Circular of the Department of Agriculture., November 10, 1877

Circular of the Department of Agriculture.

Circular No. 12.

Liberty! Equality! Fraternity!

Republic of Hayti, section of agriculture, seventy-fourth year of the independence. Office of the secretary of state for the department of the interior and agriculture.

To the conseils d’Arrondissements of the Republic:

Gentlemen: The plan of an agricultural exhibition at the headquarters of arrondissement having been proposed and accepted as a measure calculated to bring about an amelioration of our productions and the increase of our resources of exportation, it now only rests with the government to point out the means of realizing this by a course which is as easy as it is encouraging. You ought, above all, to labor to attain a complete uniformity of views with us for the classification of the prizes to be awarded, the preparation and the order of arrangement as to quality and quantity of the principal products to be exhibited, which will tend to show that we purpose, more and more to maintain those principles of order and unity, indispensable, above all, in the variety of work which has been confided to us.

The exhibition known as the fête of agriculture ought to be preceded, from the 15th to the 22d of April, by preparatory exhibitions in communes, to take place at the seat of the conseil communal. These preliminary exhibitions have in view to afford you leisure to verify and appreciate the productions placed in competition, according to the order of their condition, in order to determine upon the selection of those worthy of being exhibited at the central exhibition on the 1st of May.

Once classified, these productions must be conveyed to the headquarters of arrondissement, at the risk of the producers, in order to be shipped in good season, in vessels destined to receive them.

The competitors whose products have been approved of by the conseils communaux, from whatever section of the country they may come, must appear in person on the day of the fête of agriculture, with said products, at the grand distribution of awards. By this means the industrious agriculturist, in whatever section of the territory he lives, will have the satisfaction of seeing the fruits of his labors appreciated and enjoying the advantages of the exhibition and the benefits accruing therefrom.

It now only remains to classify and define the natural products of the first order for which prizes will be reserved by the conseils d’arrondissements according to the limit of their means. You will keep me informed of these amounts in arranging a price on each article. We enumerate: Coffee, first prize, superior quality, quantity of pounds to minimum, good condition of cleanliness; second prize, ordinary quality, clean, quantity of pounds to minimum; third prize, quality called Moka. Cotton, first prize, superior quality, quantity of pounds to minimum; second prize, inferior quality, quantity of pounds to minimum. Cacao, first prize, superior quality, quantity of pounds to minimum; second prize, ordinary quality, quantity of pounds to minimum. Indigo, one prize, quantity, pounds. White sugar, one prize, quantity, pounds; brown sugar, one prize, quantity, pounds. Sirup, prepared for exportation, at 45 degrees, in barrels. Camphor, quantity ad libitum. Vanilla, quantity ad libitum. Tobacco in leaf, seroons, of 25 to 50 pounds. Chitterling, three feet minimum. Ginger, quantity, barrels. Pistachio, quantity, barrels. Nuts of Pomme d’Acajo (mahogany apple) quantity, barrels. Divers cereals, corn, &c., quantity, barrels. Hoholy, quantity, barrels. Yams, in quantity of ten pounds. Potatoes, quantity, barrels. Couscans, quantity, barrels. Starch, quantity, barrels. Arrow-root, quantity, barrels. Ordinary pineapples, one prize. Loaf-sugar, one prize, superior quality. Divers textures, one prize. Cords, one prize. Hammocks, one prize. Stallions, superior quality, ad libitum in size of breed. Mules, one prize. Mares, superior breed. Fat cattle, one prize. Fat swine, one prize. Fat sheep, according to weight, one prize. Fat goats, according to weight, one prize. Superior game, according to weight, one prize. Divers animals, improved breeds, to raise for exportation. Palma Christi oil, one prize, quantity, gallons.

Such is the plan which must serve as a basis and which permits the country, according to the degree of administrative ability and the intellectual development of the population, to produce its elements of life and prosperity.

Please accept, Messieurs les Conseillers, the expression of my distinguished consideration.