The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-18

cannot be curtailed, while the returns
are utterly disproportiohate to the ex-
penses- "A large plantation can be man
aged more successfully, because mainly
OF the possibilities which it affords for
a division OF labor, admitting OF better
superintendent. But the small imrni-
grant farmer in Mexico viii fail dismally
where a Mexican would grow rich. 1t
is useless to laugh at the primitive ma
tive methods when they produce as good
crops as the foreigner can get with his
improved ploughs and harrows and drills,
and at less expense. The Mexican plough,
the same as that used in Asia Minor
milleRniufns ago, is especially an object
of Gringo ridicuIe II is crude imple-
merlt, no doubt, and its use would be
Impossible in region where sod was to
be turned Under, as in the north; but in
these light soils, free from obstacles, it
is rema rkably efficient, even though it
does require more labor TO prepare a given
area. 1t Is by no means the simple crook
ed stick that some imagine. 1t consists
OF eight distinct pieces. There is the es-
piga or plough proper, with its mancera
and manga to guide it, the tirnan to draw
it, the erejera TO preserve the proper
angle to admit OF deep or shallow plough
ing. the elera to firmly connect the Ii
mon and espiga. and two cul1as or wedges
to tighten up ali the parts This compli-
Gated structure costs complete but one
silver dollar, or about 80 cents in gold
If it bears a steel point this costs an
other dollar, or about 76 cents for the
whole. The Mexican rancher will look
long at the difference in cost between his
native plough which his workmen I'M
derstand, and the imported article worth
three or four times as much, and costing
several silver dollars every year for re-
pairs.
The small rancher is equally persistent
in his devotion to the ways of his fathers
in sugar production. Sugar is the pros
pectfve basis of future prosperity through
out Sinaloa; great plantations are already
established, and greater ones are being
opened up by both Mexican and foreign
capital The soil and the climate favor it.
Those who have had experience in sugar
culture affirm that the quantity of sac
charine matter per ton is appreciably
higher in the cane of Sinaloa than in that
of Louisiana and the tonnage per acre
likewise greater. Hence the large sugar
plantations in the valleys of the Fuerte,
Culiacan, and Quila( or San Lorenzo
rivers. Here modern methods are now in
vogue, and not only sugar, but alcohol
and limitations of impaired liquors, are
manufactured on an immense scale. This
industry is as yet only in its infancy in
Sinaloa but in few years at the pres |
en- trate of progress, it viii make Of this |
state one of the great sugar centers OF
America. Even the small planter makes
money today, trenching, planting and |
harvesting by hand. He expresses the |
Juice in homemade wooden trapiche, |
which creaks and groans as the oxen |
slowly revolve it, grinding a half dozen I
stalks at time He bois the Juice in |
a great saucer-shaped copper kettle, made |
by local coppersniths at 800 silver each; !
and when the suar begins to crystalize, |
he beats it with a paddle until it is ready |
to cast into little cakes of penoche, weigh
In gabout half a pound, for which he gets /
8 cents silver each. 1t is small business, |
but the Mexican rancher counts and |
boards his pennies until he possesses a |
good bank account. He lets nature and
cheap labor help him out as far as pos
5ible. and though the system be wasteful |
h els sure of enough profit TO satisfy
him. Even in the management of his cat
lie he is improvident according, to North,
srn standards. but he makes it pay. He
exercises no control over the breeding OF
ais stock, and he lets them feed them
selves. He sells a portion of his herd
-eadny at from 800 to s@5 silver per head
This is nearly all clear profit. He drives I.
his cows in September up into the hills
where the best pasture exists. and de-
votes a month to cheese making. He
raises chickens. turkeys, pigs and goats.
Prudent, frugal, strictly attentive to the
"details of his ranching. he makes no ex-
Deriments in new methods. but, sticking
loosely to the ways which he and his
u-orl-rnnn know he f-rnvs rich