The times., 1898-06-12
SUNDAY, JUNE p, 1898.
Vegetable Considerations,

Vegetable Considerations.
AT time like the present. il is use
ful for Us TO consider the rich resources
Of Cuban. Porto Rican. Philippine. and
Ladrone vegetation. All Of the regions
referred 10 are more or less tropical.
and their range Of products is from the
guaya. which soothes the palate of
Epicurus, TO the cocoanut, which spoils
the digestion of Demos But the one
common crop of the whole outfit is the
Manana plant, and it is creditable TO US
that We have taken time by the fore
lock and already have begun the cul-
tivation Of this great blessing of nature.
II requires training and experience
10 raise most things. Therefore most
things are beyond the control of people
who engage in a pursuit or enter a
service for which they have not been
prepared by previous attention and
study. There are two directions, how
ever, in which nothing Of the kind is
required. Anybody can raise Gahenna,
or Manana. 1t is as easy as it is for a
statesman of a certain sort TO take
sugar money for a trip to Europe OF
the antipodes, or TO spend several
weeks in New York during the long va
cation and play the ticker without be-
ing compelled to put up any margin.
Gehenna is not a profitable plant. al
though one Of profuse production, while
Manana seems to meet the expectations
Of the Spanish and Tory markets in a
way To satisfy the most exacting in
Yestor or speculator. We may safely
refer 10 the success Of its growth in and
around Havana. If we had not encour-
aged il the hopes Of the Spanish bond
holders would have been wrecked long
ago. As il is, they are extremely
cheerful. Five short weeks ago a COM
paratively small force Of regulars, re-
enforced by the Navy, engaged in a
pacific blockade" might have evils
cerated the Spaniards; but this would
have interfered with the propagation
of the Manana to which the War
Board" has been devoted.
A vigorous bombardment and occupa-
tion OF san Juan would have brought
the war nearer TO an end, but the Ma
mana interest would have been affected
injuri0usly. II is d blooming shrub
that demands close care and fertiliza-
tion. The shrewd strategy of Admiral
Cervera in running the hero of GAIA
all around the Caribbean Sea served to
manure it for while, and now We
observe with extreme satisfaction that
the phantom Of a pipe-dream Spanish
fleet, the phantasmagoric product of
high ball tea in the department, is
serving the same object Of forcing the
growth.
Yet much remains to be done. The
Agricultural branch of the Admins
tration has to this day neglected the
subject We do not even know that
there is a single flourishing specimen
OF the Manana in the horticultural gar
dens. The conservatory at the White
House is said to have been exuberant
with the culture, up TO very recent
date but the chief habitat of the i'm
portant perennial is in the War and
Navy Departments.
" e A4DN ANeAAAaIA NAASA AoNt7AAAG ~
know or appreciate this resource. But
little has been ascedained in this coun-
Try, Of its habits or customs, It is true
Ehat the Government has been making
exhaustive - and eXhausting = expert
ments for more than a month; still We
have only been able to gather that it is
a fruit which does not thrive anywhere
in the neighborhood Of honest energy,
and would be killed instanter by the
smell Of gunpowder.
For these reasons we do not feel jus
tified in recommending a continuance
Of national absorption in the Manana
industry. 1t is a vegetable which could
not be Of the slightest use TO Dewey at
Manila, to Schley at Santiago, or to
Shafter and his unfortunate soldiers
who are cooking on board the sun
blistered transports off Key West. We
vehementIy urge the Secretary of Agri-
-culture to propose measures by which
ii may be eXterminated along with the
Canada thistle, the army worm and
the navy bean. The Manana must go!