1024 THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



NATlVi: BRICK MANUFACTURERS 

 The construction in this part of Mexico is, almost without exception, of brick 



structive to the forest, equally ruinous 

 to the soil. The attention of the Mexi- 

 can government has been drawn to this 

 wasteful system, which leads to the im- 

 poverishing of the people and the de- 

 struction of much valuable land. 



Taken as a whole, the Mexican tropics 

 are unusually fertile. Notwithstanding 

 the primitive methods in vogue, the peo- 

 ple are able to live easily. The land is 

 capable of producing everything neces- 

 sary for life, but only comparatively few 

 products are as yet cultivated. 



Detailed examinations of the soil con- 

 ditions and other natural advantages in 

 many parts of the Mexican tropics have 

 given definite evidence of the possibili- 

 ties of the country. Where there are 

 now a few native villages, whose inhabit- 

 ants are eking out a scant Hving, there 

 should be large plantations and prosper- 

 ous small yeoman farms. Instead of a 



population of a few millions in the trop- 

 ical part of the country at the present 

 time, it could support 40,000,000 people. 

 Where there are now some $250,000,000 

 invested in tropical industries, $75,000,- 

 000 of which is American capital, there 

 is room for four and five times that 

 amount. 



The government of Mexico, being 

 fully awake to the importance of the 

 tropical southern country, is showing its 

 interest in the planting of industries. 

 Experiment stations are being inaugu- 

 rated throughout the land, assistance is 

 given to agricultural societies, and com- 

 missions are granted for various pur- 

 poses to improve dififerent industries. 

 President Diaz' administration is favor- 

 ing the agricultural industries to a very 

 great extent. 



The last decade has seen much Ameri- 

 can capital entering Mexico to engage in 



