The record-union., 1895-07-13

other nations; but, having found out Inal
there is something TO be learned, they are
now learning it rapidly.
On the extension of cultivation the di-
rect influence of the railways is clearly
discernible. Persons who had lived in
that connection with the rest Of the world.
which proximity to the railways gave
them, were naturally reluctant to involve
themselves in agricultural enterprises far
away from the means of rapid transporta-
ton. But it is by such persons that the
recent extraordinary demands for agri-
cultural lands has been made; and this
demand has been largely induced by the
construction of railways that in the last
few years have brought large tracts of
productive land into easy communica-
ton with the rest of the world.
Conspicuous among the railways that
have of late opened new fields for agri-
cultural enterprise are the Mexican
Southern, the Interoceanic and the
Guadalajara branch of the Mexican Cen
tral. The Mexican Southern is one of
the latest ventures in railway building in
Mexico. Maintaining a general direc-
ton toward the southeast, it runs through
rich agricultural region between Puebla
and Tehuacan, then descends into an in
terror valley which is only about 1,500
feet above the sea. Here the cocoanut
dourishes, and the mango and the banana
thrive with apparently little aid from
cultivation.
AS We are here under about the seven
teenth degree of latitude it is somewhat
warm. as might be expected, but it is not
oppressive. Even in midsummer it is
exceedingly agreeable as compared with
the hot summer days of Eastern cities or
the broiling sun of Fresno. With the sur
rounding mountains. which are COM
pletely clothed with foliage, sending
down abundant streams of water, there
are on ali sides the suggestions of
tropical paradise. From this region the
road leads up through deep and crooked
canyon to the summit of ridge seven
thousand feet high, which is here the
watershed between the Gulf and the
Pacific. At this point of advantage
magnificent view toward the south is
spread out before us; over hills that are
green with the freshness of spring, over
NdllOy5 VI waving COTn dIlu OH LOW&Tu
the ocean. BY the building of this rail-
way the rich valley Of Oaxaca is brought.
within an easy days journey of Pueblo,
whereas formerly 1t was reached only
after weeks journey over hard road
The Guadalajara branch of the Mexican
Central has mot only brought railway
communication to the third city of the
republic, but has also made readily ac-
cessible an extensive and productive
agricultural region. 1t is in this part of
the country that the oranges are pro-
duced, which have lately begun to be
shipped to the United States. Although
this trade is of recent origin, one hun
dred and forty-five carloads are now sent
out annually by the way of Ell Paso. The
time of shipment is, however, such that
should the amount greatly increase it
would not be likely to interfere with the
market of the California crop. But at
present it is not the cultivation of the
orange butof coffee that is attracting spe-
cial attention. The possibilities of the
western slope with reference to this
product are but imperfectly determined,
while on the eastern slope much progress
has already been made. The com mpletion of
the Interoceanie Railway to Vera Cruz
through Talapa, has made more acces-
81 ble rich coffee lands that are already
cultivated and others that will hereafter
be brought under cultivation.
Among the reasons for supposing that
lands not at present cultivated will be
found suitable for raising coffee and
-.
dinary profit which the production of
coffee offers. The cost of its production in
Mexicoin general is between and 10 cents
| pound in Mexican money, and it sells
| at from twenty-five to thirty-two cents.
Another consideration pointing to the
! same result is the probable diminution
of the production in Brazil.
Hitherto Brazil has produced about
| one-half of the coffee that has been con-
sumed in the world. 1t is clear, there
fore, that any serious Interference with
the conditions of production in that coun-
try would open extraordinary opportu-
mites for other countries. Probably the
most violent shock which the economic
interests of Brazil have suffered in this
century has been caused by the emanci-
patton of the slaves of whom about 2S4,-
600 were engaged in the cultivation of
coffee, working from twelve to fourteen
hours day. AS long as those conditions
of labor continued, which existed prior
to the emancipation of the slaves Brazil
was naturally not regarded by the labor
ers of other countries as a favorable place
to which to emigrate.
Thus, without European colonists seek
| ing Independent farms, the ownership of
land drifted more and more toward large
possessions. When the slaves were
emancipated their first disposition was to
avoid work and to fall into Incidence and
general worthlessness, and the large
estates consequently found themselves
with diminished force of laborers The
Government undertook to remedy the
evil by introducing Chinese. One of the
Ministers, in 1879, advocating this meas
ure. said that The Government, having
| little hope OF saving the cultivation of
coffee by means of European colonists,
directed its view toward China, with the
desipn of introducing from that source
| AGRICULTURAL laborers who might replace
the slaves" He did not regard the intro
duction of the Chinese as part OF pro-
cess of colonization, but only as furnish
jnc, an addition to the labor force; and the
Government. as he confessed, turned its
attention 10 this source because it was
convinced that there was no other avail
able"
| The plan was carried out against great
onnositjon. hut the Chinese introdu uced
! remained only short time on the coffee