HONDURAS. 31 



vast unexplored region, inhabited only by uncivilized Indians, 

 which we know contains gold, from the fact that the Indians are 

 constantly bringing small quantities of that precious metal to 

 barter with traders on the coast for ammunition, trinkets, etc. On 

 the west fork of the Tinto [Black River], called Rio Sico. gold is 

 found in the river and all its tributaries, but is extracted only by 

 Indians, and in the rudest manner possible. The only tools they 

 employ are a pointed stick, a horn spoon and a wooden bowl or 

 batea. The mineral wealth of La Mosquitia is yet undeveloped. 

 The few tests that have been made at El Dorado, have given most 

 satisfactory and promising results." 



Useful and valuable fibers are obtained from the husk of the 

 cocoanut, from pita plants and from the stalks of bananas, plant- 

 ain and other growths. From an acre of banana stalks about 600 

 pounds of fiber can be gathered. Pita fiber is for some uses super- 

 ior to all others known, and there is no doubt that in a short 

 time all the difficulties which now prevent its general introduction 

 for those uses will be removed. 



STOCK-GROWING. 



Those who have become thoroughly acquainted with the busi- 

 ness of stock-growing in America, and have seen the country in 

 which the Perry grant is situated, agree with the opinion ex- 

 pressed by Mr. Taylor, who says, " for stock-raising, everything 

 considered, I believe it would be hard to find a place equal to 

 this." Several kinds of grasses afford good pasturage in Hon- 

 duras. The savannas of the northeastern part are covered by 

 forage. In the dry months some of the grasses ripen and cure 

 as they stand, thus making good hay even while there is a growth 

 of green and palatable leaves at the roots of the plants. 



Chief in the list of cultivated plants used for forage are 

 maize, Egyptian corn, barley, sugar cane and para grass. The 

 cane is an indigenous variety, softer and richer than the Asiatic 

 kind grown in the United States, and is therefore better as food 

 for stock than the latter would be. The Honduras cane grows 

 continuously without replanting. Cattle eat the leaves and fruit 



