14 TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



cold climate at intervals not greater than once in three years. 

 In most instances, women probably feel the depressing influ- 

 ence of tropical climates more keenly than men. This fact 

 also is still without any satisfactory explanation. 



One may venture the suggestion that a part explanation of 

 the lowering of vitality experienced by white persons after a 

 long residence in the Tropics is found in lack of exercise. One 

 feels so completely comfortable at all times in tropical cli- 

 mates that there appears to be no immediate necessity for 

 exercise or exertion. It may not occur to the ordinary indi- 

 vidual for some time that he is taking less exercise than was 

 his custom in colder climates. It is, however, a matter of 

 common observation that no one can remain well in tropical 

 countries without regular exercise or physical work. The 

 assertion may therefore reasonably be ventured that the one 

 universal enemy of the white man in the Tropics is not tropi- 

 cal disease, but plain laziness. 



This laziness is of such an insidious nature that one readily 

 yields to the tradition quite apparent in tropical countries that 

 it is actually dangerous for the white man to work. This con- 

 clusion is the more readily accepted when one realizes that 

 practically all of his fellows have accepted the same conclu- 

 sion and have become surrounded with the swarm of Oriental 

 servants so ready to perform every service involving manual 

 labor. In Cuba, Porto Rico, and Hawaii, on the other hand, 

 there are colonies of white farmers working in the fields at 

 heavy physical labor in the manner to which they were accus- 

 tomed in northern regions and remaining in the most vigorous 

 health during their whole life time. In view of the accumu- 

 lated experience of white farmers and business men through- 

 out the tropical countries of the world, one would seem to be 

 justified in coming to the conclusion that the necessity for 

 physical exercise is not removed by settling in the Tropics. 



In connection with the general sanitary conditions of the 

 Tropics, many questions arise in the minds of visitors as to the 



