Alternative Crops during slavery

Mahogany, logwood, cotton, coffee, and cocoa production
Coffee was grown as an export crop during the days of slavery in the
following colonies: Jamaica Dominica Grenada St. Lucia
The forest or trees had to be burnt and cut and the land prepared for the
coffee seedlings. This, of course, was done by the slaves as they worked
their way on the steep slopes of the hillsides. They then marked out the
fields in even rows with an equal distance from each other. The land was
then levelled with terraces.
Why?
(a) For convenience of working in the fields
(b) To prevent soil erosion
The field slaves planted ground provisions, for example, cassava between
the young trees. This provided quick income for the estates until the coffee
was matured. On most of the estates also, trees were planted to protect the
plants from strong winds. Constant weeding of the fields was done. At
reaping time which was usually from the end of August to the beginning of
September, the slaves would go out to the fields as early as it dawned to
pick berries. This exercise continued until about midday when they had a
break for lunch.
After lunch, they resumed picking until sunset or it was too dark to see,
whichever occurred first. At the end of each packaging session, a Negro
slave driver checked the basket of each slave. Those whose baskets were
not full were lashed.
Another set of slaves was responsible for passing the berries through a
pumping/pulping mill. This process also allowed for the removal of the skin
from the berries. The ‘’naked’’ berries were then washed in a certain cistern.
Again it was the job of the slaves to ensure that the cisterns contained
enough water for the washing process. After they were washed, the slaves
spread them out on a platform or glacis to dry in the drying house.
Meanwhile, the old and sick slaves and children sat and cleaned the coffee.
That is, they picked out the bad/spoilt berries and threw them away and
stored the ‘’good’’ ones in a granary. Another set of slaves packed the good
beans for export on carts which were then driven by the slaves to the port
where they were stacked on the waiting ship.

The Work of the Slaves in Cotton Production
Cotton was grown in: Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Vincent, Jamaica,
and British North America- chiefly Louisiana.
The slaves would clear the land and then dig holes for the cotton seeds to be
planted. The seeds were planted one metre apart. The slaves continuously
weeded and fertilized the soil using animal manure. Other cash crops were
planted between to prevent soil erosion. When the cotton bolls burst this was
an indication that they were ready for harvesting! The slaves then picked the
crop boll by boll using their bare hands. The bolls did not open all at the
same time so the slaves were to keep moving up and down the rows to
ensure that they got all the ripe cottons. Each slave was given a sack to put
the fluffy white bolls in. Slave drivers checked the amount in each sack and
administered lashes to those slaves who did not meet the minimum required
amount. The slaves then emptied their sacks and hurried back to the fields
to resume picking.
The bolls were then spread out on a platform to dry. Old and sick slaves,
joined by the children, picked out any trash or leaves that may have been
gathered with the bolls. Another set of slaves separated the fibres in the boll.
They were then packed and shipped off.
The Work of the Slaves in the Cocoa Industry
Cocoa was produced chiefly in Jamaica, St. Vincent, Dominica and Grenada.
The slaves would clear the land and plant the cuttings directly. It took about
five (5) years for the trees to grow to maturity but the best harvest was after
eight years. The second option is to plant the seedlings that are grown in a
nursery. The seedlings were allowed to grow to a certain height before they
were transplanted. The slaves then planted cash crops around the cocoa
plants to increase the humidity while providing shade. The pods took about
five and a half months to mature so there were two harvesting seasons for
this industry. Meanwhile, the slaves constantly weeded the fields.
When the pods were ready for harvesting, the first gang of slaves, armed
with machetes, moved into the fields to cut the pods swiftly from the tree.
They dropped these in the baskets that they had been provided with. Since
they had to cover a wide area, these were usually the older or stronger
slaves.

The second gang used their machetes to split the pods open to enable them
to remove the pulpy or flesh fruit inside. The fruit was then put to dry and
ferment. This took about five to seven days in the sun. The pulp drained
away leaving just the beans. In Grenada, slaves danced on the beans to give
them a polished look. This attracted the buyer faster than dull beans. The
beans were then packed for export.
The Work of the Slaves in the Forestry Industry
Logwood and mahogany were produced in British Guiana, Jamaica, Tobago,
and British Honduras (Belize) but the latter was the chief supplier before
Emancipation. Only the strong males were selected for work in the logwood
and mahogany industries.
Logwood
Logwood is a dyewood that grows plentiful in Belize. It was used to dye
woolen goods, black, grey, purple and dark red.
The slaves along with a white overseer, went to the forest for a number of
days or even weeks. They too were armed with a machete for cutting their
way through the forest and an axe to chop down the trees. The whites had
guns to shoot games. At the end of each day, the men cooked, smoked
tobacco and even drank rum together. It may sound like fun but there was a
lot of hard work to be done before this and it was basically a lonely life for
these male slaves.
Arrangements were then made to get the lumber to the ports.
Mahogany
By 1770, there was more logwood on the market than was needed. This is
known as a glut. This resulted in a dramatic fall in the price being offered on
the market. In addition, the development of cheaper man-made dyes in
Europe led to a decrease in the demand for logwood so the settlers shifted to
mahogany.
By 1779, mahogany replaced logwood and dominated the social, economic
and political life of British Honduras until the mid-20th century. Mahogany
was required for shipbuilding and to a lesser extent, cabinet making.
Wood cutting was seasonal and required the slaves to spend long periods
away from their family. The mahogany trees had to be found, cut and
trimmed. The logs were then taken through temporary paths to the nearest
riverside. They were then formed into rafts and floated down river. There
were basically three (3) groups of slaves that were involved in this strenuous
exercise and the numbers ranged from a minimum of ten (10) to a maximum
of fifty (50). A foreman or captain was responsible for coordinating the
gangs’ activities.
The Huntsman
He was very important to the process. He was regarded as a skilled slave.
His job was to search for the mahogany trees. Unlike logwood which grows
along river banks in groups, mahogany was scattered throughout the forests
and must be searched out among the other trees and dense undergrowth.
The axe men were the ones to cut the trees down. They were usually the
ones also to clear a path through which the logs were dragged. This gang
was responsible for trimming the trees after they had fallen.
What were the similarities and differences in the forestry industry?
Similarities

-Only strong males were used.
-The males stayed away from families and friends for long periods.
-The tools and tasks were similar.
-The presence of white supervisors and overseers.
Differences
-Mahogany slaves spent a longer time in the fields.
-The huntsman or skilled slave was needed.
-Different organization of labour.
-Logwood slaves enjoyed certain ‘’recreational activities’’ at the end of their
working time.