THE CUBA REVIEW 



13 



Iron Water Gates, Guines. 



IRRIGATION IN SUGAR PRODUCTION IN THE ISLAND 



OF CUBA 



By H. 0. Neville 



For many years the advantages of irrigation in cane production in Cuba liave 

 been demonstrated by the results obtained in the section immediately surrounding 

 the town of Giiines in the southern portion of Havana Province. Here many years 

 ago a combination of capitalists and land owners established an irrigation system 

 which at the present time furnishes water to thousands of acres in this section. 

 Natural conditions were taken advantage of in the installation of this practically 

 the only gravity irrigation system in the Island. It so happened that in the hills 

 lying to the north and northeast of Giiines were situated very large springs, at such 

 an elevation as would permit with a minimum amount of engineering work the water 

 therefrom to be conveyed over large areas of comparatively flat lands lying to the south, 

 southwest and southeast of the location of the springs. The building of only one 

 or two containing dams and the construction of the proper system of ditches, water 

 gates, etc., was all that was necessary to furnish to this quite large district a sup- 

 ply of water which we believe at no time has proved to be deficient. As a result 

 we find this section at the present time that most largely devoted to the production 

 in Cuba of winter vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, cabbages, onions, etc., and 

 also we find it the seat of a very large and permanent cane production, which is 

 ground by Centrals "Providencia," "Nombre de Dios," "Amistad," "Gomez Mena," 

 etc. As we have indicated, the water through gravity is conveyed from the spring 

 to the various series of ditches contributory thereto, and from these main ditches is 

 conducted by auxiliary ditches to the many small holdings in which cane is planted 

 by the colonos of these various mills. The result of this supply of water is seen in 

 the steadily increasing production of the mills situated in this locality during the 

 past three or four years. Arrangements have been entered into by the syndicate 

 controlling this irrigating system by which each farm has a certain fixed date and 



