Another fact from which the laziness of the negroes is inferred, is their _neglecting their provision grounds_.

It is said that they have fallen off greatly to their attention to their grounds, since the abolition of slavery.

This fact does not comport very well with the complaint, that the apprentices cultivate their provision grounds to the neglect of the estates.

But both assertions may be true under opposite circumstances.

On those estates which are situated near the market, provisions will be cultivated; on those which are remote from the market, provisions will of course be partially neglected, and it will be more profitable to the apprentices to work on the estates at a quarter of a dollar per day, raising only enough provisions for their own use.
But we ascertained another circumstance which throws light on this point.