Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-12-07
CUBA ann RS caprrAr.

CUBA AND IT'S CAPITAL.
Havana Is, 10 many respect, desirable, as well as
aelghhui place for winters residence lis har.
Dor has very narrow entrance. bar spreads infuel
a'ey mo vast BASIN large enough 10 hold ihous-
and ships OF the first class On Ike ex,re po;,t a
the leit Of the entrance. stands the lighthouse. near
which IS me Moro Castle, and little beyond on
the same side. Is much mole extensive and import.
antwork, called the Canabas. Nearly opposite tie
Moro, on The west side OF The Channel or entrance 10
the hafhor, IS small fertilization named the Punts
70 height overlooking the ely, about three tourihs
OF mile west OF the Punts, another fort and sun
another on an elevation half mile east from the
Moro.
These works. together with one or more large Sims
OF war always found in the barber render this one IF
The most strongly fortified cities in the world On the
south side OF the harbor is considerable village called
the Regnlas, near 10 which are two hospitals. Be-
tween me heguas and the city, which built on the
west SIDE OF the channel steam ferry boat passes
cry nan hour during the day. Havana ranks among
the hist cities IN America ia commercial importance
and IS increasing rapidly in wealth. as well as ia ne
number OF rs inhabitants II is purely Spanish in lis
construction, with It's balconies, awnings terraces. aud
narrow streets.
The houses are built of coral rock-penerallv Two
stones high, with huge doors and immense grated
windows The doors aud windows are all open. and
as The streets are passed during the evenn q when the
houses are brilliantly lighted the eye peneraes the
whole interior Of domestic life.
This city IS the great mart Of the large and besut-
lin island OF Cuba, which enjoys perpetual summer
combined with uxurance and variety Of yooela'
ton hardly paralieled IN any other region The soil
| OF Cuba pours forth AT the slightest touch Of euya
ton, two or three crops in year, Of The most delicate
and nutFliIve Of products; sugar-cane pine apples,
SWEEP potatoes. oranges, lemons planains, bananas
cocoa, coffee maize, tobacco aud great variety ri
other fruits and vegetables, whose names are scarcely
known abroad. are abundant here The product 81
sugar plantation is stated from calculations publish
ed by the Patriotic Society, al about Is per cent or
the capital invested
The growth Of the native orange tree IS very rand
and its culture might be made great source Of wealth
In its perfect state this tree exhibits al the same time
its rich deep green foliage its perfumng flowers and
It's golden, glowing fruit, anording altogether The
most splendid spectacle IN the vegetable world Three
years after the seed is deposited the tree is from len
no fifteen feet high and the fourth year il bears @
1t is SAID that trees ten years old will produce On an
average, annually, fifteen hundred ORANGES The
trees are planted al about eighteen PAGES distant from
each other, and one hundred acres will contain 10
than thousand trees, each bearing ON an averora
fifteen thousand oranges, which, at the usual rate II
four dollars the thousand, will give gross product Of
twelve thousand dollars; and eductino the expenses
OF fifteen hundred dollars for cuivang picking pad
ing and carrying TO market, you have net pratit al
ten thousand five hundred dollars on capiial of ~,
more than fifteen sheosand dollars. While tie cult
walton OF this fruit might be made very lucrative
business, only few orange orchards are TO be found
on the island. The trees are planted on mos, of The
coffee and many Of the sugar in large numbers.
borders to the and lines of division but The
planters rarely gather the fruit.
Coffee, which al one time was considered the most
important product of the island, is now said to afford
but very small per cent, the capital invested II
nothe most productive, the coffee estates are far the
most beautiful OF any, and form the grea, ornaments
OF the Interior. The seed Of the coffee plant comes
I up IN about six weeks after il is deposited When
the plant about two years old the top branches are
cut Off and It's height reduced to four or five feet II
then requires 10 be projected from the sun, and il is
Tor this purpose that rows oforange, palm, banana and
other trees oil thick foliage and large growth are pan
ed between those Of the coffee. An extensive coffee
plantation, with its long avenues and ncosure Of or
ange and palm-ireesiis almost numberless lines of
coffee plants, overshadowed by the banana and other
beautiful trees blooming in rich luxurance OF peren
mai yege'ao1 seems, al least, 10 verify the visions Of
an earthly paradise.
/ The banana is of the most delicious vegetable
products Of the Island. The tree on which The fruit
grows is an annual one, that rises to the hegh; OF
eight or ten feet. when II throws off cluster 81 -
mense leaves five six feet losr bv tyvo or mar.
broad, and in the midst Of these leaves is found sin
gle bunch or cluster Of from forty 10 one bundled
fruits, which are nearly six inches long and some
what similar in shape 10 the common cucumber
Tobacco, maze. cocoa, and the sweet potato ap.
pear TO have originated on this island.
Tradition says they were introduced into Mexico
have spread over the continent. An Interesting story
IS related by Spanish wrilerson Mexico He saws !:
--'Alalze is native TO the island OF Cuba; lis name Is
found N the language Of the aboriginal inhabitants,
and 4 IS supposed 10 have been introduced into Mex
$50 BY the ToIiec Soon after lis inloauciion il
became the great staff Of life, aud was looked upon
wuh a KIND OF religious veneraion. The Devil TAX
ng advantage Of this, moved one OF the Pagan
priests, at festival OF the god OF war; 10 make an in
age OF The god out OF the oar Of maize. kneaded with
the blood OF human victims who had been sacrificed
in war; which was broken in pieces and distributed
among the people, VINO ate il with great yeneralion
saying they We're eating the flesh and bones OF The
god Thus did Satan himself orlain, in Mexico, a
communion 70 counterfeit the Holy Sacrament
Much more nigh. be written descriptive Of the pro-
duets Of Cuba, but this communication is already too
long, and what may be said 10 relation 10 the moral
character Of the island and the mporlace Of siisain-
ing ssaman's chaplain in Havana, must be deferred
10 future numbers Sailors .Vaga.iae.