292 



humboldt's cuba. 



V 



wild grapes, which gave a slightly acid wine, in 

 Cuba, were probably gathered from the Vitis tilice- 

 folia, which Mr. Wildernow has described in our 

 herbariums. In no part of the northern hemisphere, 

 up to this time, has the vine been cultivated for the 

 purpose of making wine, south of the latitude of 

 28° 40' which is that of the island of Ferro, one of 

 the Canaries, and 29° 2', the latitude of Abushcer, 

 in Persia. 



Wax is not produced by indigenous bees (Meli- 

 pones of Mon. Latreille), but byj bees introduced 

 from Europe by way of Florida. This trade was 

 not of much importance previous to 1772. The 

 entire export of the island, from 1774 to 1779, one 

 year with another, did not exceed 2,700 arrobes; 

 and, in 1803, it was estimated (including the contra- 

 band) at 42,700 arrobes, of which 25,000 went to 

 Vera Cruz. The churches in Mexico consume largely 

 of Cuban wax ; the price varies from $16 to $20 per 

 arrobe. The number of arrobes exported from 

 Havana alone, by the custom-house returns, has 

 been as follows : 



1815 

 1816 

 1817 

 1818 

 1819 



23,398 1820 16,939 



22,365 1822 14,450 



20,076 1823 15,692 



24,156 1824 16,058 



19,373 1825 16,505 



