NOTES ON TURBULENT NICARAGUA 



1109 



Copyright Keystone View Company 

 BRONZED-COLORED MAIDENS ASSORTING COFFEE: NICARAGUA 



Coffee is the principal agricultural product of Nicaragua, as of other Central American 



states 



Coffee constitutes the leading item of 

 export, 19,378,216 pounds being shipped 

 in 1906, valued at $1,375,679. Bananas 

 occupy second place, with 1,401,595 

 bunches, valued at $700,069 ; followed 

 by gold bullion, $527,423 ; gold amalgam, 

 $343,546; rubber, $385,472; mahogany, 

 $284,320; cattle, $133,044; hides, $120,- 

 367; cocoanuts, $90,953; silver coin, 

 $44,220; sugar, $23,467; and cedar, 



$4i,465- 



Agriculture and mining are the princi- 

 pal sources of national wealth. The area 

 under cultivation has increased in recent 

 years, the chief product being coffee. 



Nicaraguan coffee is of superior quality, 

 and commands good prices, the finest 

 plantations lying in the western districts. 

 In Alatagalpa and Jinotega the crops are 

 worked by colonies of Americans and 

 Germans, who apply the natural water- 

 power of the country to the operation of 

 such machinery as is required. 



Bananas are grown in large quantities 

 in the Bluefields region and shipped to 

 New Orleans. A tract of land about 

 15,000 acres in extent, growing ioo.ooo 1 

 banana plants, is one of the recently 

 granted concessions on the Atlantic coast, 

 and another more extensive grant of land 



