The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-06-23

1,OOO duJdCcuC lSlduuS, VI ucdIly tO,~
900 square miles, about equal to that
of the State of New York, and near
ly one-fourth the size of Spain, and
about 5000 square miles less than
the area of North Carolina. With
the exception of a strip on the south
ern side of Central Cuba the island
as whole stands we'll above the sea;
it is thoroughly drained and presents
rugged aspect when viewed from
the sea. About one-fourth of the
total area is said to be mountainous;
about three-fifths of the area may be
described as a rolling or undulating
plain with valleys and gentle culti-
vated slopes, somewhat like Pied
mont, N. c. The remainder of the
island, especially along the southern
shore of Central and Western Cuba is
swampy.
The island is about 73O miles long;
it's width varies from ninety miles
across Santiago to less than 20
miles in the vicinity of Havana; the
eastern end of the island lies directly
south of New York, while its west
ern end lies south of Cincinnati.
The coast line is very extensive,
measuring. without following the
minor indentations, nearly 2,2OO
miles. On all sides, except the
southern shore of Central and West
ern Cuba the coast is abrupt and
elevated. In many places the i'm
mediate coast line is a narrow beach
or shelf of elevated coral reef rock,
only few yards in width and some
| twenty feet above the sea. Back of
this coast the higher bluffs rise by a
succession of old sea beaches, which
reach in places to from one thous-
and to two thousand feet elevation.
The mountains of Cuba do not
form, as has been stated, backbone
extending along the entire length of
the island but are arranged in three
distinct and independent groups; one
in the western province of Pinar del
Rio, between Havana and Cape An
tonic, the higher hills of which rise
to an attitude of $500 feet, and the
slopes of which are covered with a
growth of pine and flanked with
many beautiful valleys. The central
group is short one extending from
Cienfugoes some fifty miles eastward
on the south side of the central por-
ton of the island, reaching a maxi
mum height of nearly 5000 feet,
The third group lies on the southern
side of Santiago province in eastern
Cuba, the crest of the mountains
lying parallel to the adjacent sea to-
wards which the slopes descend pre-
cipitously. The mountains of this
eastern group reach maximum
height of 5000 feet-some 1000 feet
higher than Mt. Mitchell in Western
North Carolina. Near Santiago har-
Dor, the scene OF hostilities at pres
ent, there are some peaks more than
5000 feet high; the scenery is fine
and the climate is delightful.
This last great range of mountains
belongs geographically with the Blue
Mountains of Jamaica, which reach
the elevation of 1000 feet and the
higher mountains in Hayti which
reach an elevation of 1900 feet.
The larger part of the area of Cuba
(at least three-fifths is made up Of the
limestone plains with an elevation of
from 500 to 1900 feet. Much Of this
reagion is cut by streams into hills
and valleys; and considerable por-
ton, especially in Santiago Province
is exceedingly wild and rugged. In
Cuba the great sugar plantations are
on these elevated plains and not, as
in Louisiana, on the low river flats.
The fine tobacco is also grown on the
slopes of these hills and on the low
mountains On the mountain slopes
of Western Cuba and hills and noun
tains of the eastern provinces there
are said to be 100000 acres Of un-
broken forests never penetrated by
Spaniards.
The fora Of Cuba is said to be quite
varied, more than 5000 species OF
native plants having been collected
and catalogued. The beauty and
abundance of the vegetation first
caused the island to be called the
Pearl of the Antilles. This includes
over thirty species of palm. while as
sociated with these are pines, which
are so characteristic OF the Southern
United States, and the mahogany
| Ine llS nun Nledc, anu eho SoSo" "oo"
Among the more valuable fruits thai
grow very abundantly may be men
; toned the lime, the orange, thu
, lemon, the banana, and the pine ap
l pie. The last of these together will
the manioc, the sweet potato and th'
5 Indian corn are said to be indigenous
to the island.
RI Concerning the climate Of Cuba bu
r few reliable records are Obtainable
3, on the whole, however, the climat
S is much more salubrious than mos
: descriptions would lead us to believe
0 A gentleman who has travelled
e great deal in different parts of Cub
e in a recent article says:
b 1.-The winter months are delightful
in fact, ideal-while the summe
months are more endurable than i
Y most of our own territory. The cul
S rent impressions of insalubrity hav
e arisen from an erroneous confusio
< of bad sanitation with the weather
d While it is true that sickness follow
o the seasons. the former would b
:, greatly allayed-almost abated-
,. public hygiene received proper of
Ie cial consideration" In July an
g. August the mean temperature is
3 degrees Farenheit, the maximum ten
5 perature being 83, the minimum a
ID At Charlotte the maximum temper
of ture for August is 95 degrees Farel
:. heit, the minimum IS degrees Fare
io;t.ot Rala;rh for tho same mon,