the C B \ i: i: v i E \v 



19 



collected and exported from Jamaica and several islands of the \\'<si Indies. In re- 

 cenl years the demand for kino has been supplied bj Wesl Africa and parts of the 

 East indies, bu1 there is no reason whj this Wesl Indian producl is nol more gen 



erally collected and pul to some ecoi lie use. There i- at preseni only :i limited 



use I'm- kino in medicine, bul ii maj be employed also as an astringent and for 

 tanning leather and for dyeing cotton. The Imports of kino from most of the coun- 

 tries producing it are ool shown separately in the trade returns. The only import 

 figures available are those for Wesl African ports and East India, and in 1914 

 these amounted i<> 26.2S3 pounds, valued .ii $9,407. 



NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOURISM IN 

 CUBA 



A meeting <>f prominenl business men 

 and i In 1 heads of various associations was 

 called by the Rotary Club of Havana on 

 .(uly ISth for the purpose of discussing 

 the tourist problem. The organization of 

 the National Association of Tourism in 

 Cuba \\:is effected, with Mr. Frank Stein- 

 hart, President of the Havana Electric 

 Railway, ns President. The objecl of the 

 association is to attract tourists in Cuba, 

 sec that they arc properly cared for 

 when they arrive and protecl them against 

 Lmposters. The imperative nerd of mod- 

 ern hotels of large capacity was recog- 

 nized. 



Tim importance of good roads has been 

 discussed and announcement hits been 

 made that there are bankers in Cuba will- 

 ing to co-operate in the floating id' a loan 

 of $25,000,000 for the completion of the 

 Central Highway, planned to traverse the 

 Island from end to end, the loan to be 

 guaranteed by a tax on automobiles, 

 should the municipalities agree. 



GRAPEFRUIT CROP PROSPECTS FOR ISLE 

 OF PINES 

 Although last year's grapefruit crop fell 

 to less than 40 per cent, of the normal, 

 the average prices realized in the United 

 States for most of this fruit were higher 

 than they had been any time before. Tins 

 enabled the fruit growers during last 

 winter to use fertilizers more liberally 

 than they had been able to do in the past 

 few years, although the price of the same 

 had only diminished slightly as compared 

 with the previous year. This more ex- 

 tended use of fertilizers improved the 

 condition of many orchards which had 

 been neglected in previous years, 



All trees of orchards properly worked 

 bloomed plentifully, in a number of 

 groves the fruit has already so far de- 

 veloped that, provided weather conditions 

 are favorable, this year's crop will prob- 

 ably commence to he brought to market 

 as early as the beginning of August. 



While the coming grapefruit crop will 

 probably not reach I he normal, it is safe 

 to predict thai, barring unforeseen inci 

 dents, if will he a very satisfactory one. 



There are -nod reasons to expect that 

 the growing of grapefruit this year will 

 he move remunerative than it has been 

 for a long time, and this being the case, 

 if will encourage most owners of groves 

 thai had been almost entirely abandoned 

 to respire them to their original fertility. 

 The fail that fertilizers are expected to 

 become cheaper during the coming sum- 

 mer will aid the grove owners materially 

 in accomplishing this end. 



Not only is the quantity of grapefruil 

 expected to be materially increased, hut 

 the prospects in regard to quality are 

 considered to he most encouraging. — Con- 

 sul William Bardel, Nueva Gcrona, Tsle of 

 Pines. 



COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT OF CUBAN 

 LEGATION 



The Cuban Legation in Washington has 

 established a commercial department 

 where all exporters of the United States 

 and Cuba will find complete information 

 regarding any matter concerning com- 

 merce. 



Information concerning specific trade 

 opportunities, and other data regarding 

 the possibility for the sale of certain com- 

 modities in Cuba, is on file at this office 

 and will he furnished gladly to American 

 manufacturers. 



