THE AGRICULTURE OF CUBA.—NO II. 
149 
No one supposes if cotton be put up wet, dirty, 
trashy, with rotten pods, that it is benefited; but 
whoever thinks of such a thing, unless it be one 
who loves the argumentum ad hominum ? 
What little knowledge I have in farming, has 
been acquired by years of close attention, reading, 
and reflection. I do not think I know everything; 
far, very far from it; I know enough, however, to 
know I have much to learn ; I therefore ask of 
others to correct me, if wrong, being anxious my¬ 
self to improve, and aid others in improvements. 
I ask them yet farther, to examine, reflect, try; if 
wrong, discard ; if right, adopt; and return the 
benefit by throwing in each one his mite to the 
farming knowledge of the country. 
M. W. Philips. 
We should be glad to be informed by any of our 
southern friends, whether they have adopted the 
method of planting the top part of the cane only, 
as detailed by Mr. Brown in his present letter on 
Cuba. On those plantations which we visited 
last year in Louisiana, we found that the whole 
length of the stalk of cane was planted, and that 
it lasted only three years, at which time a new 
planting became necessary. Now in Cuba it seems 
the plantings last twenty years or more. Is this 
owing to a difference of climate in its favor, or is 
it to be attributed entirely to the different method 
of planting ? We found the Otaheitan, as well as 
two other varieties of cane under cultivation on 
the Mississippi. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
THE AGRICULTURE OF CUBA.—No. II. 
Ingenio Atalaya , May 17, 1843. 
Dear Sir: The plantation I date this letter 
from contains about 2,000 acres, 400 of which are 
appropriated to the culture of the sugar-cane, 50 
acres to plantains, 20 acres to yucca and maize, 
and about 300 acres to fruit-trees and vegetables. 
The other part of the estate consists of pastures 
and woodlands. It is stocked with about 600 
working oxen and neat cattle, 300 cows, 40 horses, 
and 100 negroes adapted to field labor. The 
whole product, in a fruitful year, is about 1,300 
hogsheads of molasses, or a corresponding amount 
of sugar, which will usually sell in the United 
States for $35,000. 
This plantation is laid out in a very complete 
manner, which I will briefly describe. Near the 
centre of the cultivated grounds there is a beauti¬ 
ful hill elevated about eighty feet above, and situa¬ 
ted about half a mile from tide-water. On the 
top of this hill, close by the sugar-works, is the 
mansion of the proprietor, tastefully ornamented 
with piazzas, and surrounded by gardens, groves 
of plantain, orange, and other trees. The natural 
declivity of the ground on which the sugar-house 
is situated, is sufficient for the expressed juices and 
sirups to flow, without assistance, from one part 
of the works to the other, a desideratum that 
should always be sought after in erecting works 
of this kind. The whole estate is laid out with 
avenues radiating from the dwelling-house, which 
enable the family of the proprietor to overlook the 
whole plantation, and all the operations of the 
field. 
The soil of this estate and vicinity, consists of a 
dark-colored mould of several varieties, with a 
clayey or limestone substratum, and although its 
surface quickly dries after a fall of rain, its under 
portions retain a considerable degree of moisture, 
even in time of drought, and seldom requires 
trenches for draining in the wettest season. 
The cane usually cultivated on this part of the 
island is the Otaheitan variety. It is propagated 
by cuttings of about a foot and a half in length, in¬ 
serted in the ground in an upright position just be¬ 
fore the commencement of the rainy seasons. 
These cuttings usually comprehend the top part, 
deprived of their leaves, and two or three of the 
upper joints of the canes. They are usually plant¬ 
ed about eight inches apart, in trenches from thirty 
to thirty-three inches asunder, and from ten to 
twelve inches in depth. Sometimes, however, the 
cuttings are laid longitudinally in the trenches, and 
covered with earth to the depth of about three 
inches, which places the plants in a favorable state 
for deriving the utmost advantages from the ensu¬ 
ing rains. In two or three weeks after planting, 
the young sprouts shoot up a few inches above the 
surface, which are carefully hoed and kept clear 
from weeds for about four or five months. The 
off-shoots which spring up from the suckers are 
taken off, as they imbibe nutriment from the pa¬ 
rent plant, and seldom arrive at maturity them¬ 
selves. 
The time for cutting varies with the soil and 
the season. The whole plantation is cut every 
ear, and usually occupies the period from Decem- 
er to the September following. When the cuti¬ 
cle of the canes become dry, smooth, and brittle, 
their piths grayish approaching to brown, the 
juice sweet and glutinous, and when cut crosswise 
with a sharp knife, without appearing soft and 
moist like a turnep, then they are considered in 
perfection, and in a fit state to cut. 
As soon as the canes are cut, if the rainy season 
be near at hand, all the rubbish of the field, such 
as weeds, decayed leaves, &c., are laid about the 
roots of the plants, the earth being well loosened 
with a hoe, and cleared of weeds, but little other 
labor is required until the canes are fit for cutting. 
Instead of the excessive labor of planting anew 
every year or two, as in the southern part of the 
United States, with careful management, the stools 
or roots of the canes here, are allowed to continue 
in the ground for years without replanting. On 
this estate, where I have passed several months, 
there are fields of cane which were planted twenty- 
two years ago, and have been cut every year since, 
yielding each year a good crop. 
This process of reproduction consists in the de¬ 
velopment of the buds which form the secondary 
stool of a plant which has been cut, and are called 
retonos. They are designated by first, second, 
third, &c., according to the age of the root from 
which they spring. They annually diminish in 
length of joint and in their size; the first being 
