The herald., 1898-06-19

Americans have furnished the world with
numbers of object lessons showing what
energy, hard work, ingenuity and dogged
perseverance can do to make wealth.
is written that Americans are to show what
this combination Of national characteristics
can do in Cuba Those of our citizens who
have lived op the island and know how its
natural advantages have been neglected by
the natives look forward to an astonishing
change is soon as the war is over and the
rush of people from this country to CUBA
begins. One of the most important of the
lost industries of Cuba is that of fruit
growing. How 1t came to be lost and how
easy it will be for Americans to recover it,
is told in the following interview with an
ex-merchant of Cuba. /,
NEW YORK, June 1S.-(Speclal Cores
pondence to The Herald.) Among the
things of which but pleasant memories re-
the fruit industry that was once thriving
business that the native planters fondiy
believed was theirs forever and day. A
change came over the spirit of their dreams
when the Americans decided to try their
hands at raising oranges and pineapples,
and the dream has been changing ever
since, until today the Cubans and the Span
iards of Cuba would be glad to see some
nant of their former prosperous fruit trade
How it came to pass that the fruit trade of
Cuba passed from the islanders into the
hands of the American growers is told by a
New York produce merchant who lived In
the fruit district for many years, and in
fact until the loss of the fruit trade TO the
island forced him to leave.
when we have won Cuba" said this gen.
r,,l~o \
more part of the industrial life of Cuba.
The conditions of soil and climate are per-
feet for the cultivation of fruit like the
orange and the pineapple. but the people
are quite unequal to the task of taking ad-
vantage of these conditions. 1t is not quite
fair to call the native of Cuba lazy. Shift
lessness or carelessness more aptly describes
their state. They always choose the easiest
way of accomplishing an end, and leave the
rest to providence.
"Now, fruit like oranges and pineapples
require the most careful handling from
the time 1t is picked until it Is offered for
sale in the markets. How do the Cubans
gather and market this fruit, or rather
how did they, for the market Is theirs no
longer?
ITO get the fruit from the trees the Cuban
or spanish planter SHOOK the tree, or
knocked the fruit down with a long pole.
1t reached the ground bruised by the fall
and battered by the rap from the pole
Considering that the fruit was picked for a
journey of thousands of miles it will be
seen that it began its market life seriously
handicapped for competition with the care
fully picked fruit of the American planter.
1.-The next step was to transport the fruit
to the town TO be packed for shipment.
This was done by mules. The oranges o,
plneapples were bundled into the paniers or
saddle bags, and away went the mule over
the rough country roads, jolting the fruit
IN the saddle bags. and making sad havoc
with the cargo. When the destination was
reached, instead of carefully lifting the bur.
den from the mules back and disposng /
tenderly on the ground the mule drlvel
dragged It on In the roughest way and