Vol. VII. No. 1-51. 



TilE AGiacaLTUltAL NEWS. 



43 



AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES OF CUBA. J 



The U.S. Ci)nsiil;ir service in Cuba lias |irepare(l 

 an interesting ami fonipU'te ivpoi-i on the agricultui-al 

 and indu.sttial conditinns whieh at [ii-e.'-ent oblain in the 

 island. The folKiwing forms a summary of the particu- 

 lars given in reference to the agriculture of Cuba: — 



Althouf;h nearly every portion of the island is suited to 

 cane growing, it is estimated that not more than "2,000,000 

 acre.s (about one-fourteenth of the entire total acreage) is 

 under cane cultivation. Tlie opportunities for a profitable 

 development of this industry are great. We have only to 

 consider the millions of acres adapted to such cultivation tn 

 realize the inca!culalile wealth of the island. 



. Cixban toViacco, as is well known, is of superior grade. 

 Pinar del Kio, the extreme western [irovince, is the liome (jf 

 the highest grade of leaf giown, and neai'ly three-fourths of 

 the total tobacco acreage of the island is contained in this 

 province. The touacco industry gives emi)loyment to about 

 100,000 persons. The cigar-maker's wage varies, an e.xpert 

 in making selected sizes sometimes earning iJ-oO a week ; 

 a person employe i in making the liighest grade cigars receives 



for the work 15c. to 20c. each ; others are paid from §10 

 to $1-5 per week. j 



In 1900, tobacco and nanufactures of tobacco were 

 valued at $36,702,586, an increase of $7,286,624 over the 

 previous year. 



The possiliilities of the cultivation of citrus fruits in Cuba 

 are great. The estimated co.H of establishing a 10-acre 

 orange grove on land valued at $50 an acre is as follows: 

 Land, $.500 ; clearing, $2-50 ; jilanting $150 : 900 trees, $225 ; 

 care for five years, $1,500 ; total, $2,625. Some fruit may 

 be e.xpected the third year. Varieties of orange, which have 

 proved most satisfactory for cultivation in Cuba are the 

 Pine-a])[)le aiid Valencia, the first an early, and the second 

 a later variety. In regard to grape fruit, Marsh's seedless 

 and 1 )uncan are the two varieties favoui'ed for planting. 



The pine-apple is indigenous to the i.sland. The first 

 shipment of ' pines ' from Cuba was }nade to New 

 York in 1870, and the industry is now an important and 

 profitable one. The demands of the market are large. Sucker 

 plants are worth $20 to $25 per 1,000, an<i an acre of 

 pine-ap|iles yields sutticient plants to stock from 3 to 5 

 additional acres. 



PE3ASANTS' AGRICULTURAL SHOW AT BARBADOS. 



Fig. 1. Peas.vxts' A(U'j<'ultuk.\l Show, Barbados, 1907 : Fruit and Veoetable Section. 



A photographic view of some of the exhibits at the 

 highly successful peasants' show of agricultural produce, 

 held at Applewhaite's plantation on December 4 last, is 

 here reproduced. 



The view represented is thai, of part of the fruit 

 and vegetable section, which was distinctly the chief 

 feature of the show. Some indication of the abundance 

 and quality of the citrus fruit exhibits, more especially. 



may be gained from the picture, while the decorations 

 of the room bear evidence to the willing co-operation 

 of Mr. Edghill (the attorney of Applewhaite's planta- 

 tion) and his assistants, with those responsible for the 

 arrangements of the show. 



It will be remembered that a full aecount of the 

 Exhibition was given in the Afjrieultural Neivs of 

 December 14 last (Vol. VI, p. 393). 



