The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-23
on tho recommendation OF Secretary VII ~:
son. -FaA2 tt,iIl@ ~ RI 3Esf ig#5

S. Cuba a Big Farm.
Before describe the station let me say
a word about this island It's one OF me
biggest farming propositions on ,earth. ~
has more good soil than the valley OF the
Nile, and 1t promises to be the great win
ter fruit and vegetable garden OF the
United States. Cuba lies in Uncle Sans
front yard, with short water road 10
, his kitchen door. The island Is about as
big as PENNSYLVANIA, and, although it is
mountainous in places, he soil is good
to the tops of the hills and almost every
bit Of it, can be farmed. IL I
Japan has a greater area, and ~ sup
ports between 100000 and 10000 900 peo-
pie; but only about 10 per cent. Of 1t Is
tilable Java is as big as Cuba, but,it.
is largely taken up by mountain ranges,
with active volcanoes and arid lands.
Nevertheless, Java supports p. 0o0,0
#9 Cuba to-day has less than ], 5000 and
ii is safe to say that ! { will some t1+Ha
rival Java in it's products. though 1t Will
always have less population FOR u
Javanesc can live where a Cuban would
starve The two islands raise about the
same crops-sugar, tobacco and trophical
fruits with coffee on the uplands.'to Java
is now growing tea and nutnine but
these articles have not been subject to
experiment in Cuba.
So far less than onc-thlrd Of this island
has been laid out in farms, and at the
close Of the war only three per cont. OF
It's area was under cultivation There is
more now, but 1t is safe to say that not
one sixth OF the island is used. Tho best
cultivation Is done IN the provinces Of
Havana and Matanzns, and also In tho
tobacco fields Of Pinar del Rio. Al present
sugar Is the most important crop, Dcin.
produced In all the provinces. Tobacco
comes next, raised chiefly In Pinar del
Rio, and away down at the foot is coffee,
which was once more important than
sugar, and which now, owing to tho tariff
and other conditions, will again come to
the front.
Cubas Experimental Station.
The agricultural farm at Santiago do
las Vegas is the center ofsthls new agrl-
cultural development. 1t is run by the
government, which gives 1t large appro-
priations and pushes Its work IN every
possible way. The director Is Professor
IT. s. Earle who was for years connected
with the United states Department OF
Agriculture, and who at the time the
Cuban government asked for man for
this work, was about to go 70 Porto Rico
to take charge of our experimental sln-
ton there. The Cuban salary was large
one-I hink s5,000-and as Secretary VIII
son had other good men, he allowed MI,
Earle to come to Cuba, This was about
Il year ago The farm has been purchased,
the buildings equipped und an agricultural
/ department, with q corps of scientists
from Washing on, are now here at work,
The farm itself comprises $50 acres, Its
buildings are great Spanish barracks, rum
ming around n central alto of an acre OF
flowers and plants, and also many cot
tages which have been erected for tho
farmers. The barracks are OF one story,
They are of great extent and are We'll
fitted for government work.
spent some time going through rhe
BUILDINGS, and afterwards took walk
with Professor Earle over the farm. The
establishment is thoroughly systematlzcu,
and in 1t all sorts of investigations as to
plant breeding. fertilizer testing and plant
and animal diseases are soing on, IN The
botanical department was show1 about
%. 600 specimens Of Cuban plants and
flowers. and In the gardens near ny saw
many new vegetables and fruits srow-
Ing. n i'tIs
New Fruits for Cuba.
Tn the banana fields there are q score
OF varieties which have Just been intro
duccd from Porto Rico, and near by twen-
~ varieties OF peaches and fifteen yarle-
ties Of Japanese persinmons nave been
J planted, There are figs from caslfosalp.