The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-05-16
VALUABLE LANDS
Some of the CostIiest Acres are
in the Canary Islands.
Over Two Thousand Steamships Stop
There AnnuaIIy--LittIe Rainfall on
Island but Irrigation is
Extensive.

the Canary Islands which lie in the
Atlantic west of the Saraha Desert.
In fact most steamers travelling be-
tween European ports and South
America and Africa touch at the
islands of Grand Canary or Teneritfe
to recoal The captain of an English
steamship recently said that he knew
of no place where coaling might be
done more expeditiously 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 produce or which mature on
the islands before they are planted in
more northern countries. The Canary
Islands in fact, have much the same
relation to some European countries
that Bermuda with it's 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 irriagtion bring an enormous
price. In fact the prices asked for
tillable 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
! littora and at an altitude of less than
q 70 feet can be bought for less than
g So, 900 a hectare. 1t is doubtful if
there are many acres of cultivated
= lands the world over that are held at 80
. high a price. The reason is that the
y extent of these lands in the Canary
J. islands is small, the demand being far
9 greater than the supply.
J. European countries greatly appreci-
ate the bananas they receive from the
n Canary Islands. The fruit is sent
- principally to London. One of the
70 steamship lines which dispatches q
d vessel every week from La Luz, the
K port of Las Palmas, carries from 10, DOC
= to 90, 200 lunches There. are other
If important sources of bananas in the
j. other islands and all the steamers ii
or the island trade are specially fitted fol
% fruit transportation.
Another export which has had larg'
L. development is tomatoes. They ar
- shipped while still unripe, eacl
a. q tomato carefully raped in pape
and packed in little cases containin
lie only 30 to 100. Potatoes of the yer
al best quality are also becoming an i'm
ID portant shipment, and the tobacco in
lis dustry, which as developed consider
ii, ably in recent years is another of til
Ill agricultural resources that is swellin
.te the exports of the Canary Islands.
The people need all the land the
can irrigate because there is so lars
ng demand for their products. The
of Of are therefore paying particular after
st. tion to irrigation. Every stream th'
in can add to the water supplies for the
not farms is being carefully husbande
ro- A local company has for years BET
the placing the streams and ponds und
lall contribution and selling the - wat
=. N they carry to the fields at so good
l profit that, for several years past tn
taft have annually augmented their bui
the ness and capital from 10 to 20 P
cent. This company is now near
completing the largest irrigating e
terprise yet undertaken. 1t began
work in May, 1898, and it will be ii
ished this summer.
for The little city of Arucas with 10, {
inhabitants is on the north side Of t
island of Grand Canary. Around
the are many plantations of bananas a
the tomatoes making it the most inp'
,; ;no tant agricultural region Of the islant
hey There is opportunity for much lars
yht. development of the farm lands
the sufficient water is provided. 1t
CO.. at. expected that the large works now
AN progress will supply this need.
Ugh the country some distance FRI
hrst the town a great deal Of water POI
t;n o during the winter months. A wal
len building in the form of a half Giro
both ends of which abut upon tn
any hills. The wall and the hills v
om s therefore form complete enclosu
The wall is about 100 feet in heig
sion 70 feet wide at the base and Ii feet
onal the top. With so formidable str
trne ture it is not likely that the
ices pounded floods will ever break
ound down The capacity of tie enclos
outn will be 800, 900 cubic meters and
,ove. stone, and and lime used in build
% in it have all been derived from
-ean- immediate neighborhood. More t
loc 300 workmen have been constal
lpo l;,o employed on the works for the
esent three years. 1t is expected with
.dual aid of this resource to add hundI
8 In. of hectares to the cultivted lands
less inc norUn poiU u
In New York Sun.
ship -
las to