The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-09-30

that Of the loo. ooo-acre plantation In the
neighborhood OF Antila. the new Port of
Nipe Bay This plantation viii be In
every respect the largest IN thexEorld.
Its equipment Is TO be as complete az
possible and to include every useful de-
vice known to the industry. II will cost
$1,000. 900 to establish. and will have q
daily capacity of 5000 bags-that- Is, q
quantity not far short of ZOO. 900 pounds.
Those are not wanting who see in this
boom a presage OF overproduction and
disaster. which can hardly fail TO ruin
the smaller concerns. Prices are now ae
highly profitable figures, but sugSf Is Q
very unstable commodity. Only as re-
Gently rs 1902 and 1908 the Cuban
planter could not market his product at
profit. despite the low cost of production.
During those seasons the price OF sugar
never reached two cents. As an fllustra-
ton of the fluctuations to which this
article Is liable. ! will quote the prices
obtained during the FIRST six months OF
1904 per 100 pounds: January, &1.77:
February. SLIT; March. $2.o4: April.
s2.1s; May, $2.3s; June. SAB: average
for the six months. $2.O0. Even at tho
average price many Cuban shippers could
not secure a margin Of profit. In August
OF the same year the price OF sugar went
as high as 81. And jet 1t Is advanced
as an argument for tho certainty OF
profit derivabie from the Cuban industry
that beet sugar cannot be sold at lesR
than 3La cents with profit But beet
sugar, as well as cane, IL only too often
disposed of at a loss, the former some
times deliberately so. In order to choke
the latter. There II reason to believe
that the beet interests will institute
price war in the next few years. when it
will go hard with the Cuban plantations
that cannot command an ample capital
to tide over the period of stress. Cuba
might lay surer. though perhaps less
Immediately attractive, foundation for
her future prosperity by devoting more
of the energy and capital available to
the development Of others of her many
promising resources.
Though of less immediate importance
than sugar, Cuba's tobacco may easily
prove in the future to be a more valuable
asset than the former staple Like the
Manila hemp of the Philippines. "Hav-
ana" tobacco is a practical monopoly. All
attempts to produce similar leaf. or one
with equally desirable qualities. else
where have proved futile. aud the tobacco
planters of the island are in the COM
Portable situation OF being assured OF q
demand for their product during all time.
Aside from the Pinar del Rio fields, the
plant is produced in large quantities and
of good quality in the central and east
ern portions of the island. In recent
years experiments have been made. with
promising results. in the direction OF
growing under cover. The primary object
was the production OF light, elastic
wrapper leaf to compete with tho
Sumatra. 1t has been found, however.
that the plants raised under cheese cloth
repay the extra cost Of that method OF
cultivation Irrespective of the desired re-
suit. The protection from excessive heat
and from insects insures a better leaf.
and experienced planters Of Pfnar del Rio
claim that under such conditions the
plants Will yield double the usual guam
tity. 1t is only by such or other methods
Of improved culture that the crop of the
best grades OF Cuban tobacco can ever be
increased. for every rood In the land
adapted to its production Is occupied.
The tobacco business. like every other
of Importance in Cuba, 10 now largely
controlled by American capital. The
American Tobacco Company has q $780,
00O. 600 branch in Havana, through which
1t operates a large portion OF the best
vegas in the yueita Abajo district Theres
are in all about 100, 900 acres In tobacco
plants throughout the island. The maxi
mum output is rather more than 200.-
00o. 900 pounds Of which the United States
consumes about SIC. 1000, 900 worth annual
ly. The really good tobacco lands are not to
be bought at any price. Very heavy ex-
penses are incurred in cultivation. Some
pla lters spend as much as $500 an acre
in fertilizing and screening their beds.
The manufacture OF the leaf into cigars
and cigarettes Is one Of the chief indus
tries OF Havana, and affords employment
to 10000 persons.
c. II. FQRBEs-LINDsAY.