The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-30

that the yield Of an acre planted In yucca con-
tains more than six times as much nutritiVe
matter as would be afforded II the same area
we're plantedin wheat. Ginger grows Wild In
parts OF Mexico. When IL is cultivated under
favorable conditions, the crop ought to DO
1000 pounds per acre and upward. A ten
acre patch should yield annually from $1,000
TO $4,000.
II.
The arboreal vegetation Of the Mexican re-
public embraces ia different species OF cab
met wood and building timber. including rose
wood, mahogany, cedars. oaks, pines and FIR;
there are twelve species Of dye wood, eight OF
gum trees. Among the oil-bearing trees and
plants, OF which there are seventeen varieties.
may be mentioned the olive, the cocoa palm.
the almond. sesame, fax, and tho tree yielding
Peruvian balsam. OF medicinal plants there
ere fifty mine classified species. besides many
more that are as yet unclassifed. OF the many
delicious fruits which grow In the tropical Sec
tions OF Mexico. only a few. the pineapple. the
banana and the cocoanut, are well known In
the United States.
For the raising Of cattle Mexico has special
advantages. not onlV because Of its mild
climate. but also on account OF the grasses that
are grown at very little expense In several
localities. and that constitute excellent fod-
der. Within two years Mexico has sent
about 100000 small undeveloped cattle to the
United States at a price OF about $40. Mexican
silver. per head. What is lacking in many
districts is a trustworthy supply OF good water.
distributable over the stock ranges through
artificial means. Asthings are, the cattle cannot
grow adequately. much less fatten, and over
one-half the annual increase OF the stock dies
Of exhaustion. Our author thinks that Next
can breeders would do we'll to import some
English shorthorn bulls with the object OF
breeding larger cattle. 1t is also. he thinks. .
great mistake for the Mexican sheep owners to
raise q breed Of sheep that yield annually only
from one to two and a half pounds Of very
coarse and inferior wool. while they themselves
wear clothes manufactured from foreign wool.
Until recently fuel was accounted the most
pressing need OF Mexico. For centuries the
inhabitants OF the country had used wood for
fuel. until the most densely peopled sections
became completely denuded Of trees. 1t Is the
lack of cheap fuel which has hitherto impeded
the development of manufactures In Mexico.
or late. however. large deposits OF coal have
been discovered. At Salinas. in the State Of
Coahuila, q large bed Of coal is being worked
by the international Railroad Company. and
in the district OF Tlaxiaco. in the State Of
Oaxaca. an extensive coal field has been found.
which. however. cannot be turned to account
NJ . railway mas DCou SOuSbl Ctcu thp IL,
The State of Sonora contains n carboniferous
area several miles in extent. in which
are veins OF anthracite coal from five to
sixteen feet thick. which exhibit as high
a percentage of fixed carbon as the best
coal mined In Wales. In the State of Micho-
acan another large coal field has been discov-
cred. In several other States OF Mexico extern
sive deposits OF the combustible are known to
exist. There is no doubt that Mexican indus
tries will be revolutionized when cheap coal
can be used instead OF wood. which at present
costs in the capital about $14 per cord. Iron.
tho most useful OF all the metals, is found in
such vast abundance that. could it be but par
TALLY utilized. the Mexican republic would be-
come among the most opulent Of modern COM
munities. One Of the largest deposits ever
made known was discovered in Durando in
1852, and its appellation OF "Cerro dol Mer-
cado' still preserves the name Of the discov-
erer. A hill 1890 feet long by LOO feet
wide, and $40 feet high. is slmos q
solid mass OF mineral. averaging about 70 per
cent. OF metal. 1t is computed that more
than 800. 100000 tons Of ore could be extracted
from this hill down to the level Of the plain. be-
meath which the deposit extends to an un-
known depth. This iron is magnetic to a high
degree. In other parts OF Mexico there is iron
containing very little phosphorus. which makes
lrst-class steel. as good as the best produced
from the ores OF Cuba or OF Spain. In q word,
the Mexican deposits OF iron are vast enough to
supply the globe for centuries to come. Hith-
erto. as we have said. there has been one thing
lacking. to wit. cheap fuel but this will be event.
| ually forthcoming when coal is mined on a large
scale. The principal iron mines at present
worked are those situated In the midst OF great
forests. where charcoal is procurable. or COP
per considerable quantities are exported to the
I TT-Ik- - N--- M "a II a.
metal produced in 1895 was notle than 2 1000
metric tons. The production OF quicksilver
falls far short of the country's requirements
the amount imported in 1895 was valued at
upward of half q million dollars. Gold derived
from placers was used freely In Mexico before
the Spanish conquest. but until recently the
output OF this precious metal has boon rela-
lively small. 1t Is our authors belief. however.
that on the west side OF the Sierra Madre. from
the State OF Sonora to the State Of oaxaca,
there is q gold belt as rich as those Of Califor-
mia. Alaska and South Africa combined. AS
yet gold mining is only In its infancy in Mexico.
The present product Of the Mexican silver
mines. on the other hand. exceeds $50. 100000
annually; 1t is q veriiable fact that the value Of
the white metal coined In Mexico from 1887 to
1895 was $3.3 4 125. 1873. great many silver
bearing districts have been Of late discovered
hat were not known to the spaniards. There
Is. consequently. no reason TO suppose that the
output OF this metal will diminish sensibly for
man years to come.
Although the statistics relating to Mexican
manufactures are acknowledged to be def.
Client. no data having been received from III
districts, 1t appears that In 1893 there were
3.075 distillerles OF brandy and mezcal. 81
breweries. 123 cotton and woollen mills. LAG
soap factories. 12e candle factories. Al tobacco
factories. % match factories. 10 paper mills
II establishments for the manufacture OIL
chemical products. 9 starch factories. and Z