Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-06-04
Fruit Culture i'm Jamaica.

FRUIT culture IN Jamaica.
Owners of land suitable for fruit Gull
trlre in the state of Veracruz, and in
other parts of the country, will be in
terested to learn of the success of a
large American enterprise in the Island
of Jamaica, near Port Antonio. The
Boston Fruit Company have bought a
number of old sugar plantations, and
leased others. The land has been
plowed, and banana trees set out. The
finest of these estates is Golden Vale, a
plantation of some $500 acres, which
lies about nine miles from Port Antonio,
on the Rio Grande, the second river in
size On the island. Much of this land is
inaccessible for cultivation, but before
the abolition of slavery in 1888 800
slaves were employed on it in the pro-
duction of sugar and rum and the stone
ruins of the residence, the sugar and
still houses, and of other buildings, re-
main to testify to the magnificent scale
upon which it was conducted. 1t is now
owned by the fruit company, who have
go acres of the best land along the
river bottom laid out in rows of banana
trees, which are cultivated on scientific
principles. The tree grows rapidly from
a young shoot and bears fruit in from nine
to fifteen months; each tree produces
one bunch, the number of bananas in a
bunch depending upon the richness of
the soil. After the bunch is picked, the
tree is cut down and a shoot allowed to
grow up from the roots. After bearing
for five years, the soil becomes exhaust
ed and the cattle are turned into the field
and allowed to eat up the young trees as
they sprOut This effectually DESTROYS
the roots, and when the field has been
allowed to lie fallow for year, frequent
ed by the cattle, it is ready for blowing
and new set of banana trees. If the
old roots are left to bear in the same
soil, the size of the bunch produced by
each succeeding shoot dwindles rapidly,
and the banana also decreases in size
and quality. The fruit company now
own line of steamers, bought in Eng
land, and send nearly every week a car
go of fruit to Boston. The company al
so own number of small sailing craft
which ply along the coast, bringing loads
of bananas to Port Antonio. The COM
pany's manager, is now raising cucum-
bers, tomatoes, ETC., for the American
market in early spring. The industry
above described would by easily intro
duced along the Gulf coast of this coun-
try, and the returns are certain to be
Words About the Cow.
The stable has many advantages for
the COW, but there are three essential
conditions that it must be provided with
to make it of use. tmust be kept clean,
sweet, and thoroughly ventilated.
Without them, the stable is about the
worst place in which a cow can be kept
over night, during hot weather. A
close, foul stable taints the milk, and en-
feebles the COW. The advantages de-
rived from a good stable are many. 1t
protects the COWS from storms and in
sects, and keeps them quiet.
With the opening Of spring, the needs
of the COWS require special study if good
mixers and good butter makers are de-
sired. Their diet is changed, and their
whole mode of living, which will natur-
ally react upon their system. 1t is we'll
to have stable for them, if it is kept
clean, sweet and well ventilated; but it
is much better to have the stable open
ing upon the pasture lot. If they are to
be shut up in the stable over night they
must be MIXED very early or they will
be deprived of the early morning bite
when the grass is cool and sweet If
the stable opens OH the field the COWS can
avail themselves of it or not during the
night. Cows, as a rule, do not suffer
much from exposure during warm
weather, and they would only go into
the stables when they wanted to rest,
or seek protection from the storms or
insects. A. night pasture is a good
thing, for the air is sweet then, and the
cows will crop a little grass early and
late.
/ do not advocate the plan Of shutting
COWS up in the stables or barnyards over
night 1t is we'll to have stables for
them to 60 into at pleasure but they
should not be shut up there except dur
ing storms or special occasions. AS to
the barn-yard, it may be safely said that
not one in ten is fit for the COWS to lie
down in over night. If it rains over
filthy, which will besmear them for
weeks, unless cleaned carefully They
will Wallow in the dirt, no matter how
much pains are taken to keep them
from it. The air of the barn-yard is
not very sweet for the COWS to breathe,
and Indirectly it affects their health and
milk and butter. If sheds are proyid-
ed in the barD-yard for their protection,
they soon become as filthy, and water
frequently settles under them after
storms. The barn-yard is a useless
thing in the summer time. 1t is much
better to have a water-tight stable adj
joining the field, into which the COWS
IL L