16 THE CUBA REVIEW 



living in the capital of Cuba is. to some day, build himself a country home not too 

 far from the city, or say, within an hour's drive of his office. 



The first man to satisfy this laudable desire was Walter Stanton, formerly of No. 2 

 Wall Street, New York. Some twenty years ago this gentleman, in company with 

 Mrs. Stanton, visited a picturesque mountain-side cave belonging to the writer located 

 on the Guanajay road some twenty miles west of Havana. Looking down across the 

 Valley of Guayabal from a natural window in the side of the cliff, he said: "Dear, this 

 is a dream land of beauty and right over there, on the other edge of this valley below 

 us, w'e are going to build a home in Cuba." 



Walter Stanton was a man of his word. He bought a small orange grove, started 

 with a large stone foundation and told ]\Irs. Stanton to build a house according to her 

 own fancy while be busied himself with planting over three hundred varieties of roses 

 and foliage plants. Together they made this place one of the most charming homes 

 in the Republic of Cuba and there entertained their friends as only the Stantons could. 



Following them soon came other families of good taste, among them, the Leavitts, 

 the Dorseys, the Garrison Smiths, Shaler Williams and many other excellent people, all 

 of whom established charming homes in the Guayabal Valley. Later came Alexander 

 Kent who established a modern, up-to-date dairy not far from the Guayabal Station. 

 Within the past year President Zayas' son-in-law, Dr. Celso Cuellar, and other members 

 of the President's family, have built beautiful country residences in the neighborhood, 

 so that Guayabal Valley today may, perhaps, boast of the most aristocratic American 

 or cosmopolitan colony in Cuba. 



One of the most beautiful places on the island has been created within the last 

 few years by Gen. Menocal, ex-President of the Republic. It covers several hundred 

 acres and is known as "El Chico," the "little one." A commanding residence of Cuban 

 colonial architecture, standing a little back from the road, has been surrounded by 

 beautiful drives, lined with every variety of fruit tree, flower and ornamental plant 

 known to Cuba. General Menocal, although recognized as the king of the sugar industry, 

 is also a great lover of fine livestock of all kinds, especially thoroughbred horses and 

 cattle. At "El Chico" he has established a herd of two hundred Jersey cows whose milk 

 brings in to the family coffers a monthly revenue of several thousand dollars. 



A little farther along on the same drive is located the charming country home of the 

 late Ramon Mendosa, whose sudden death in New York robbed Cuba of one of her 

 brightest and best men. The fine Holstein dairy which he had established with great 

 care and expense is still maintained by his widow. This is another of the show places 

 of what is known as the Wajay district and is called the "Finca Milagros." 



A few kilometers beyond, on the road connecting the Springs of "El Vento," from 

 which comes Havana's water supply, with the town of Wajay, President Zayas has 

 recently built a fine country estate named "La Finca Maria" in honor of his wife. 

 In the quiet rural seclusion of this charming retreat the President solves many of the 

 knotty problems of Administrative Government. 



Tobacco Crop 



The Cuban tobacco crop for 1021-22 amounted to 490,914 bales, distributed as 

 follows : 



Bales 



Vuelta Abajo 148,593 



Semi Vuelta 13,368 



Partidos 60,072 



Matanzas 94 



Remedies o Villas (Santa Clara) 244,133 



Camagliey 2,968 



Oriente 21,686 



Total 490,914 



