FIRST LETTER. 



FOREWORD FROM NEW YORK TO THE BORDER OVER THE ALKALI PLAINS 

 NATIVE FOOD MEXICAN OPALS THE NOCHISTONGO CANAL ARRIVAL AT MEXICO 

 CITY JOURNEY SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL ADVENTURES AT ACHOTAL ON HORSE- 

 BACK OVER FOREST TRAILS THE DEMAREST AND NEWMARK ESTATES ARRIVAL AT 

 "LA BUENA VENTURA." 



MY journey to the Tierra Caliente, or "hot country," in Mexico, 

 was taken with the sole object of seeing for myself cultivated 

 rubber planted by both individuals and stock companies. I 

 selected typical plantations as far as I could, most of them in the state 

 of Vera Cruz, on the Isthmus of Tehuarrtepec. The states of Tabasco 

 and much of Oaxaca and Chiapas I was forced to leave out of my 



NATIVE HUT IN THE STATE OF VERA CRUZ. 



itinerary, although they too have large and successful plantings, which I 

 hope to visit later. I left New York quietly and alone, paid all my own 

 expenses for the whole trip, and carefully avoided exploiting either 

 myself or those who had shares or land to market. This statement seems 

 necessary, because, since my return, I have been asked in all seriousness 

 whether this or that company had me "under its wing," to use later for 

 advertising purposes. I wish also to add a word of thanks for the 

 courtesy, the generous hospitality, and the frank, helpful cordiality 

 extended to me by the planters whom it was my good fortune to visit. 

 May I add that, of the conclusions drawn from my visit while they 



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