112 
share of collecting but also helped to care for the plants during 
the tedious operations of drying and packing. 
Mrs. Murrill and I left New York on the twenty-fifth of Feb- 
ruary and reached Havana harbor March 1 at daybreak. At 
the Custom House we were met by Professor and Mrs. Earle, 
ho took us in their carriage to Santiago de las Vegas, twelve 
miles south of Havana, where the experiment station is located 
Nothing could be more delightful than this quick transition from 
the clutches of a long and unusually severe northern winter to 
the fresh and balmy air of a tropical island continually swept by 
sea breezes. 
Add to this the beauty, richness and novelty of the vegetation, 
the habits of life peculiar to tropical countries and the various 
phases and customs of a transplanted European civilization so 
different from our own, yet so attractive because of historic and 
meless aaa and there oo a combination of conditions 
t 2 of Americans of all classes 
to this pian and easily accessible winter resort. Once 
there, the dullest will appreciate the opportunities for various 
orms of investment in this vast stretch of virgin land unexcelled 
in geographical position and productiveness, It is safe, I think, 
to predict that within five years Americans will own three-fourths 
of all the land that can be bought in Cuba and that American 
capital and intellect will control to a large extent the business 
enterprises of the island. 
Agriculture must be the basis of all future progress in this new 
country. The plantations that have been depleted by years of 
mismanagement and laid waste by years of war must be restored 
by careful handling and the vast areas of uncultivated land must 
be cleared of the dense forests and planted in sugar cane, tobacco, 
fruits, fiber plants and vegetables before the wonderful develop- 
ment now under way will be in any sense complete. The réle 
of the experiment pei established about a year ago, is of the 
utmost importance in this connection and it will be fortunate for 
Cuba if President Palma can continue to secure for this new 
enterprise the necessary funds and freedom of action which its 
great responsibilities and present ea policy demand. 
