BALL-BAY, (which was named after Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball,) goes in about three-quarters of a mile:  the beach is formed of large loose stones, which renders beaching boats here dangerous, though it often happens that the landing here is very good when the surf has increased so much in Sydney-Bay as to render landing there impracticable.  A good landing place was cleared away here, but in the course of three months the stones were washed into it again, although many of them weighed two hundred pounds each.  This bay is surrounded by very steep hills, which renders the access to the settlement from hence rather difficult.

CASCADE-BAY.—­The south-west winds, which generally prevail during the winter months, make this the best side of the island for landing on at that season.  A good landing place may easily be made, where any thing might be landed from half ebb to half flood.  It is the intention of the lieutenant-governor to erect a store-house, and make a good landing place; indeed this would have been done before, but the want of hands prevented it.  The Golden-Grove and Supply have both lain at anchor in this bay, bringing the great Cascade to bear south-west, at one mile from the shore, in seventeen fathoms coral and sand, but the bottom is foul, as there is great reason to suppose it is all round the island.

-Present state of cultivation_.—­The proper time for sowing wheat or barley is from May to August:  that which is sown in sheltered situations, should be sown in May, June, and July:  and that which is sown in places that are exposed to the sea-winds on the south side of the island, should not be sown before July; and if so late as August, it would yield well.  The wheat, which has been sown, produced more than twenty fold; and, I think in future, it will yield a still greater increase.  We have found a bushel and an half of seed sufficient for an acre of ground newly broke up.  Two bushels of barley sown in May on an acre of ground yielded twenty-four bushels.  Indian corn should be planted from June until August, in places not much exposed to the sea winds:  it yields well, and is in my opinion the best grain to cultivate, on account of the little trouble attending its growth, and the manufacturing it for food.

The sugar-cane grows very strong, and I think will come to perfection; although it suffers much from the blighting winds, and the grub-worm.  Vines, orange, and lemon trees, are in a very thriving state:  the banana trees found growing on the island, will, I make no doubt, thrive very well, when those which have been planted out from the old trees come to perfection; indeed some of them have already yielded good fruit.  That useful article of food, the potatoe, thrives amazingly, and two crops a year may be obtained with ease:  I have seen 120 potatoes at one root, 80 of which were larger than an hen’s egg.  Every kind of garden vegetable (which the grub spares,) grows well and comes to great perfection:  cabbages weigh from ten to twenty-seven pounds each:  melons and pumpkins also grow very fine.