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In 1829, the easterly half of the Island of Key West, consisting of a series of salt water ponds, was leased by the proprietors to the Lafayette Salt Company, who put up works on it, principally consisting of covered pans, atter the plan adopted at Cape Cod and at New Bedford, from ..hich the company must have taken from 15,000 to 20,000 bushels of salt annually, until 1846, when the hurricane almost entirely. destroyed the improvement. The wreck of the materials was sold to Charles Howe, Esq., who bought the landed property and rebuilt the pans and vats. He also constructed ground after the manner of those in the Bahamas, from all of which he took in 1847 and 1848 an average of over 38,000 bushels. The years 1849 and 1850 were not quite so successful, from the wetness of the season ; yet there was still made in those seasons an average of 20,000 bushels. Tlte works were considerably increased in extent last year; but from the unusual fall of rain, no more than 20,000 bushels were raked. This year 5OO acres were exposed to evapori zation, and it is believed that near 60,000 bushels have been made.
