20 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



can put any surplus earnings. This makes them laz}', unambi- 

 tious, and careless; and consequently but small areas of land are 

 cleared for cultivation. The small farms when once subdued and 

 planted yield crops all the year round, therefore the husbandman 

 has continually at hand food for the subsistence of his family. 

 The currency of these countries is silver, and is at a depreciation 

 of nearly thirty per cent, so that every ship that goes there for 

 trade always goes provided with the money current in the country, 

 to pay for produce. This money can be bought of any of our 

 bankers at seventy cents to the dollar. The products of the 

 country are not dear, if one has a near market in which to dispose 

 of them. "When I was there bananas were worth fifty cents per 

 bunch, cocoanuts ten dollars per thousand, oranges tift^' cents per 

 hundred, and lemons, limes, and pineapples were equally cheap ; 

 and, as these fruits are continuall}' maturing, a ship can be loaded 

 along the coast at any time. New Orleans, which is but five days 

 sail by steamship from this coast, is the only large market avail- 

 able for this perishable fruit. 



This counlr}' oilers an abundant field for the exertions of an 

 enterprising population ; for well directed labor, continuously 

 applied, is sure to meet with a bountiful return in the notural pro- 

 ductions of the country. Yet still it remains the lazy man's para- 

 dise, and probably will until the enthusiasm of the live Yankee 

 fills the land with homes such as we have in New England. 



We completed our return voyage without incident, having boon 

 about six weeks on the trip. 



Discussion. 



William T. lirigham, the President of the Tropical Products 

 Company, was called on bj' the Chair, and said that since ho last 

 had the pleasure of telling the Society what he thought could be 

 done in Central America he had again visited that country and 

 purchased a tract of twent}' square miles, of which three hundred 

 acres was cleared and planted with cacao, colfee, India rubber 

 (Castilloa), figs, nutmegs, and oranges, from the Botanic Garden 

 of Jamaica. They did not intend at first to plant oranges, which 

 bring only two and a half cents for half a bushel of the fine;!t 

 (juality. The Castilloa yields at five years from planting eight 

 gallons of milk, which will make sixteen pounds of rubber. The 



