THE CUBA R i: V I 1: W 1 -' 



agriculturisl perhaps greater m presenl than any of the other crops grown on Cuban 

 soil. II requires no greal outlaj of monej ; the crop, until ii gets Large, maj be 

 handled withoul the aid of expensive machinery; and the land mosl suitable for 

 coffee (mountain ami hill slopes, and at some altitude) is no1 lit for other crops and 

 may lie obtained cheaplj all the way from $2.50 to $10 per acre, depending upon 

 its location with reference i<> transportation facilities ami the like. 



The Cuban Governmenl several years ago realized the necessitj of again stimu- 

 Lating the production of coffee on the island and Imposed a tax of n cents per pound 

 on all coffee Imported. This practically shul from the Cuban markel all except 1 lie 

 very cheap grades and the Porto Rican coffee, which, under the reciprocity treaty 

 with i he United stales, pays only sl v cents per pound and forms the chief source of 

 supply for Cuba. The imports from Porto Rico in 1915 were 18,542,013 pounds, valued 

 at $2,393,491. In addition, Cuba imported from the United Slates 1,842,219 pounds, 

 valued at $240,117; $21,S20 worth from Mexico; $25,726 worth from Venezuela; and 

 $9,685 worth from Brazil. 



The Cuban coffee is superior in flavor to the Porto Rican and on the open market 

 sells at aboul $28.00 per hundred-weight, while the imported coffee sells at $21.50. 

 Some new groves have been started iii Oriente Province, the eastern mountainous 

 end of the island, and a few plantings at ether points, hut the res] se in the op- 

 portunity has net been marly as satisfactory as the Cuban Government was led to 

 expect, or at all proportionate to the chance that the industry offers to agriculturists. 



The coffee tree will grow and thrive in almosl any soil in Cuba, hut "new ground" 

 ami soil, where there are a good many rocks, with deep soil between the rocks, is very 

 suitable. The ideal climate is that with a range of temperature not below 55 degrees 

 F. and not above 80 degrees F. The best-flavored coffee is grown at elevations varying 

 from 2,500 to 5,000 feet above the sea: hut the Liberian coffee, which is not subject 

 to blight and which is common in Cuba, can he produced at sea level and thrives 

 best under 1,500 feet altitude. Coffee requires a semi-shade, which can he given very 

 well by planting cacao trees at intervals anion-- the coffee plants. Thus two crops 

 may he gathered from the same land instead of one. and at the same time the coffee 

 will be given the proper conditions for its successful growth. The coffee trees should 

 vbe set at least Hi feet apart, giving 435 trees to the acre. The plants are raised 

 from seed, sown in seed beds, or nurseries, and begin to hear when four years old. 

 From that time forward the increase in production is rapid. A coffee tinea in full 

 bearing should produce a minimum of 7<hi pounds per acre, and 2,000 pounds per acre 

 is not too much to expect from a full-grown, well-tended and fertilized coffee grove. 

 The Cuban Experiment Station at Santiago de Las Vegas, Province of Habana, will 

 furnish information as to lands available. The Cuban Government has none to sell 

 or give away or for colonizing or homestead purposes. The land must he bought 

 from the owners, and great care should he taken regarding the titles. 



PINEAPPLE CROP 

 Advices received lately from Havana 

 indicate that the Cuban pineapple crop 

 is later than usual this year. Although 

 the crop is expected to total about 27.",- 

 0<IO crates, the same as that of last year, 

 the quantity to lie shipped to New York 

 will be much less than last season, due 

 to the dissatisfaction with the facilities 

 offered for shipment by water. As a nil ■, 

 Cuban pineapples reaching the New York- 

 market show nearly 50 per cent, d cay 



and the growers contend that there is no 

 reason for such a loss on a short trip. 



The bulk of the new crop is expected 

 to be shipped to the Northwest and Mid- 

 dle West. Pineapples can be loaded at 

 Havana and transported by car ferries of 

 the Florida Coast Line to the Florida 

 Keys and then routed to the West on a 

 fast schedule. Shippers who have utilized 

 that route say that the pineapples, when 

 shipped in ventilated cars, reach Seattle 

 showing only 25 per cent, decay. 



