242 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May 1, 1907. 



Thre;e Year Old "Castilloa Elastica." 



[Estate of E. Fcrras, Cayamos. Cuba.] 



any land, but ilie railroad companies have large holdings which 

 they are more than ready to part with on reasonable terms to 

 settlers. In addition to this there are private lands that can be 

 got very cheaply. While labor around the citj' is costly, away 

 from there it is cheap. Where it is abundant, day wages are 

 about 80 cents (Spanish silver), and where it is scarce, about 

 $1 a day. During the sugar season on the plantation wages 

 average about $1 a day, or what is more generally done, the 

 laborers are engaged by the month, a foreman drawing $45, 

 while a day laborer gets $24 a month. The average cost of living 

 for the laborer is about $12 a month. According to the secretary 

 of agriculture, and from my own observation, I should say the 

 mountain valleys in the eastern end of the island, where there is 

 a great amount of virgin soil, arc the best parts for cultivation. 



Incidentally, it is well to remember that Cuba is a white man's 

 country from one end to the other, that it is wonderfully healthy, 

 that the climate is delightful, and that the insect pests are not 

 nearly so bad as they are in most subtropical countries. Then 

 too, there are no poisonous reptiles, and no beasts of prey. 



One of the first things the tropical planter inquires about is the 

 rainfall. Perhaps as fair an annual average as the records of the 

 island affords was that taken for the year 1905, which runs 

 about as follows: The western province, Pinar del Rio, had 

 from 60 to 80 inche?: Havana province from 40 to 60. except a 



'5.oa.-. 



O' 



Mat of the Island of Cuba. 



small portion .if the extreme north, which enjoyed from 60 to 

 80 inches; Malanzas had 40 to 60; the western half of Santa 

 Clara province had from 60 to 80, and the eastern half 40 to 

 60; Camaguey province had from 60 to 80, while the province 

 of Santiago de Cuba had from 40 to 60. The mean annual 

 temperature of the island is 76.14° F. July and August are the 

 hottest months, with a mean temperature of 81.14° F- The 

 coolest month is January, with a mean temperature of 69.98' F. 

 This exceedingly equable temperature is due in part to the 

 shape of the island, which, although it is in area of the size of 

 New York state, is as long as from New York city to Cincin- 

 nati, and everywhere less than 100 miles wide. Incidentally, it 

 is only 100 miles from Key West to Havana, and when the 

 Flagler railroad to Key West is finished a very short sea trip 

 will enable all America to reach it. Of the 30,000,000 acres 

 of the island there are about 10 per cent under cultivation, and 

 it is roughly estimated that there are still 20,000,000 acres of 

 fertile land, which would lead one to believe that there is still 

 some room for rubber. Of course, sugar is the greatest crop, 

 with tobacco second, but almost anything 'that will grow in 

 temperate zones will grow there, with the exception of apples. 



The attitude of the people in Cuba toward the American 

 was something interested me exceedingly. I found that with- 

 out exception the business men of whatever nationality were a 

 unit in desiring American control. The only persons who seem 

 suspicious are the blacks, and only the idle and shiftless among 

 them. Of course, American soldiers were everywhere in evi- 

 dence, as were American tourists, land owners, and business 

 men. The soldiers as a rule went about unarmed, and the gen- 

 eral belief was that they would be withdrawn in July. This, 

 however, was always followed by the added information that 

 once they were gone a revolution would be started and their 

 presence again demanded, when the occupation would be per- 

 manent. Both the Cubans and Spaniards believe fully in the 

 future of the island, once it is brought under American control. 

 Indeed, when one considers the history of this most fertile of 

 all lands and learns of the hundreds of millions of dollars the 

 Spanish took away without giving anything in return, still leaving 

 the island fairly prosperous, it is plain that, given a stable gov- 

 ernment, it will be one of the richest and most delightful spots 

 in the whole Western world. The better class of Cubans are ; 

 exceedingly thrifty and alert, and are good business men. ' They 

 have the Latin-.\merican vivacity, but are the most temperate 

 of people. The only heavy drinkers appeared to be the strangers 

 who drop in for a short visit or who have not been long enough 

 in Cuba to know what a disgrace it is to be seen drunk. 



I should like to tell in detail of my visits to Cabanas and 

 Morro, to interesting cities like Matanzas, of adventures in the 



caves of Bell- 

 aiiKir, of viewing 

 t h e brilliant 

 Sunday carni- 

 \als, and getting 

 thrilled with the 

 national game 

 "jai alai," but 

 everybody sees 

 these things and 

 everybody goes 

 to Cuba, or at 

 least, e V L r y 

 American will 

 within the next 

 decade, and un- 

 less I miss my 

 guess, some of 

 them will stay 

 and plant rub- 

 ber there. 



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