214 CUBA 



Coffee was once extensively exported, but the trees have been 

 mostly cut down and replaced with sugar-cane, in consequence 

 of the greater profitableness of that product. The mountain 

 sides and hill lands of the east are especial]}'- favorable for coffee, 

 and a quality as excellent as that of the famous Blue mountain 

 coffee of Jamaica can be readily grown. If the island should 

 ever pass from Spanish hands, this will become a large and 

 flourishing industry. There is still a considerable quantity of 

 coffee grown, but it is nearly all consumed locally. 



At the beginning of the present revolution the growing of 

 bananas was a large and important industry, chiefly in the 

 vicinity of Nuevitas and Baracoa, at the eastern end of the 

 island. During the season, from February to December, an 

 average of a ship load a day was exported from Baracoa. This 

 fruit was the largest and finest received in the United States. 

 It was grown upon mesas and plateaus, and let down over the 

 precipitous cliffs by wire trolleys. 



Capt. John S. Hart, of Philadelphia, who had large invest- 

 ments in this business and was one of the largest importers of 

 the fruit into the United States, finding his business destroyed 

 by the outbreak of the revolution, promptly turned his ships 

 into filibusters, and after landing many cargoes of arms and 

 ammunition was eventually tried and convicted in a United 

 States court, and is now confined in the Eastern penitentiary, 

 at Philadelphia. 



Oranges of delicious flavor grow spontaneously in all parts of 

 the island. No attention is paid to their culture for exporta- 

 tion, however. Pineapples are grown and exported in western 

 Cuba, and the Isle of Pines* If the island belonged to the 

 United States, it would undoubtedly become one of the greatest 

 fruit-growing countries. Mahogany and logwood are also ex- 

 ported in small quantities. 



In the provinces of Santa Clara, Puerto Principe, and Santiago 

 the cattle industry, owing to the fertile grazing lands, reaches 

 large proportions, the product being large and fine animals of 

 Spanish stock. Horses are also bred in all parts of the island. 

 The Cuban horse is a stout pony descended from Andalusian 

 stock, with the build of a cob and a peculiar pacing gait which 

 renders it an exceptionally easy riding animal. Goats and sheep 

 do not flourish in Cuba, the wool of the latter changing into a 

 stiff hair like that of the former. Poultry flourishes everywhere 

 and was abundant in all markets. 



