The times., 1898-06-20
WHEN WAR is OVER.
Americans to Resurrect Fruit CuI-
tiyation i'm Cuba


tivation I'm Cuba
Baltimore. June ia special corre-
spOndent OF the Baltimore American
prints the following:
Among the things of which but pleasant
memories remain 70 the natives of Cuba
may be counted the fruit industry that
was once a thriving business that the na-
tive planters fondly believed was theirs
forever and a day. A change came over
the spirit OF their dream when the Ameri-
cans decided to try their hands at raising
oranges and pineapples. and the dream
has been changing ever since. until. today
the Cubans and the Spaniards OF Cuba
would be glad TO see some chance OF get
! ting back even a small remnant OF their
former prosperous fruit trade. How il
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
gentleman. the Cuban fruit trade will bs
once more a part of the industrial life
of Cuba The conditions of soil and cIi-
mate are perfect for the cultivation OF
fruit like the orange and the pineapple.
but the people are quite unequal to the
task of taking advantage of these condi-
tions. 1t is not quite fair to call the na-
tive of Cuba lazy. ShiftIessness or care
lessness 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 pineappIes
requires the most careful handling from
the time it is packed 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 1t began it's
market life seriously handicapped for
/ competition with the carefully picked
4
| The next step was to transport the
| fruit to the town to be packed for ship
ment. This was done by mules. The
! oranges or pineapples were bundled into
the paniers or saddle bags. and away
went the mule over the rough country
| roads. joIting the fruit in the saddle bags
and making sad havoc with the cargo
| When the destination was reached. in
stead of carefully lifting the burden from
the mules back and disposing it teuderly
! on the ground. the mule driver dragged
! it of in the toughest way and threw
! 1t down in the nearest corner of the store
| house The next man threw his cOnsign-
ment of fruit on top of the o-her. and
so they were piled up without the slight
est regard to the consequences TO the
new fruit.
Next we come to the packing process.
! l have seen the men stand several feet
away from the barrels or hampers. in
which the fruit is to be packed. and ac-
| tuaIly throw Ii into the mouth of the
| receptacle. hit or miss. and in either event
/ adding to the bruises that the poor fruit
| had received. When the barrel was full
the lid had to be gotten on. and If it didn't
| quite tit little physical force would
make it. Have you seen an obstreperous
| trunk lid forced to close by being sat
| upon? Well. that Is actually what 1 have
seen done with tne oranges anu pl0estp-
pies that were shipped from Cuba TO this
| country. After the box or barrel was
| packed the next thing was TO roll IL
down to the steamer. No care was taken
TO cary IL gingerly. If a barrel, it was
rolled down the gang-plank and dropped
into the hold if the vessel If a box. il
was carried down; if that way of getting
! it there was the easier. and then dropped
on top of the others
The inevitable result of all this rough
treatment was that the fruit had become
| rotten for the most part. when it arrived
in America, and half of ii was wasted. It
is not to be supposed that this sort OF
thing could continue. American planters
decided that they could beat the Cuhans
at fruit growing. They tried it, and the
Cubans speedily found that there was no
longer market for their bruised and rot
ting oranges and pineapples.
LAS / said before. the market will be
Cuba's again, when the Americans have
taught them how to handle the fruit. so
that 1t will reach the trader in good con-
dition."
Can't Keep Them Out.