The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-22
OF HOT CUBA
Garden Produce, Medicinal and
Textile Plants.
SOME ASPHALT AND GUANO
A Word as to the Additional Industrie
of the Queen OF the ~Antilies-How
Money Can Be Made by Men
Down There.

In addition to the recognized indus
tries of Cuba. sugar, tobacco, fruit
wood, coffee, iron, etc, said a New Yorl
merchant who has made a c~onsiderabl,
fortune cut of the island. there ar,
many minor products which should be q
source OF considerable wealth to thoss
who may choose to exploit them. TAX,
garden produce, for example. All this
vegetables most in demand for the tab,
in this country, including the old stand.
bys. peas. beans and lentils. can be
grown cheaper in Cuba than anywhere
on this continent. Nor should there be
any difficulty in transportation. as Cuba
is only distant 20 hours from New York.
The Cuban potato, too, is said to be
superior to that of the Bermudas. A
one time the potato crop of Guines alone
was worth over 81, 900, 900. Potato Gull
ture was abandoned, however, in favor
OF sugar and tobacco, which seemed TO
promise more speedy wealth with less
exertlon. The sweet potato is very plen-
tlful In Cuba, as is also an allied tuber.
the alligator pear which is even more
nutritious. The sweet potato should re-
celNe attention at once. II natures in
Az days after planting.
Another source from which wealth
viii probably be drawn is medicinal
plants, in which the island is extraordi-
narlly rich. Very little attention has
been paid to this industry, but IL is
known that there is abundance of red
Indian dwarf pepper, sweet basil mint,
peppermint, wild and sweet marioram.
thyme. balm gentle, royal itamo. hi
suerlta-from which castor oil is made
and mangles, the source of fannie
acid.
And this is not all the vegetable
wealth of Cuba. The woods contain
quantities of coPal, turpentine and resin.
while textile plants are plentiful. A GER
tain amount of ramie and hemp, about
$1,000 worth, is exported annually,
which is very little, considering the
supply. Cotton has been tried, and the
product is said to have been as good as
the best Texas. Not a bale, however,
has ever been packed. The reason is
not far to seek-the prohlbitive duties
on machinery that have hitherto PIE
vailed.
Another mi..or product from which
a profitable industry might be developed
is noriculture Cuba is a regular flower
garden, and In this respect will not yield
the palm even to California. The farm
ing Industry of the island has been sadly
neglected. Though there are vast tracts
OF good arabic and grazing land which
have never been touched yet, farming is
only practiced in the immediate vicinity
OF cities. Successful experiments have
been made in growing wheat, rice and
corn, yet they have never been fol-
lowed up.
Stock farming, too, was at one time
profitable. In 1893 there were 5000, 600
head of cattle in Sancti Spiritus and
fuerto principe. This was considered
efficient for h Islands needs, and in
the ensuing troublous times the herds
were neglected until they Lave almost
entirely disappeared. Cuba will have 10
De restocked, and that at once. for not
only must the people have meat. bat
almost all the p%loughing is done by
oxen. h trouble with the cattle in
dustry has been a lack of tr%ansporta-
ton facilities. The cattle districts are
absolutely cut off from the western
part of the island. However. a railroad
from Santiago to Havana has long been
projected-indeed, the ground has al
been s~urveyed-and there is no
but that as soon as a stable
government is established work will be
begun upon il.
This railroad will be the salvation of
cuba. 1t VIII tap all the productive
centers which have hitherto been iso-
lated, and should have the same effect
Cuba as our great Atlantic Pacific
roads have had on the United States. |
lines connecting the Havana
santiago road with the coast will follow
In the natural course of things, and IL
Is to be remembered that the distances
they VIII nave to traverse are but short
once the coast is reached all difficulty
Of transportation vanishes, for in the
of harbors, Cuba is s~inguIarly
blessed, possessing as It does over 100
landings, many of which Will
vessels of the largest burden.
In ADDITION to iron, copper and man
sanese, it is known that cuba contains
many valuable metals, gold, silver.
oaryta, mercury, quartz. sulphur. mica.
felspar and chalk. However,
he island has never been geologicaily
surveyed, so that Il is rot known IL
what quantities hose metals pv,s-
Probably the gold is not in paying
quantities, wAICu, prruaps. IS as ne. 49,.
cuba. But in asphalt there Is certainly
money. There are large lakes of asphalt
II Cardenas, and the product fetchcs
a ton in New York. The average
Xport is about 1000 tons, which is only
| fraction of what it could and should
De. Again, the yarieCated marble rf
he Isle OF Pines should be a sourca Of
'roft to somebody. There are good
springs AT san b-tSos AadIu-I.
'ante Fe and San Miguel Indeed. any
4 these places might develop into an
Bath or Baden.
In animals Cuba is not particularly
lessed. except in fish. AT a recent exp1si-
of fisheries AZ Amsterdam the natu-
alist. Puey, exhibited 7s5 species OF nsh.
aught in Cuban waters. The list in
salmon, sardines and cod. as
iell as many savory species peculiar to
he locality. There are also large natur-
| oyster beds as well as plenty of tur-
lie and species Of land crab. which.
hough far from pretty. Is good eating. /
sportsmen Cuba will never be a
Apply hunting ground. 1t contains liz
e game. I'll ere is one bird. however. /,
'hich is commercially valuable. II is
species of hooking bird with unusual /.
lusical tale ts. Indeed. they say that ,
is capable Of learning all the leading ;