20 THOR Ow BuAy Robey Tonew 
SUGAR PRODUCTION 
The principal agricultural product of the district is sugar cane. In 19138, this 
section produced only 171,000 tons of the island’s total production of 2,429,240 tons, 
while in 1918 the ‘crop was 470,000 tons of the total production of 3,444,605 tons. 
For the 1919 season it was estimated that 5,635,000 bags would be produced, which 
would leave the district only slightly surpassed by Santa Clara and Oriente Proy- 
inces as sugar producers. The estimate for 1919 has now been almost reached. 
The cane is ground by local mills and exported in the form of raw sugar and 
molasses. The grinding at some mills starts in November, but grinding begins 
usually in December, and continues subject to conditions connected with the coming 
of the rainy season until the close of the following spring, summer, or early fall. 
The cane is hauled to the mill by high-wheeled oxecarts, and by the short-line rail- 
roads which the mills maintain. In this district most of the fields are new, and the 
stumps, which were left standing, have not had time to rot away. This is said to 
militate against the employment of tractors, of which there are very few. The 
unimproved roads make hauling difficult in the rainy season. There was very 
little rain during 1918, and the grinding in most places continued until the crop was 
finished. 
CATTLE RAISING 
This district, the Province of Camaguey, has always been considered the fore 
most cattle-raising district of the island, but statistics on this point do not seem to 
be available. However, according to the census of 1907, there were 2,579,492 head 
of cattle in Cuba, and it is probable that there are now well over 3,000,000 head, 
a large number of which are found in this district. The central plain furnishes 
good grazing land for cattle, and there is still much of it available which has not 
been taken for sugar. The extension of the sugar industry, however, naturally 
reduces the extent of pasturage from year to year, 
Cattle, except such as are slaughtered locally, are shipped on the hoof to the 
Habana market, that market governing the prices. Most of the hides and other 
by-products also find their way to Habana for export. A very modern meat-freezing 
and packing plant was completed at Camaguey during the year 1918, but it closed 
down after operating only a few months and has not since been opened. With the 
exception of milk sold locally by individuals, there is practically no dairying in- 
dustry. Very little cheese is made, and no butter. Eggs are largely imported from 
New York. 
AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTS 
Very little else besides sugar cane is raised in this district, the principal vege- 
table products being squash and sweet potatoes. Cabbages, beans, peas, and other 
vegetables are imported to a great extent from the United States, and most of the 
fresh vegetables obtainable from local sources are raised by Chinamen who have 
settled near two or three of the larger towns. 
Grapefruit, oranges, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, and a few other fruits are 
obtainable in season. Grapefruit is the only fruit raised for export, and it is grown 
only by American colonists of the district, mainly at La Gloria, Ceballos, and one 
or two places near Nuevitas. There is no local market for this fruit, which is all 
shipped to New York by steamer from Nuevitas. During 1918 the import restric- 
tions of the United States Government affected this industry adversely. In the vicin- 
ity of Nuevitas, on the mainland, and on the key called Cayo Romano, some henequen 
is grown, and shipped to Matanzas for manufacture there. 
MANUFACTURING AND MINING 
With the exception of the 24 sugar mills, which grind the cane jnto crude sugar 
