AGRICULTURAL POSSIBILITIES IN MEXICO 



1033 



the last few years. Good communica- 

 tions and nearness to market are essen- 

 tial requirements for a banana industry. 

 Such conditions, combined with good soil 

 and sufficient water, are to be found in 

 many locations in Mexico. The Tampico 

 district is probably the best, but the coast 

 lands of Tabasco and Vera Cruz, on the 

 Atlantic, and of Chiapas and other coast 

 States on the Pacific, are suitable. 



Excellent pineapples are grown in 

 Mexico, and the possibilities in this fruit 

 are great, as it can be shipped fresh as 

 well as canned. 



Cashew nuts are grown in the extreme 

 south ; jujubes occur in places ; the orange 

 berry, or limoncito, the pomegranate, 

 and the guava are no strangers, and the 

 sapote chico, or sapodilla, is one of the 

 most appreciated fruits in the country, as 

 well as one of the commonest. The 

 ground cherries, or "tomates de bri- 

 huega," are found in many native gar- 

 dens ; the tuna, or fruit of the prickly 

 pear, is a favorite fruit in Mexico. Mul- 

 berries are widely planted, and the 

 mango reaches perfection in certain dis- 

 tricts, especially the variety known as the 

 Manila mango. Were this fruit grown 

 in sufficient quantities to be exported to 

 the L^nited States, it would certainly be- 

 come a favorite in the market. At pres- 

 ent not enough is grown to furnish 

 sufficient fruit for home demands. 



Of the various citrus fruits, oranges 

 do well, lemons are grown in quantities, 

 and limes, citrons, and grape-fruits are. 

 commonly cultivated. 



The papaya, or papaw, is another trop- 

 ical fruit which is easily cultivated and 

 has a ready sale. ]\Iexico has better 

 varieties of this fruit than probably any 

 other tropical country. 



The breadfruit tree is grown in the 

 south of Mexico, but very little used for 

 culinary purposes. The various anonas, 

 as the custard apple, the sweet-sop, and 

 the sour-sop, are only sparingly culti- 

 vated. 



The avocado, or alligator pear, is 

 grown to perfection in Mexico, especially 

 in Tabasco, and would form a- valuable 

 article of export if produced in larger 

 quantities. 



In regard to fruit-growing generally 

 in the tropics, much could be done by 

 small capitalists, especially if several 

 combined for cooperative export. 



MEXICAN P'IBERS 



Mexico is essentially a country of 

 fibers. The henequen, or sisal liemp, 

 production of Mexico is enormous, and 

 many millions have been made by the 

 henequen planters of Yucatan, which is 

 the chief seat of this industry. 



Pita fiber and ixtle are two other fibers 

 well known as specifically ]\Iexican, and 

 the zapupe has recently come to notice. 

 Cadillo fiber occurs wild, and has not yet 

 been grown to any extent. Its high price 

 in the market should, however, warrant 

 its cultivation. 



Cotton is grown in northern Mexico, 

 and recently the introduction of the hy- 

 brid Caravonica cotton from Australia 

 has revived the interest in cotton-grow- 

 ing in the Mexican tropics, especially on 

 the Pacific slope, which is eminently 

 suited for this purpose. 



RUBBER-PIvANTiNG 



Few tropical industries have received 

 more attention in late times than rubber. 

 The spreading use of this commodity in 

 connection with electricity and in the 

 bicycle and motor tire industries, has 

 raised the price to a high level, and con- 

 sequently rubber culture is being studied 

 all over the tropical world. 



Mexico has until recently been leading 

 in regard to the area planted in rubber, 

 but the development of the industry in 

 this country has been somewhat retarded 

 on account of the many promotion 

 schemes of imaginary rubber plantations 

 which have been sprung upon the Amer- 

 ican public. 



The large yields which the rubber tree 

 produces are, however, sufficient to in- 

 duce capital to take up this industry, 

 although the time of waiting for returns 

 on the investment is very long — as much 

 as six and seven vears. 



The investigations and experiments of 

 the last few years of the methods of cul- 

 tivating and preparing rubber have 

 placed the industry on a firm footing. 



