THE CUBA REVIEW 



17 



'JMlling the soil with oxen driven plough. 



Prices of Pasture Land — Cattle Pests. 



Prior to 1901 good pasture land was worth about $3 per acre; to-day the same quality 

 will cost from $15 to $20 an acre. Good ranch land is scarce at present, but might be found 

 in the Province of Camaguey and Oriente at the above prices. The other Provinces of the 

 island are not rich in grazing lands. 



There are several native perennial grasses used for grazing, but Guinea and Para (or 

 Parana) grass are the only ones of good value for pasture. If the usual rains occur, the gra^ 

 grows and gives good feed every month in the year, but pastures must be fenced and allowed 

 to recuperate a month or two from time to time in order not to kill them out in times of un- 

 usual drought. The rainfall here is about 57 inches, and the dry season extends from Novem- 

 ber to March, during which time the average rainfall is from one to three inches. 



CJood fenced pasture land can maintain 16 head of cattle on a caballeria of land (33 J^ acres) 

 the year rovmd. 



Black leg is prevalent in Cuba in all cattle less than 30 months old. Anthrax is not un- 

 known, and constant care must be given cattle, especially young stock, to cure screw worms 

 caused by blow-flies depositing eggs in any slight open wound on an animal. The former is 

 easily controlled by vaccination, the second is not serious, and the latter is a matter for constant 

 care, but easily managed. 



Abundance of good river water is often found in pastures in Oriente Province, but parts 

 of Camaguey depend on wells; this is a very important feature when bujang ranch land. 



The climate of Cxilja is subtropical, and although the sun is hot it is always tempered by 

 the cool trade winds, and the thermometer never falls below 50 in the winter. 



The majority of cattle in Cuba to-day are of crosses Ijetween the imports given in the 

 first part of this report and bulls originally from Africa and India; the cows will weigh about 

 800 pounds, and good range three-year-old steers will average 925 pounds. Some good breeds 

 have been imported from the United States and, in a small way, are improving the present 

 cattle here. 



