The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-20

reprehenslble to Americans, encouraging kind of serfdom to which the social system of the United States is the exact opposite. Nor is there any reason why Cuba should follow this system. The island is 90 rich naturally-so full of great possibilitles-that 1t would be Q shame to further encourage sugar cane culture.
 Nearly all of the fruits of the temper ate zone can be grown In Cuba, and practically all of the tropics; the same Is true as regards vegetables, Fibre plants of all kinds grow we'll, 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 States7 While the American is battling with blis- zards, tine Cuban farmer has grass knee deep whereon to pasture his cattle.
 IL is nonsense to say that this Is not so. for away down on the Orinoco thousands of cattle-aye tens of thous- ands, are raised almost without lahor 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 l2 cents quart, yet the food of cows must cost less than 1t does in New York, where many men are glad enough to realize cents. Is 1t not a crime to encourage this sort of thing7 Poor people in Cuba cannot afford to buy milk. and yet they live in a country where milk can be profitably produced at cents, and probably less. Needless to say, the babies of Cuba require milk. Many die for 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 well informed people labor un- der the delusion that only northern coun- tries 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 offending the horticultural editor of The Country Gentleman, JoFill state that the United States does not grow a fruit that is equal of the sour-sop of the trop- les. It weighs quite frequently i've or six pounds. and Is as fine and delicious as n strawberry. And this reminds me that strawberries do very well in the ar chipelago. and excellent red raspberries are natives to some parts of the West
 
 and we have berries that are almost the exact counterpart of entrants. cher ries and gooseberrieS. Melons grow cas- fly enough.
 But where We leave couptries like the United States behind is When we come to such things as the breadfFuit, the banana, the jackfruit and the mango. What would the farmers of the United States give for a fruit to valuable as the breadfruit? Consider how easily 1t can be grown from the seed. It bears the third year. when it Is the size of . ten year old apple tree. It requires no cultivation; yet it continues to bear for over a century a fruit which. when roast ed. bears considerable resemblance to or dinary bread. and when eaten with butt ter is a perfect substitute. Consider the mango. It 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 because the introduction of fine varieties has been neglected What about the Avocado pear? Is there any fruit up North to surpass it7 We can match the apple with the sapadillo. the peach with the mango, the strawberry with the mongos- teen. etc. I will pass the breadnut, the jak, the durian. the genip. the sour-sop. | the sugar apple. the eherimoyer. the guava, the pineapple, the cocoanut and other great varieties of fruits for lack of space, but will say that 1t is a down