
 
416 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 duced from them; after this piece of 
 ground is thus planted, the whole of it may 
 be sown through with corn, which will not 
 injure the plantain suckers, or trees, if it is 
 not too close or thick. 
 
 It may not be improper, but, I presume, 
 serviceable, here to remark, that the valu- 
 able island of Jamaica affords a variety of 
 indigenous medicinal. plants, shrubs, and 
 herbs, (besides many foreign plants, which : 
 have been imported into the colony, and 
 grow as well as in their native soil and 
 climate, ) which are simple and efficacious 
 in many disorders; such as the physic, or 
 oil-nut tree, the oil produced from the nut 
 of which, when well boiled and clarified, is 
 equal in value and virtue to the best pre- 
 pared castor oil. The tree not only grows 
 spontaneous here, but may be propagated 
 in abundance in any spot, by depositing a 
 couple of its ripe, sound nuts or seeds, in a 
 small hole dug for the purpose. 
 
 The wangola, a small Indian shrub, 
 whose leaf, when steeped for a short time 
 

 
 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 417 
 
 in water, or simple liquid, makes it of a mu- 
 cous, glutinous quality, and is deemed an 
 excellent medicine in case of flux or dy- 
 sentery. It may be propagated from the: 
 sucker or seed, and requires only care to 
 keep it clean from weeds, and a sheltered 
 situation to live and thrive in. 
 
 The Indian arrowroot, a plant of no 
 mean character, in the opinion of the skil- 
 ful part of the faculty, both as a medicine, 
 in diseases of the bowels, and for its fine, 
 
 delicate, nourishing qualities for conva- 
 
 lescents. This plant can easily be gener- 
 ated and produced; it requires only to 
 have a spot of good ground appointed for 
 its jointed long root, or fibrous, long, sharp- 
 leafed stem to be inserted or planted in. 
 The ground must be prepared and dug, in a 
 similar manner as that for a cocoa piece, the 
 root or fibrous stem set in the holes when 
 dug, in a reclining way, with a small part of 
 the stem above ground. Itsoon takes root ; 
 and when it has struck, and fresh buds or 
 leaves begin to shoot from it, they should 
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 418 PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 
 be cleaned and molded with care, till the 
 leaves cover the ground and begin to blos- 
 som. When the blossom falls off naturally, 
 and the leaves wither, the roots are ripe, 
 and may be dug up. ‘They yield a per- 
 petual annual crop, by leaving some of the 
 fibrous stalks in the ground, and regularly 
 molding and cleaning them. The flour 
 or starch produced from the root (after it is 
 washed) by compressure, and being steeped 
 in pure water, is what is esteemed so much 
 by the faculty. 
 
 The rhubard is quickly and luxuriantly 
 produced here, by planting its bulbous root 
 in the same manner as in English gardens. 
 I need not expatiate on its virtues, as it is 
 so generally known and made use of for 
 various complaints, and even as a delicacy 
 for the table. 
 
 The cotton tree, or shrub, is extremely 
 useful in many cases; it gives its warm 
 down, not only for many beautiful fabri- 
 cations, but for surgical aid to the hospital, 
 and supplying wick for lamps in crop time. 
 
PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 419 
 
 It is easily reared from the seed or sucker, 
 and should be planted at seven feet distance 
 from each other. 
 
 The palm-nut tree is an elegant and 
 stately production of nature, whose lusci- 
 ous nut gives a fine flavoured, thick red 
 oil, of a penetrating and invigorating kind, 
 which can be made use of internally and 
 externally, with simple, flexible, and heal- 
 ing effect, and without any dread or danger. 
 It can be produced from the nut or sucker, 
 planted at twelve feet distance from each 
 other; and when once established, is almost 
 perpetual, and is ornamental in its appear- 
 ance. | , 
 
 These especially, and several other plants 
 of a healthful, salutary character, should 
 be industriously sought after, and planted 
 in a spot contiguous to the kitchen garden, 
 on every property in the country parts of 
 Jamaica, (as likewise the introduction of 
 a few swarms of bees in such a place, 
 which thrive well, and give delicious, fine- 
 flavoured honey and wax, ) as they are, and 
 

 
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 420° PLANTING AND CARE OF PROVISIONS. 
 ever will be, by their nature and powers, 
 of the utmost use, and important conse- 
 quences, for the healthy, the sick, and 
 convalescent of every degree. The plant- 
 ing, rearing, and production of them, by 
 every proprietor or overseer of a property 
 in Jamaica, will be highly meritorious, and 
 lastingly beneficial. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 Lonpon: 
 
 Printed by A. & R. Spottiswoode, 
 New-Street-Square. 
 
 
 

 

 
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