THE CUBA RE VIE W 



27 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



CUBAN CROP CONDITIONS 



The following information with regard to 

 the condition of the Cuban crops was ob- 

 tained from Mr. J. C. Manzer, commercial 

 representative in Cuba of the Government 

 of New Brunswick: 



"The sugar crop of 1916 will be much short 

 of the estimates made at the beginning of the 

 harvest. This shortage, variously estimated 

 at 15 to 20%, is due to the drought that lasted 

 for five months, retarding the growth of the 

 cane to a great extent and also facilitating 

 the spread of cane fires. Cuba has never be- 

 fore suffered such losses from cane fire in any 

 one season. Although the crop is much 

 smaller than expected, the total value of the 

 1916 crop will be fully up to the estimate, as 

 the price has advanced since the grinding 

 commenced by more than 1 cent a pound 

 (from 3.75 to 4.80 cents). 



The extremely dry weather for the last few 

 months will also curtail the next season's 

 crop, as the ne^ cane has made very little 

 growth, and up to April 28 there was no plant- 

 ing of new cane fields. During the week 

 ended April 28 some copious showers fell 

 and much planting will be done in the next 

 few days; but cane planted now will not be 

 large enough to cut during the coming season, 

 except under the most favorable circum- 

 stances. Many of the cane fields planted 

 this season will not be cut until the season 

 of 1918. 



Tobacco — Fruits and Vegetables. 



The growth of tobacco plants has also been 

 greatly retarded on account of the extremely 

 dry weather, but the quality of the cured 

 leaves is of very high class, as the weather 

 has been most favorable for curing. On 

 account of the great falling off in the demand 

 from foreign countries, the acreage in tobacco 

 has been considerably reduced. 



The growers of fruit and vegetables have 

 suffered greatly from the long-continued dry 

 spell. Potatoes, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, 

 and lima beans are small, and the supply of 

 pineapples, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, 

 mangos, and aguacate is much less than ordi- 

 nary. A few of the fruit growers irrigate their 

 land, and their crops, in consequence, are as 

 good as usual. Abundance of water can be 



obtained in nearly all parts of Cuba by dig- 

 ging from 20 to 50 feet, but irrigation is very 

 little practiced. With a good system of irri- 

 gation two or three crops of vegetables can 

 be grown on the same land in one year, while 

 without irrigation these can be grown only 

 in the rainy season, which lasts from May to 

 September. Heavy shipments of pineapples 

 are now going forward. Last week's boat to 

 New Orleans took 12,000 crates, and Satur- 

 day's boat to New York took 8,000 crates. — 

 Weekly Bulletin, Canadian Departvient of 

 Trade and Commerce, Ottawa. 



CUBA'S IMPORTATIONS OF WINE 



Importations of wine to Cuba are made 

 principally through the port of Habana, 

 about 10% of the total coming direct to 

 Santiago de Cuba and a small volume to 

 other ports on the island. 



American exporters who desire to enter 

 this market should send a well-qualified sales- 

 man acquainted with the language and trade 

 conditions of Latin America to arrange for 

 the appointment of agents and attend to the 

 placing of advertising. There is no local 

 production of wine in this district. Spain is 

 an important source of supply, with considera- 

 ble amounts from France and Italy. 



Values of white wines imported in the year 

 ended June 30, 1915, with the corresponding 

 figures for 1914, were: In barrels, $253,022 

 ($239,783); in bottles, $150,588 ($164,740); 

 in other receptacles, $11,787 ($11,676). 



Values of red wines for the same periods 

 were: In barrels, $1,088,749 ($1,149,024); 

 in bottles, $52,009 ($64,280); in other re- 

 ceptacles, $3,661 ($1,000). 



The share of the United States in this trade 

 was: White wines in barrels, $1,989 ($1,820); 

 in bottles, $362 ($1,341); in other receptacles, 

 $103 ($1,696); red wines in barrels, $3,522 

 ($15,461); in bottles, $4,190 ($153); in other 

 receptacles, none for 1915 and $16 worth for 

 1914.— Consul H. M. Wolcott, Habana. 



Senor F. Gonzales Garza, of the Mexican 

 bar, is now associated with Mr. Phanor J. 

 Eder, at 60 Wall Street, New York City, 

 and is prepared to act as attorney and coun- 

 sellor at law for those having legal business 

 with Latin- American countries. 



