In 1845 I planted, in the months of January and February, a quarter of an acre of good land, in arrowroot and onions.

The expense and profit stand as follow.—­

EXPENSE
L. s. d. 
To digging the ground                            1  0  0
Planting arrowroot                               0  6  0
Twelve load of seaweed, at 1s.                   0 12  0
Rotten manure for onions, 10 loads, at 2s.       1  0  0
One bottle onion seed                            0 16  0
Sowing onion seed and keeping the plants clean   0 10  0
Planting out onions                              1  0  0
Cleaning onions after set out                    0 15  0
Tops and making basket                           1  8  0
Pulling, cutting, and basketing                  0 18  0
Carting and shipping                             0  8  0
Digging arrowroot                                2  0  0
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10 13  0
Clear profit on quarter acre                    22 13  9
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33  6  9
PRODUCE
By onions sold                                  20 16  0
By arrowroot                                    12 10  9
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33  6  9

This is at the rate of L90 15s. clear profit per acre, which is more than double the worth of the land.  I have not named the arrowroot plants, because I have planted my land with them again, but they might be fairly put to the credit of the account.  The above statement shows what may be done with good land and good management; but even if a man can only clear L10 on an acre of land, he ought not to grumble.

Dr. Ure gives a most interesting and lucid account of the mode of manufacture in the island of St. Vincent, where the plant is now cultivated with great success, and the root manufactured in a superior manner.

It grows there to the height of about three feet, and it sends down its tap root from twelve to eighteen inches into the ground.  Its maturity is known by the flagging and falling down of the leaves, an event which takes place when the plant is from ten to twelve months’ old.  The roots being dug up with the hoe, are transported to the washing-house, where they are thoroughly freed from all adhering earth, and next taken individually into the hand and deprived, by a knife, of every portion of their skins, while every unsound part is cut away.  This process must be performed with great nicety, for the cuticle contains a resinous matter, which imparts color and a disagreeable flavor to the fecula, which no subsequent treatment can remove.  The skinned roots are thrown into a large cistern, with a perforated bottom, and there exposed to the action of a copious cascade of pure water, till this runs off quite unaltered.  The cleansed roots are next put into the hopper of a mill, and are subjected to the powerful pressure of two pairs of polished rollers of hard brass; the lower pair of rollers being set much closer together than the upper.  The starchy matter is thus ground into a pulp, which falls into the receiver placed