THE CUBA REVIEW 



13 



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Lemon Trees. 



The cultivation of grape fruit, not only in Cuba but in that section of Havana Province 

 known as the Isle of Pines, has been very successful as far as the production of a high grade fruit 

 is concerned. The trees are prolific and the crop never fails. Unfortunately, grape fruit shipped 

 from Cuba to the United Stated has not always found a profitable market, and there have been 

 seasons when the crop became an absolute loss, since the demand abroad was not .sufficient to 

 pay for transportation to northern markets. As the taste for grape fruit grows, it is possibl 

 That this occasional glutting of the market may become a thing of the past, but at the present 

 time many of the groves of grape fruit in Cuba are being budded with oranges, this is true also 

 of the lemon trees. 



There are over 20,000 acres today in this Republic on which citrus fruit is grown. The total 

 value of the estates is estimated at about fifteen million dollars, but with each jear it becomes 

 more apparent that the ara of profitable citrus fruit culture will be limited to a radias within 

 not more than 100 miles from some port whence frequent and regular shipments can be made 

 to the United States. This is an essential feature in the citrus fruit industry. Its disregard 

 means failure. 



PINEAPPLES 



Pineapples have been grown in Cuba for export since the beginning of the First Interven- 

 tion, and to some extent even before. In point of money value, the industry ranks next to that 

 of the citrus fruit. Although up to the present time most of the pineapples intended for export 

 are grown within fifty miles of the city of Havana, over a million crates are annually shipped 

 to the United States. 



Pineapples may be grown on any rich soil in Cuba and are considered one of our staple 

 crops. The slips, or offshoots from the parent plant, are set out in long ridges some four feet 

 apart with intervening spaces averaging a foot. These produce fruit in one j'ear from planting 

 and from each original stalk an average of six suckers may be taken for planting in other beds, 

 so that with a very small start the acreage may be easilj' increasod five or six fold each year. 



