Arizona republican., 1902-06-09
HIGH PRICED LANDS.
Some of the Costliest of Acres Arc. n
the Canary Islands.

Over 2,G00 steamships annually visit
the Canary islands. which lie in the
Atlantic, west of the Sahara desert. IN
ijct, most steamers travelling between
European ports and South America and
Africa touch at the islands OF Grand
Canary or Teneriiie to recoa1. Thc
cagtain OF an English steamer recently
said that he knew Of 10 place where
ccaiing might be done more exp4di-
t.ously Than at Santa Cruz, the port
OF TereTiefe
Thus the Canary islands are Of con-
siderable Importance in the worlds
commerce. They are also of much use
to Europe because they grow fruits or
vegetables which Europe cannot pro
duce or which mature III the islam Is
before they are planted in more north
crn countries. The Canary islands, in
fact, have much the same relation 10
some European countries that Ber-
muda with its early potatoes and
onions mas to our market
There IS comparatively little rainfall
III I'll" islands. Tho result is that ali
farm LANDS which are favora bly, stu
ated for irliga ton bring an enormous
price. in fact, the prices asked for I'LL
able land would be regarded almost
everywhere else as very exorbitant
Fer example, all tile best lands in the
cnvirons Of Tie city of Las Palmas are
planted in bananas. \ we'll Watered
hectare OF banana plants yields a clear
profit OF $500 q year, or about 5000 IN
acre. The result is that not hectare
O: the best lands situated on the lit0-al
and Ut IN altitude of less than 700 feet
can be bought for less than $1,000 a
hectare. q hectare is 2.471 Gcres.) L
is doubtful if there are many acres Of
cultivated lands the world over That
are held at so high Il price. The rea-
son is that the extent of these Ian Is
in the Canary islands is small. the de-
mand being for greater than the sup
ply
European countries greatly appreci-
ate the bananas they receive from the
Canary islands. The fruit IS sent prin-
cipaliy TO London. one of the steam
ship lines which dispatches a vessel
every week from La Luz. the pcrt Of
Las PGlmas, carries from 10000 to 2oU00
punches. There are other Important
sources of bananas in the other islands
and all the steamers Iii the island trade
are especially fitted :or fruit transport
tatinn.
Another export which has had large
development is tomatoes. They are
shipped While still unripe each tomato
carefully wrapped in paper and PACKED
in little cases containing only fifty -
100. Potatoes OF the very best quality
are also becoming an important ship
| nent. and the tobacco Industry, which
has developed considerably in recent
years, is another of the agricultural
resources that is swelling the exp5:te
CT the Canary islands
The people reed all the land they can
irriSete because there Is so large d de-
nand for their products They Are
therefore paying particular attention
to irrigation. Every stream that can
add to the water supplies for their
farms is being carefully husbanded. \
local company has for years been ,,la,-
ing the streams and ponds under IN
tributiOn and selling the water they
carr to the fields at so good a profit
that for several years past they have
annually augmented their business and
capital from 10 to % per cent ThiS
company is now nearly completing the
| largest irrgating enterprise Vet under
taken. II began the work in May, 1873,
and ii will be finished this summer
The nttle city of Arucas with 1880
Inhabitants IS on the north side of the
island OF Grand Cana.y. Around it are
many plantations Of bananas and to-
matoes mixing It the most important
/ agricultural region of the islands.
There is opportunity for much larger
| development of the farm lands if 5uf-
fcient water is provided. 1t is expect