Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-17
A TALK ABOUT JAMAICA.
The Scenery and Products Of the Island
Seen by Mr. Saunders.


The Scenery and Products Of the Island -
Seen by Mr. Saunders.
II went down to see II our West India
neighbors hadn't some agricultural idea we
could make use Of, =" said Mr.. VIM. Saunders to
STAR reporter this afternoon. Mr.. Saunders
is the horticulturist of the Agricultural De-
partment and he,has just returned from trip
to Jamaica.
''Our idea was" continued the keen-witted
Scotchman, that something might be Dor
| rowed for the benefit Of the southern states
The production Of bay rum, for which there is
large demand as q toilet article, was one Of the
new industries we thought Of, and the cultiva-
ton OF ginger was under discussion. Neither
OF those things, found, figures very materially
In the Jamaica market. Coffee is their staple
put the production Is decidedly languid. many
OF the plantations living idle. Up on the Blue
mountains, though, fully 4 COO feet above high
WAFER mark, coffee is grown that brings the
highest price in the Liverpool market and that
grade OF plant is being multiplied to a consider
aoie and prospectiyely profitable extent. Many
OF Ine old sugar plantations have been aban-
saw one where they produce city tons of
sugar and 1000 gallons Of rum each week; you
know they make all their molasses into rum
les, saw some of the rum, running out white
anu pure, out didn taste IL; twas too raw.
THE TOBACCO CULTURE
Tobacco culture is being taken mp. In one
OF these valleys-and some Of these valleys are
beautiful-I saw a tobacco plantation about
four miles in length, containing perhaps q
Thousand acres which was doing well. II Is
managed by party Of Cubans, who saw they
can make Just as good tobacco as can be made
IN Cuba; they haven't done it yet, or at least
they haven got as good price for it as il paid
for the Cuba variety
There is great growth also in the line Of
banana culture. Some of the Jamaicans think
the thing is being overdone. On the northern
sioe OF the island is q huge plantation, which Ii
pelng added to all the time, owned by a Boston
corporation. This company has its own steam
ers and seems to be doing excellently. The
banana crop is one that can be picked every
month In the year. Just now the crop is said
| 10 De thinner than usual. but don't think the
dlnerence is apparent, because there were
io,oO0 punches in the steamer on which re-
| turned.
LAKEWOOD AND LOCKWOOD.
Jamaica is exporting great deal Of lance
wood used for buggy shafts) and logwood.
They have exhausted the more easily attainable
supply of logwood and are now digging up the
roots OF the old trees. 1t won't take long to
use up the supply of roots, but in the mean
tlme the young trees are springing up. The
| island - 80 - I~sS -. II,
open up new forests !, e "AN '''"' "A''
AN ABSENCE OF POVERTY
| i'm ~0''. or fo.Hh
Perhaps the most interesting popularity
noted was the complete absence of poverty.
The colored people, all descendants Of the
| slaves. have their little huts. Each family
raises a few bananas. coffee plants, vans, pigs,
chickens and eggs. The women carry great
sonna,;r ePiSoucs 70 mar Ne. on tiieir neaos,
stra',.a n.s Issuance Oh twenty miles. A
women, MANY of them leading a donkey Which
is also carrying goods to market. Of course
tnese people need but little clothing and that
calico IA ci,an ,,S Prihcipany eaico' out .he
| large nronortion of tba womar 80 rott;nos. -
| decorated with lace aud il seams on,f. o,S a.
see the bare legs of n female serve as the hacS.
ground for a Somewhat elaborate nattsrn al
1etticoat tr;mm;na U.rdI,' - IA az y,
construction of The fem;n;ne Ioms;can Loo a .re
parent to every one nossessed of eves,Dht tbay
| are lint hone and s;raw NO ole al 90 ;,s,
as graceful from the anatnmist,s stanaro;nJ, 2,
| the nins on which tbe donLays stanJ a,ipd 49,
aro,ind Pint there orc NO haggars ~, ths
island :,
"Is travel easv2-
|
| iNd iS tASf.
very. Light vehicles spin easily over the
| finest roads ever saw. The roads have been
| laid ont with great enc;neer;ng skill and arc
| -.s., 20. ms 'A', , IN ".>
arnInan. .aSss 80 .A " a. h;'.l ne =. so',
e ennd a lakes care q, .ne nignWa!s: II Is
f Tou sG'e,n l. .,,a rue s2serhor, or nenr!
daano.;n ms 20 popu.a. an rs Son.lnuais en-
;SIanS ..,s -. aar;. s., Inc. e inuusss : Vi .ne
,s ass anu 70 usase new iihes on Mnich onsi
dnc.S tha n,,it;rat;o,, 90 s;sat ha,y nv, :.
nnsb;,,g tbot I'll ,ra., d..I ~ ,oraa I W !.
apmsans amd $500, % al - tbs ,,,'1.,s
nrnsner;tx II was he th.t nro,no,aS nr
Pan;ped tbe a,nos;t;n,, poeN MI" VI
THE JAMAICA EXPOSITION.
na' eAposi.ionE On !. was a lac simile on
.,
o'a'es was NJ. represeh'eo' 'ho"sh, because a.
understand II, we were not formally invited
oanaaiaI nour was Pusnea ana Tsnada VII