St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-10-26
THE cocoANUT TREE.

circumstances WHICH 40 nOJ prevail III
this country unless in the extreme
southern sections. Different methods, of
agriculture must Of necessity be adopt
ed, and the excessive heat would be not
the least Of the disadvantages north
ern farmer transported to Cuba would
have to contend with ,5r'r'
In elevated tablelands and in noun
tain valleys wheat can be successfully
grown, as indeed it can, though less
plenteously, in other parts Of the island,
but the lack of railway facilities places
a fatal bar against growing this grain
for export or even for home consump-
ton. That the island has capabilities
SO far as this cereal is concerned was
evident for long time,. owing to
piece Of paternal legislation on the part,
Of Spain. This, it may be remarked,
was thoroughly in keeping with her
unvarying policy in fostering her colo
MES. Ignoring the duty she owed to her
children in Cuba, the cultivation of
wheat was prohibited there, SO that the
fields of the mother country might sup
ply the colonists with bread. In conse-
quence Of this American wheat was
often shipped to Cuba by way of Spain.
1t cost tho Cubans much more to get it
in this roundabout way, but the reve-
nue. of Spain was benefited. This was
the all important consideration, for the
Spanish in dealings with their descend
ants across the water never thought of
the reciprocal duties involved in the re-
lationship. When flour was sent from
New York direct to the island, the
tariff on it was 1920 sack Of 900
pounds. This prohibition Of wheat oul-
ture, with the inevitable increase in the
price of bread, was one Of the causes
that led to the instruction, which has
resulted in the loss of Cuba and SO
much more to Spain.
But even under a milder rule, and
with freer advantages Of trade it is
doubtful if wheat will be produced in
considerable quantities in Cuba, for the
simple reason that sugar and other
crops can be raised more profitably. For
many years to come the island will
probably be dependent upon this coun-
try for its supply Of -four. Is ID. b9.s.
About Santiago as elsewhere through
out the island there are numerous cocoa
nut groves. The tree grows readily and
speedily, and its nuts may be gathered
oheaply, for agile Cubans climb up the
smooth stems like monkeys and strip
the tree Of its fruit in short time
Oranges Of exquisite flavor grow spon-
taneously in all parts Of the island,
though no attention is paid to their Gull
tivation for expectation. There are six
kinds of bananas, and such delicious
fruits as guavas, mangoes, zapotas,
tamarinds, etc. igl 81 oaa
As an evidence Of Cuba's great pro-
ductive, wealth may be cited q typical
PEASANTS home and surroundings visit
ed during the recently ended insurreo-
tion. The family consisted of a mother
and her numerous offspring and an in
valid husband. The family almost en-
tirely depended upon the labor of a
grown son for subsistence, which was
obtained from the land, scarcely more
than an acre Of which was cultivated.
Her land supplied her with all the
necessaries of life excepting clothing
and salt Of the former the family re-
quired but little and wore less, and in
cases of emergency fair substitute for
the latter could be obtained from the
royal palm by a particular process OF
boiling The products Of her small farm
as enumerated at the time consisted o,
coffee, sugar, molasses, beans, rice,
honey, wax, sweet potatoes, yams, yuo
cas-. bananas, corn, poultry, pigs, two
COWS, several horses and tobacco. The
family could also raise its own cottor
and make its own cloth, as was. done by
the aborigines, only that cotton spin
ming and weaving are lost arts in Cuba
Moreover all the vessels and utensils
used by this family, with the exception
Of pots, were the product of the i'm
mediate neighborhood. ia
Nothing could perhaps better illus
trate the variety and richness OF Cubai
productions than the foregoing exam