Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-11
p,otvr. or Centr.I Amer,oa

assistance, caught the negro and hung him.
Picture OF Central America
The following letter is from General Walker,
| of Central America celebrity. II was addressed
| to a friend in Washington, and not intended for
| publication
"GRASADA, Jan. l0.-My Dear Colonel:
| have lately taken tour through one of the
1 most interesting sections of Nicaragua--lhat of
the department of Rivas-and have seen enough
Of the fertility of the soil, agreeable climate
and fine scenery there, to satisfy me that in
very short time this portion of the State must
| be point Of great attraction to the immigrant
who comes here to follow agricultural pursuits
| The entire route from Granada to the capital
Of Rivas or Nicaragua, is thought very fine
1 and fertile country, but not much cultivated
| between Granada and the river Gonzales
There are, it is true, few cocoa estates, but
they are quite neglected, and at most of the
| haciendas along the route may be seen ruined
| indigo watts, some of which must have been
built at very great expense. The little Indian
village of Nindyme is the only town of conse-
quence between Granada and the river Con
zales, u distance of nearly seventy miles. The
village is situated in the midst of vast and
fertile plain-but the people pay no attention
to the cultivation the soil beyond the raising
of corn; and this they raise only in small
patches.
"The old haciendas Of Ochomogo, San
| Francisco, and others belonging to the route,
have been allowed to go to decay almost entirely
and the business of cocoa raising and indigo
making, which was formerly the great business
of these estates, is now wholly neglected. and
for no possible reason except that the proprie-
tors have from time to time been robbed by
the Government OF all they earn, and have be-
come disheartened. Many of these proprietors
would now recommence working their estates,
but the revolution has so impoverished them
that they have not funds to commence with,
and they are anxious to sell their lands for
money enough to commence again upon new
lands. Estates that three years ago were held
at fifty thousand dollars can now be had al
| from FIVE thousand to ten thousand dollars !;
and these same estates will pay back the pur
chase money in two, certainly three years.
| have arrived at this latter conclusion from
statistical calculations which think are cor
rect, and which are based on the best and most
reliable information | can obtain. For in
stance, cocoa estate will produce-so the
cocoa growers here tell me-nearly if not
quite eight thousand pounds of cocoa to
! the acre. The cocoa of Nicaragua is the
finest in the world and though it is I'M
known in the American market, would Ger.
tainly command as high price as the best ar
ticle from any other country-say ten cents per
| pound According to this calculation, each
acre would produce eighty dollars worth, which
would amount to eight thousand dollars if q
4 hundred acres were cultivated. Now the labor
| of ten men is more than enough to keep the
estate in order, gather and prepare for ship
ment the entire crop. One hundred and fifty
dollars each would be very high rate for the
| wages of these men per year-say fifteen
hundred dollars for labor. The other charges:
freight custom dues, DC. could notexceed fifteen
hundred dollars more. This would bring the
Nicaragua cocoa into the New York market AT
10 cents per pound, and leave to the raiser a
clear profit of five thousand dollars yearly
| from one hundred acresihus cultivated. There
are very many estates that will produce results,
| similar to those above calculated now for sale
at such prices as have before named, and
| which are in bearing condition. nothing more
being wanted than the removal of the under
wood, which has accumulated during three
years of neglect The cocoa tree retains its
vigor after it once arrives at maturity, as long
as the oak or the pine-much longer than the
apple tree.
II have said that the cocoa Of Nicaragua
never finds its way 10 North America. This
is because Of the fact that it is all consumed in
the States of Central America, and it is sold AT
prices varying from twenty TO thirty cents per
h. The people Of Central America would not
drink such chocolate as is called the besI in
New York at any price.
"During few years, doubtless all the cocoa
that can be raised in Nicaragua would find an
immediate market at home and at much higher
prices than could be obtained for il in the
| United States; but should the business of grow
| ing it be gone into extensively, as | have no
doubt will be the case very soon, the local
markets would become oversiocked, and
foreign market would have to be found. Should
| the psates Of the North Americans ever be-
come acquainted with the flavor Of the delici.
Gus chocolate we have here, they would never
give up the luxury at any price; but have
| endeavored TO show that Nicaragua can com
pete with other countries in producing this
delicious beverage, even at the prices which
are now paid in the United States for very
inferior articles, and therefore, conclude that
the purchase Of these estates will be a very
popular speculation on the part Of immigrants
to this country.
"From the Gonzales river TO Rivas, dis.
lance of about two miles, the entire land along
the road is under cultvation-but in a most
rude and primitive manner Corn-common
Indian corn--is sown broadcast, not planted in
hills or rows, and yet it seems to flourish / do
not know how much is produced per acre by
this mode Of cultivation, but the ears are large,
and the grain fully developed-hence, con-
clude the product must be very great. There
is not such thing as grist mill in the entire
country; and the only corn bread, such as is
common in the United States, that have ever
tasted in Nicaragua, was made of meal i'm.
ported from New York. We cut the young
corn for horse feed--it is the only fodder for
horses in Granada-cut the ears, cob and oil,
when very young; after boiling, make it into
tortillas with cheese, and tortillas without
cheese; but cannot make that delicious article
'hoosier bread wish somebody would come
! out here with q corn mill, make a fortune for
himself and make us happy at the same time.
| am sure such would be the result Of such a
speculation. We would not be very particular
about fine -four, il we could only have our corn
broken into pieces without the process Of boil.
ing il in ley. We would not grumble much il