Agricultural Cuba 16 



CUBA A NATURAL CANE COUNTRY 



The climatic conditions required for the profit- 

 able production of sugar beet are entirely different 

 from those required for the production of sugar cane. 

 The growing of cane began in the tropics and has 

 never been successfully produced in other sections. 

 It requires a full nine months' growing season of 

 hot days and will not withstand cold weather. 

 It requires both moisture and sunshine and needs 

 an annual rainfall of from fifty to sixty-five 

 inches. In Cuba, where these natural conditions 

 exist, it requires a minimum amount of labor. 



Land for the growing of sugar beet is worth 

 from ^40.00 to $200.00 per acre for other pur- 

 poses, while cane grows best in the tropics where 

 land is worth from $20.00 to $50.00 per acre 

 and where the value of mahogany and cedar 

 generally pays for the cost of clearing. 



The beet requires expensive irrigation, cul- 

 tivation and care, including high priced tem- 

 perate zone labor, whereas the cane requires no 

 irrigation and practically no cultivation excepting 

 that of harvesting. 



In the United States sugar beet produces a 

 profit of from $15.00 to $40.00 per acre, on land 

 costing from $40.00 to $200.00 per acre, while 

 the average producer of cane sugar realizes an 

 annual profit of from $40.00 to $90.00 per acre, 

 on land costing from $20.00 to $50.00 per acre. 



There are many other causes which argue in 

 favor of the production of cane sugar as against 

 that of beet. The milling season is extremely 

 short in beet producing countries, whereas in 

 Cuba quite a few of the mills grind for as many 

 as nine months during the year, the average 

 being five to six months. 



