Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-03-22

dominican Government admits all furnitur
ana agricultural implements free of duty
have seen no agricultural implements not
wIthstanding. Furniture made in the State
is quite common in the better class of houses
II wood land is bought, of course it must b,
cleared and fenced before it can be produc
i've, Prot Gabb, formerly State Geologist
OF California and now at the head of the
Geological Survey of the Dominican Repub-
nc ior the Santo Domingo Company of New
lOrk, pays 81 per acre for clearing and
iencing land ready for planting he makes
contract to that effect and others do the
same he does not advance any portion of
the sum, but pays one-quarter price as the
work proceeds A farmer NAV come here
at any season Of the year and get crop in
four months. The first thing to plant should
be corn, which natures in from six to eight
weeks. The most profitable crops are coffee
cotton, cacaO, oranges, lemons, lines anC
sugar, but most Of these cannot be raised by
poor men, for they require too long time
before they viii bear. Coffee in this region
Is not productive until it is three years old
when half crop is yielded. full crop il
gathered the next year. and the investment
Is henectorth permanent and profitable. and
requires little labor. An acre will contain
O4O coffee trees besides the same number o.
plantaIn or banana trees set out alternating
with the coffee for the sake of the shade,
which Is absolutely necessary for the produc-
tIon OF coffee Cacao is still more profitable
/ when once start d, but the tree does not
yltld TIL 1t l. seven or eight years old. Su-
gar yields the first year but it cannot be
raised proftably except by the investment ol
OF large c1pital-Prof Gabb and others say
from $4,000 to $50, ,O00-due to the cost ol
machinery, &c. Cotton yields in six months
ana the crop and variety are said to be mag
nIhcent. 1t requires little capital and little
labor. The ground should bc cleared and
/ kept reasonably clear from weede. The crop
does not need replanting. Another crop, a
new one, promises well. That is cabulla
which produces a fiber Of excellent quality
resembling manila hemp, and is worth in
/ New York l3 cents pound. Mr. Shoe
maker, formerly Of Baltimore and largely
engaged IN enterprises here, has raised ca
bulla with profit.
The subject of land titles has been ca
planned to me several times, but don't vet
understand 1t, and to others there is a great
ceal OF uncertainty. Owing to the unsettled
condition OF affairs on the island fO- 50 many
years, II Is doubtful what is q valid title and
what Is not. Prof. Gabb (and be is probably
the most trustworthy authority here) saws
the notary certificate is sufficient, as he has
the records. But the records in this city are
-N''s t+AANA NLiAAt tlC LbLdIg CcTLlIcdtc might
answer IN one case, il would not in another.
Farm horses may be bought for from fifty
TO sixty dollars per head oxen, from twenty
To thirty dollars dOnkeys, sixteen to TWEEN
ty, and mules from eighty to two hundred
dollars \ good saddle horse can be had for
eighty dollars. but fine ones bring from $50
to $500. Mules are little used, and horses
are scarce donkeys, bulls, and oxen are the
principal beasts of-burden. transportation
Is done by packing on the backs of donkeys
and bulls. The dOnkeys are about the size
OF Newfoundland dogs, and they carry loads
Of fruit, wood, charcoal, and all other a1ti-
clcs OF transport, in pannicrs strapped about
them, one on each side, and either Of the
baskets Is larger than the donkey himself
In the city, carts are used, for the streets are
generally good and well paved but outside
the walls there are only paths Of the rudest
and worst description, through bushes, over
logs, into streams, and along hillsides The
greatest need of all this country I put it
even before capital) Is roads.
Labor is controlled by the same influences
that control trade. \ native, or a foreigner
who has been here long enough to learn the
habits Of the people and the Spanish Ian
guagc, can make better bargains than others
Ten chances to one a foreigner Will be swim
died on everything he ca Is, wears or hires.
4 labOrcr who speaks both English and
Spanish would be almost Indispensable TO an
American farmer coming here to begin life.
and such a hand would Of course command
better wages than others Prof. Gabb has
all the advantages Of a Dominican, and he
employs men at the Dominican rate. lie
pays tor common farm laborcrs seven to eight
dollars a month, without board. Mr.. Shoe
maker pays four dollars month and board.
You may add 10 these rates 80 per cent. for
inexperienced employers ignorant Of the Ian
guagc. The women and children do good
deal Of work indeed l think they do the
most Of it on tie places owned by their hus-
bands or fathers, for the natives who own
places ever so small generally despise labor,
and the women arc made to perform double
duty. The wages paid women field laborers
| have been unable to obtain The low rate
at which labor is obtained here will not be
regarded with so much surprise by the reader
when he reflects upon the simple habits of
the people their manner ofliying, and the few
expenses thcv incur. small family may
live in this city, very nicely and respectfully,
on from $500 to $500 II year, paying their
own house II mt and the difference between
this and the common labOTer is about in the
same ratios as the gentleman living in New
York on $4,000 year and the laborer who
lives on $500. The climate is so genial and
so inyariable that the laborer's clothes, and
those of his family, do not cost him more
than so a year, if so much. EShOes or
boots be never wears. \ hat. costing six or
ten cents, viii last year and a suit or two
Of blue Jean OF cotton, costing 81 n piece,
and two shirts, costing 20 cents a piece
these will dress the labOrer here better than
twO-thirds Of them are dressed. WOolen he
never wears, and many never think of wear
ing a shirt.