18 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



CUBAN MARKET FOR AMERICAN APPLES 



There is a demand for American apples in 

 Cuba, and the possibihties of this trade are 

 good. We imderstand that the Western 

 growers of apples in the United States are pay- 

 ing more attention to the Cuban market, and 

 have already developed a growing trade there. 



THE SPONGE INDUSTRY 



The headquarters of the sponge industry 

 of Cuba is at Batabano, and a recent report 

 shows the industry to be in a flourishing 

 condition, the output during the year past 

 being the greatest in the history of the in- 

 dustry in Cuba. War in Europe has, of 

 course, greatly increased the demand for 

 sponges. 



A GOOD NEIGHBOR 



Cuba is fortunate in having a neighbor 

 and a market like the United States, but the 

 advantage is not all on one side. This 

 country is fairly lucky in having at its very 

 doors an island like Cuba. 



The Queen of the Antilles is one of the 

 few regions which has surpassed its promise 

 as a source of wealth and a factor in com- 

 merce. There was a time when every wise- 

 acre could tell you that Cuba was good for 

 producing sugar and tobacco, but worthless 

 otherwise. The production of both these 

 commodities has increased rapidly in the 

 last few years, but they no longer stand alone. 



Tropical fruits are beguining to take an 

 important place in Cuban agriculture. The 

 mahogany of the island is a boon to every 

 cabinetmaker. The iron ore deposits near 

 Santiago are almost equal to those of the 

 Mesaba range in Minne.sota, and recent 

 investigations seem to show that Cuba has 

 more and better asphalt than any other part 

 of the world of equal size. 



The total trade between Cuba and the 

 United States for the fiscal year 1914 was 

 $200,188,222. A little farther east is an 

 island which competent observers declare 

 equal to Cuba in natural resources, but the 

 commerce between the island of Haiti and 

 the United States for the same year amounted 

 only to $15,026,547. In the light of this 

 comparison, Cuba is an admirable neighbor and 

 first-class customer. — Chicago (111.) Journal. 



NEW FACILITIES FOR AMERICAN EXPORTERS 



The National City Bank of New York has 

 extended its direct foreign trade service to 

 Cuba by making arrangements with the 

 Banca de la Habana for the employment of a 

 commercial representative who will furnish 

 advices concerning commercial opportunities 

 in Cuba and supply credit information. A 

 room has been set aside in the new bank build- 

 ing of the Banco de la Habana as a library for 

 catalogues. 



CUBA HAS NEED OF MERCHANDISE 



The Havana correspondent of Tlie Amer- 

 icas, the foreign trade publication of the 

 National City Bank, says of business condi- 

 tions there: 



"Owing to the interruption of exports 

 from Europe and of extended local credits, im- 

 porters in Cuba had allowed their stocks to 

 diminish. As a result, the demand for mer- 

 chandise staples seems to be gradually in- 

 creasing and replenishment of stocks would 

 appear necessary as soon as returns on sugar 

 exports begin. 



"Some of the more important articles which 

 should find a market in Cuba within the next 

 few months are textiles, particularly cotton 

 goods; sugar sacks (provided they are of 

 standard quality), fancy articles, hardware, 

 especially kitchen enamel ware; cutlery, 

 plated ware, wire cloth and horseshoe nails, 

 paper and its applications, more particularly 

 writing paper of heavy cap and waterproof 

 wrapping paper for cigars and sweetstuffs, 

 construction material, such as glass, wire 

 cables, special high grades of cement, fire- 

 brick and low grade tiles ; glassware in general ; 

 drugs and pharmaceutical products, including 

 glass bottles, roots and plants, castor oil and 

 surgical instruments, the prices of which have 

 advanced from twenty to fifty per cent, above 

 normal and foodstuffs, especially tasajo 

 (jerked beef), rice, canned goods, including 

 milk and fine groceries. 



"Merchants who have hitherto l^een sup- 

 plied from other countries are looking toward 

 the more dependable markets of the United 

 States. Transportation facilities are improv- 

 ing continually and Cuba, because of her 

 favor-able situations, should obtain many new 

 trade lienef its from the opening of the Panama 

 Canal. 



"Cuba seeks to expand her tobacco exports. 

 A large amount of this product remains on 

 hand and prices are from ten to forty per cent, 

 below normal, the lesser decline being in the 

 higher grades. Many thousand bales go 

 annually to South America, which is not now 

 taking the usual quantity. A steamship line 

 from the United States, calling at Havana en 

 route to Buenos Ayres could obtain tobacco 

 freight southward from May to November 

 and bring north tasajo and grain from Argen- 

 tine." — From N. Y. Herald. 



PLANTATION CO. IS BANKRUPT 



The Palm Grove Plantation company of 

 Chicago, a corporation, filed a voluntary peti- 

 tion in ])ankruptcy in the United States Dis- 

 trict court in which it scheduled liabilities of 

 $149,075.48, and assets of $283,159.50. 



The company owns a 900-acre tract of land 

 in the province of Pinar de Rio, Cuba, and is 

 engaged in a general fruit and farming busi- 

 ness. 



The land which it owns is valued at $282, 

 000. Androve Carlson is president of the 

 corporation. Its offices are at 1850 West 

 Chicago avenue. 



