The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-02-23
THE TORRID ZONE.
DR.. j. ". LEE TELLS SOMETHING
ABOUT LIFE IN MEXICO.
What Each of the States Produces for the
Worlds Marltct-The Numerous Indus
tries of the MeXicans, Etc.

tries of the MeXicans, Etc.
SAN LUIS PoTosI, Mexico, February H.
| It is not easy to analyze the feelings with
| which one enters Mexico. They are mingled
| with the mystery which hangs around this
| strange land of romance and blood. 1t is in
| occordance with the structure of the human
| mind that Mexico captivates and holds the
| jmagination in more delightful bondage than
| any other country on the earth.
| This because of what is disclosed and OF
| what is withheld, enough comes to view. in
| the wealth of its climate the variety OF its
| products, the beauty OF its scenery and in the
| character of its history, to make up an unpre-
| codcnted array of facts to meet the needs OF
| the understanding for something solid, while
| enough is concealed in the form OF myth and
| legend and dream to furnish an infinite realm
| for the excursions of fancy.
| Mexico occupies the Same parallel Of latitude
in the west that Egypt does in the east. She
| disputes with Egypt as to which has the oldest
! civilization, completes with Egypt in the num-
| Der and wonder Of her pyramids, equals Egypt
in her odd hieroglyphics, and parallels the
| Phalaohs of Egypt with the long line Of her
ante-Totcc Montezumas.
What Mexico lacks OF having all zones by
| her location on the globe she pushes her Popo-
| catepetl and her Citlaltopetl nearly two thous-
| and feet into the heavens and makes by her
altitude Between the snow on OrZaha
| and the guaya fruit in Tabasco there are do
| grees of temperature all the way from 20 to
| 100 above zero, and the difference between
| Russia ana southern Italy.
Mexico has 1GS,5 800 square miles OF territory,
reaching 1900 miles III length and $50 in
| width divided into twenty-seven states,
| federal district and a territory. and having an
| ocean and gulf front of 600 miles.
| The remarkable combination of climates
and attitudes in the republic invites to the
division and specialization of labor. A
particular state, because of the zone
| in which it finds itself, and be-
cause of its position above sea level,
| easily develops q partial monopoly In some
| line OF business
| The state of Leon leads in tanning leather,
| and the making of shoes, boots, saddlery and
rebosas. Salamanca makes good her claim to
commercial standing among the states OF the
| republic by the manufacture OF buckskin gar
| nenis and gloves. The people of lrepuato turn
the strength Of their soil and the ingenuity OF
| their thought into strawberries, and supply
| half the nation with this delicious fruit
| Oueretaro has corner on the beauty which
flames in her opals, and provokes the industry
Of her people in supplying them to the markets
Of the world. Lendo relies, like Alabama,
upon cotton for her wealth. Ceaya, in
the valley OF LSja, lives, ti tor tn, the
and sugar into swectmeats and candies:
| Pueblo hangs her hopes for fortune upon the
| onyx, which her people make INTO ornaments
| that they may secure the money OF the I'M
| suspccting tourist: Aguas Cahentes Is an
| agricultural center, and lives by supplying the
country with corn and beans; winsome flavor
hangs about the names of Orzaba and Cor
dora, because they contribute to the
| worlds market coffee, sugar and fruits;
! in Chihuahua the chief industry is raising
| |, md
the states in the production of pottery and
| crockerywarc; Zacatecas and GuanaJuato are
| famous for the enormous amount OF silver
| their people take from their mines; Vera Cruz
| is studded with an endless variety OF useful
| and ornamental timber; Oaxaca teens with
its splendid harvests of indigo and cochneal;
| Tamauiipas offers luxurant fields for the
herdsman and the shepherd; Te-
haantepoc tempts the Development
| olo> - interoceanic commerce TO
! ee1 the failed wealth of Alexandria, Of
Tyre and Sidon; and while its surface bears
| the mahogany and gum tree, its soil reeks
with petroleum, and so of all the rest; each is
noted for some particular capacity OF its soil or
| its mines,
| 1t takes less outlay of labor to secure large
| results in Mexico than in any other country.
| Coffee trees are planted five feet apart. a
| tree four years old costs II cents. 1t yields
the fourth year two pounds, worth 70 cents;
cost of gathering, cents. This makes o
| profit of Is cents per tree.
| A banana plantation can be put out at
| cost OF cents per plant which includes every
| expense up to the time of bearing fruit. AT the
| end of the first year the plant produces one
| bunch. which can be sold in New York for
/ 81 50 to 49, One thousand banana trees, cost
| ING $50 will bring $1,000 in one year. The
second year the product is double that OF the
/ first, and almost wholly without expense.
| One man can cultivate seven to eight acres
of orange trees One tree will yield 5000.
| Taking half this figure as the yearly yield,
| each tree will bring &25, and each acre of
| seventy trees $780, making an income OF
! Sl2,250 on seven acres.
| One thousand pineapple plants can be put
out on two and half acres. A crop of corn
| soWn among the plants pays for the expense OF
| cultivation. On tho ground tho pine
| apples sell for So cents per dozen; eX-
| ported to the United States they sell for
| So per dozen. Two thousand dollars,
| it is said, can be made per acre, and one man
| can cultivate six acres.
| Wheat yields twenty bushels per acre, and
corn thirty bushels per acre.
| Napoleon said Holland was an alluvian of
| French rivers the Rhine, the Scheldt and the
| Meuse, and with this pretext added it to the
( empire, but Mexico is tho creation of volcanic
| fires. Holland is beneath the sea, but Mexico
| is higher than any other country above it.
Man made Holland, but with the making of
Mexico man has had absolutely nothing to do.
| 1t has been thrown up between
the oceans and divided between table
| lands and mountains. The tablelands
| furnish the soil Tor food and fruit,
| while the mountains stand to tower, tur-
| ret and pinnacle the whole The mountains
| piled in majestic folds along both sides of the
| Mexican National railway, for nearly
| thousand miles, beggar description. They are
| now split into numberleSs peaks standing out
| in the dim distance like sentinels appointed to
| their posts from the foundations OF the world.
| Then they como together and, in one giant
| form, command the plain for miles around.
| The ride from Laredo to the City of Mexico
| would some time grow tedious with so many
miles of desolate, cactus-covered plains to pass
| through were 1t not for the million forms OF
| the Sierra Madre mountains. They seem bent
| on keeping you entertained. About the time
| you think you have exhausted the situation
nd throw yourself back for little bit OF reading
! a new combination is sprung on you, and you
are ready to regard yourself an idiot for daring
| to turn from the car window one single mo-