ETE IR CLV IE I Tied VTL ID 19 
very soon after the period first mentioned in this article cattle began to be imported in 
large numbers, these coming from Florida, Texas, Mexico, Central America, Panama and 
Venezuela. The demand was great, every native Cuban or other owner of pasture lands, 
fully confident of the peaceful future of Cuba under the guiding hand and care of the 
United States, was anxious to again stock his pastures. Prices, therefore, were high, 
money, under the conditions prevailing at the time, was not easy to obtain, and high 
interest rates were being charged; but notwithstanding this, vast numbers of cattle were 
brought in and sold at high prices, paid for with money borrowed at excessive rates of 
interest. All was well for a number of years, until the number of cattle in the Island had 
reached approximately the figures prevailing before the war and until home production 
began to be sufficient, and, in fact, was slightly in excess of home consumption. When this 
condition was reached a natural drop in prices took place, and many of our cattle raisers 
found themselves in financial difficulties. One or two severe droughts during that period 
also added to the troubles of our cattle raisers, so that a survival of the fittest took place, 
again establishing the industry ona firm foundation. Conditions continued inthis way with 
production slightly in excess of consumption for quite a number of years, until the be- 
ginning of the war period in 1914 and the better showing being made by the sugar industry 
beginning with 1915 began to draw the attention of many from cattle raising to cane 
planting. This change, gradual at first, soon gained in momentum, reaching a climax in 
the spring and early summer of 1920, when thousands upon thousands of acres of the 
finest pasture land of our two eastern provinces were turned up by the plow and planted to 
cane. This-process could have, of course, only one result—that the home production of 
cattle should decrease and importation increase. It is thus that we find that while from 
1907 to about 1919 no importations except those of breeding stock took place, in each of 
the years 1919 and 1920 about 20,000 head of cattle were imported, these coming largely 
from Venezuela, Colombia and Costa Rica, though some have recently come in from the 
United States, this importation suddenly practically ceasing with the period of financial 
pressure and difficulties experienced since last October, so that during this year the only 
importations have been of cattle taken on contracts entered into during 1920. Future 
importations will, we believe, be extremely limited and perhaps entirely absent, as under 
normal conditions Cuba’s yearly production takes care of consumption and would furnish 
a small surplus for export, if the quality of stock produced were better. 
We have mentioned that immediately following the War of Independence cattle were 
brought in from practically the entire southern portion of the United States and all the 
districts lying between the Mexican boundary and the eastern boundary of Venezuela. 
Naturally, under such conditions a nondescript, heterogeneous lot of stock would be 
brought in, of no definite or special type. These and their offspring formed, therefore, 
during those early years after 1900, what might be called the native type of cattle. They 
still exist in countless herds, but among the progressive members of this industry constant 
improvement is taking place through the introduction of high class, pedigreed stock from 
abroad. These have consisted of sires of the Polled Angus, Hereford, Durham and Zebu 
breeds. The first are highly prized by some cattle raisers, as they have proved in Cuba to 
adapt themselves excellently to our climatic conditions, and while resistant to disease and 
to cattle ticks, develop into stocky, heavy-set animals, excellently adapted for slaughter. 
The Hereford is favored by some, but by others is considered an animal that is not a good 
rustler, being lazily inclined and with a tendency to seek the shade early in the day with all 
that thismeans. But perhaps the most favored of allis the Zebu. This isa large animal, 
rather inclined to be wild, but a first-class rustler, a good breeder, almost tick immune, 
short haired and of good form and excellent as a beef animal. The cross between this 
breed and the Polled Angus also is excellent. As the result of the introduction of sires of 
these breeds, the general character of a vast number of our cattle has been improved, 
producing both heavier animals and a better quality of meat. 
The vast tonnage of sugar cane produced in Cuba is hauled from the field to the 
railway loading stations in carts drawn by oxen, of which from three to five yokes are 
required for each cart. Assuming an annual sugar production of 4,000,000 long tons and 
