The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1902-08-02
cosTLIEsT OF FARM ACRES.
Agricultural Advantages Of the Co
nary Is1ands Make the Land
Very Valuable.

very taiO0DI0s
Over 1000 steamships annually visit
the Canary islands which lie in the Att
lantic west of the Sahara Desert. In
fact most steamers travelling between
European ports and South America and
Africa touch at the islands of Grand
Canary or Teneriffe to recoal. The
captain of an English steamship re-
Gently said that he knew of no place
where coaling might be done more ex-
peditiously than at Santa Cruz, the
port of Teneriffe.
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 in the islands
before they are planted in more north
ern countries. The Canary islands, in
fact, have much the same relation to
some European countries that Ber-
muda with its early potatoes and
onions has to our market.
There is comparatively little rainfall
in the islands. The result is that all
farm lands which are favorably stu
ated for irrigation bring an enormous
price, In fact the prices asked for till
able land would be regarded almost
everywhere else as very exorbitant.
For example, all the best lands in the
environs of the city of Las Palmas are
planted in bananas. A well-watered
hectare of banana plants yields clear
profit of $500 year. or about $500 an
acre. The result is that not hectare
OF the best lands situated on the lit
feet can be bought for less than $4,000
hectare. 1t is doubtful if there are
many areas of cultivated lands the
world over that are held at so high
price. The reason is that the extent of
these lands in the Canary islands is
small. the demand being far greater
than the supply.
European countries greatly appre.
ciate the bananas they receive from
the Canary islands. The fruit is sent
principally to London. One of the
steamship lines which dispatches
vessel every week from La Luz, the
port OF Las Palmas, carries from TO-
600 to 10000 punches. There are
other important sources of bananas
In the other islands and all the
steamers in the island trade are spe-
cially fitted for fruit transportation.
Another exportwhic has had large
development is tomatoes. They are
shipped while still unripc, each tomato
carefully wrapped in paper and packed
In little cases containing only so to 100.
Potatoes of the very best quality are
also becoming an important shipment,
and the tobacco industry, which has de-
veloped considerably in recent years is
another of the agricultural resources
that is swelling the exports of the
Canary islands.
The people need all the land they
can irrigate because there is so large
demand 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. A
local company has for years been plac-
Ing the streams and ponds under con.
fribution and selling the water they
carry to the fields at so good profit
that for several years past they have
annually augmented their business and
capital from 10 to 20 per cent. This
company is now nearly completing Tie
largest irrigating enterprise yet un-
derfaken. 1t began the work in May,
1898, and it will be finished this sum-
mer
The little city of Arucas with Il. O0o
inhabitants is on the north side of the
island OF Grand Canary. Around il are
many plantations of bananas and tcma-
toes making IT the most important ag-
ricultural region of the islands. There
Is opportunity for much larger develop
ment of the farm lands if sufficient
water is provided. 1t is expected that
the large works now in progress viii
supply this need.
In the country some distance. from
the town is range of hills down whose
northern slope great deal of water
pours during the winter months. A
wall is building in the form of half
circle. both ends of which abut upon
these hills. The wall and the hills will
therefore form complete enclosure.
The wall is about 100 feet in height.
IS feet wide at the base and 10 feet at
the top. With so formidable struc-
ture Il Is not likely that the impounded
foods will ever break IL down. TIE
capacity of the enclosure will be $780,
900 cubic meters and the stone. sand
and lime used in building it have all
been derived from the immediate
neighborhood. More than 200 work
men have been constantly employed
on the works for the past three years.
1t is expected with the aid of this re-
source TO add hundreds Of hectares to
the cultivated lands in the north part OF
Grand Canary.
Something That wouh Cat.
Delegate Rodey, of New Mex;co