Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-10
FRUITS OF CUBA.
Crops That Might Be Of Greater Value
Than Sugar.


From the Country Gentleman.
To many of the West India islands sugar
has proved a curse, not blessing. 1t Is a
plant that can be grown year after year.
generation after generation, on the same
land hence, there is little or no chance for
Investigation 1t is this that induces a
system of agriculture that is reprehensible
to Americans, encouraging a kind of serf-
dom to which the social system of the
United States is the exact opposite. Nor
is there any reason why Cuba should fol-
low this system. This land is so rich nat
urally-so full of great possibilities-tha it
would be a shame to further encourage SUI
gar cane culture.
Nearly all of the fruits of the temperate
zone can be grown in Cuba. and practically
all of the tropics; the same Is true as re-
CARDS vegetables. Fiber plants Of all kinds
grow well. and some of them are in great
demand-ramie and sisal, for example Why
should Cuba want help from the American
farmers when cattle in Cuba can be grown
for one-half of what Is required In the
United States? While the American is bat
thing with billiards the Cuban farmer has
grass knee-deep wherein to pasture his
cattle.
1t is nonsense to say that this Is not so,
for away down on the Orinoco thousands
of cattle-aye tens of thousands-are raised
almost without labor, many of them going
to Cuba to feed people who could just as
easily grow the cattle on their own estates.
In Cuba milk sells for II cents quart. yet
the food Of cows must cost less than 1t
does in New York, where many men are
glad enough to realize 3 cents. Is 1t not
crime to encourage this sort of thing? Poor
people in Cuba cannot afford to buy milk,
and yet they live in country where milk
can be proftably produced at cents, and
probably less. Needless to say, the babies
of Cuba require milk. Many die for the
want of it. Potatoes, both Irish and sweet,
onions and tomatoes can be produced in
abundance. Then take hog raising and
similar industries; many otherwise we'll
informed people labor under the delusiOn
that only northern countries can embark
in them with success. Now, 1t is strictly
true that hogs are very easily grown in the
West Indies where any sort of practical
knowledge has been shown. Poultry does
very WELL but Cubans are only interested
in game cocks weighing three pounds or
so, and too feathery to eat.
If he chooses. the Cuban can have some
of the grandest fruits Of the world on his
table the year round At the risk of Of
Tending the horticultural editor of the Coun-
try Gentleman l will state that the United
States does not grow a fruit that is the
equal Of the sour-sop of the tropics. 1t
weighs quite frequently five or six pounds,
and is fine and delicious as a strawber-
ry. And this reminds me that strawberries
do very well in the archipelago, and excel
lent red raspberries are natives to some
parts of the West Indies. Plums of one
species do well, and we have berries that
are almost the exact counterpart of cur
rants, cherries and gooseberries. Melons
grow easily enough
But where we leave countries like the
United States behind is when we come to
such things as the breadfruit the banana
the jackfruit and the mango. What would
the farmers of the United States give for
fruit SO valuable as the breadfruit? Con-
slider how easily 1t can be grown from the
seed. 1t bears the third year, when 1t is
the size of a ten-year-old apple tree 1t
requires no cultivation; yet 1t continues to
bear for over a century a fruit which
when roasted bears considerable resem-
blance to ordinary bread and when eaten
with butter is a perfect substitute Con-
slider the mango. 1t is the equal of the
peach, but the mango tree is more prolific
and more easily managed. In Cuba the
mangoes are not first-class, simply be-
cause the introduction Of fine varieties has
been neglected. What about the avocado
pear? Is there any fruit up north to sur
pass It? We can match the apple with
the sapadillO, the peach with the mango
the strawberry with the mangosteen, etc
/ will pass the breadnut, the jak, the du-
rian, the genip the sOur-scp. the sugar
apple, the cherimOyer the guava, the pine
apple. the cocoanut and othVT great fruits
a downright shame that the President of
the United States wishes to prevent the
culture of these dainty things by giving
an extra flip to the culture of the sugar
cane. That is precisely what he wishes to
do. for there is no denying the antagonism
Of the sugar planters to the culture of fruit
Many planters owning and operating thou
sands Of acres have little no fruit on
their tables. for they are opposed to it's cul-
ture. They say fruit culture with such
things as yams, sweet potatoes. TANNERS
and corn, would mean the total wreck Of
the sugar industry. And so 1t would, be-
cause the laborers would soon become in
dependent farmers themselves, living I'M
der their own cocoanut and breadfruit
trees, reaping their own coffee and cocoa,
having enough and to spare Of the good
things of life. This has happened already
in the small and beautiful Island of Grena-
da; 1t is taking place in Trinidad and ia
maica, and If the President will hold his
hand it will take place in Cuba, to the
benefit OF all concerned. Sugar is the curse
Of the West Indies. Let 1t alone.