Cotton, though long known in Caraccas, was so much neglected, that, previous to the year 1782, a hundred plants formed about the proportion of the largest planta tion. The success of the indigo plantations, affording a sufficient proof that the soil of that country was not adapted exclusively to the culture of cacao, at length in duced some planters to pay attention to the cultivation of cotton; and their success was so flattering, that the cot ton plant soon occupied a considerable portion of the val lies of Aragoa, Valencia, Araure, Barquisimeto, Vari nas, Cumana, and several other places in the provinces of Caraccas. As the cotton is destroyed by frequent or heavy rains, the coast from Cape de la Vela to Cape Pa via, which attracts the clouds, is improper for its culture, and, of course, no cotton plantations are there to be found. In the dependencies of .Caraccas, cotton is planted only in the months of May and June; because, as the plants blossom always in November, those planted in July and August would be surprised by the blossoming season Before they had reached their natural growth, and had acquired the consistency necessary to perfect fructifica tion. Contrary to the practice of the French colonies, who plant their cotton trees in a quincunx form, the Spa niards of Caraccas plant on straight lines, drawn with a cord, and separated by a space of seven or eight feet. The holes to receive the seed are four feet distant from one another, and into each arc thrown five or six grains, not more than the half of which generally rise. The worms, so destructive to the cotton-plant in other coun tries, never attacked it in the wallies of Aragoa until the year 1802, and their appearance was probably occasioned by the abundant rains which fell in the four preceding years. Though less skilful, perhaps, in the culture and preparation of their cotton than the English, French, and Dutch, the Spaniards at least pack it more conve niently. Instead of stuffing it into unwieldy bales of three hundred weight, as is usually done, they make small packages of a quintal, which, by the aid of presses, are reduced to so small a compass, that each package is not more than fifteen inches in length, nor from ten to twelve in breadth. Each package is in general covered with an ox's hide, in such a manner as to protect the cotton from all damage.
Coffee, which, in the colonies of every other nation, had, for more than half a century, formed an important branch of commerce, was cultivated in the Transatlantic dontinions of Spain merely as an article of domestic con sumption, till Don Barthelemy l3landin, in 1784, devoted to its exclusive cultivation a property which he possessed in the valley of Chacao, within one league of the town of Caraccas. The valley of Aragoa, where all the enter prise and activity of the Spaniards seems to be concen trated, was the first to adopt this new branch of cultiva tion ; and so rapid and general was the influence of its example, that not only all the new plantations, com menced since 1796, are in coffee, but many planters have abandoned cacao and indigo to make way for its cultivation. Still, however, the culture of coffee is so far from having attained the increase of which it is susceptible in this extensive and fertile country, that the quantity produced, independent of what is used for domes tic consumption, does not exceed 1,000,000 pounds. Less attention is paid by the Spaniards to their coffee in the various stages of its growth, as well as in its pre paration, than its importance demands. The weeding of it, in particular, is so much neglected, that the young plants have to struggle continually against weeds, which not only impede their growth, but threaten their exis tence. In gathering the crop they are equally careless. The cherry which has just begun to redden, as well as that which is thoroughly red, is indiscriminately gathered, and delivered to the process of fermentation, which is itself defective.
In all the other European colonies situated between the tropics, sugar is the prime article of commercial produce. In Caraccas, it enjoys only a secondary rank ; for, though it is raised in considerable quantities for home consumption, scarcely any of it is exported. The quantities of sugar which the Spaniards devour, furnish a sufficient explanation of the deficiency of this branch of their commerce. The inhabitants of Caraccas, with out distinction of condition, fortune, or colour, make sugar the principal article of food. GuaraJio, an intoxicating beverage, of which all classes, particularly those of inferior rank, are passionately fond, is produced by the fermentation of sugar in water. In the banquets of the rich, confectionary holds the most distinguished place. Their deserts sometimes consist of two or three hundred dishes of sugars, tastefully arranged and mould ed into every shape that can be imagined, to excite the admiration of the company. In a word, there is not a single negro, whether freeman or slave, whose meal does not consist of a little cacao boiled in a great quantity of water, and a large lump of coarse sugar, Al hich he cats like bread. It can scarcely be wondered, then, that sugar should make such a trifling figure among the ex ports of the Caraccas. The sugar plantations are gene rally in the vicinities of towns, because there the sale is readiest, and the greatest facilities are afforded to cul tivation. The planters of Terra Firma are very skilful in distinguishing the qualities of soil which sugar requires, of which the excellence of their sugar affords an indis putable proof. Before the year 1796, all their pl..nta dons contained the same cane that is raised in the other colonies. At that time, the cane of Otaheite was brought from Trinidad, and its advantages seemed so great that it was generally adopted. Notwithstanding the excel lence of soil in Caraccas, its sugar, from want of due care and skill in the different stages of its preparation, is much inferior in crystallization and whiteness to that of the other colonies. The alkali which they employ consists chiefly of ashes, which, besides giving the sugar a brown tinge, prevents it from acquiring the proper consistence. Their method of drying the sugar ap pears likewise very exceptionable. They spread it upon an elevated platform, covered by a grooved roof. In fair weather, they shove aside this roof, that the sugar may be exposed to the rays of the sun. The sugar, however, has time to regain, during the rains, or from the dampness of the night, the humidity which the sun had drawn off ; and the transitions from dry to damp, and from damp to dry, necessarily destroy the grain of the sugar, and prevents it from being sufficiently con solidated to render it durable. Another cause of the general inferiority of sugar in Caraccas is, that the planters find their interest in selling as sugar a mass composed of all the molasses, and of eight tenths of the mucilage, which are justly regarded in the other colonies as heterogeneous particles. The poor, who subsist prin cipally on this Impure compound, procure it at a small expence, and habit makes them prefer it to clayed sugar. For the fabrication of the guarallo, too, this compound is much preferable to clayed sugar, because it possesses, in a superior degree, the principles of fermentation. In a short time, the manufacture of sugar will probably be much improved in the provinces of Caraccas; for the valuable work of Dutrone on the his tory of the cane, and on the means of obtaining sugar in greater quantity, and of better quality, than by the ordinary process, is in the hands of several planters, who arc prevented from applying its principles only by the difficulty of procuring the proper utensils.