The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1908-10-08
Costa RiCa.
Second Letter FTsm Judge March
About ibis Interesting country.
10 The Rich Hin Tribune

We are still in the city we
were in when my former letter
was written. The surroundings
are so agreeable and the climate
so much 70 our liking that we de-
cided 10 spend all Of our vacation
here. with the exception Of short
trips TO other towns and 70 the
surrounding country.
This town is supported mainly
by farmers living in and around
e The land is very rich and the
rain fall moderate, and those Who
make reasonable Efforts make a
success Of farming. Coffee is
the principal crop raised for ex-
port. After a field has been
planted 10 coffee and the trees
cultivated till they reach the bear.
lug age, (about 4years,) little
further cultivation is required.
Coffee harvest begins about Dec.
= Ist. The berries are gathered
and run through a pEiping
machine" which separates the
grains of coffee from the pulp,
the coffee is then spread on large
floors, usually made Of concrete,
and dried in the sunshine. 1t is
then sacked and exported.
There are some large sugar
cine plantations near this place.
q There is one large sugar refinery
lin the republic. The most Of the
sugar, however, is sold to con'
sumers in its raw state. No sug-
ar is exported. Small farmers
:, raise about the same field and
garden products as are raised in
Missouri, except the small
cereals. Potatoes appear to be
the favorite, four crops Of them
are raised on the same ground in
less than a year.
Tremendous crops Of bananas
are raised along the Atlantic
l. coast. The United Fruit CON-
pany operates large plantations
l. there; and a great many planters
raise bananas and tell to the
fruit company. A high altitude
is not favorable 70 the growth o.
that crop and not many are rails
ed near this town.
d.. The methods OF farming Of tins
IN natives here are similar 10 thosG
N we read Of ancient times. They
,e use oxen for beasts Of draughi
le and some Of them, it is stated
use plows made Of the forks Of
trees, although l have never seer
any Of these so called plows.
They haul their loads en- two
= wheeled carts each drawn by
yoke OF oxen. The driver, usual
Is barefooted, walks before thC
oxen and they follow him quietly.
il they walk to slowly to suit hin
he turns and threatens then
with bis goad, which he always
u carries, il being necessary e
prod them a little with the goad.
"a When they pillow the driver walks
= ahead and another holds the plow.
THE whole is a very quiet pro
cess much unlike cattle driving
: used to be in the early settlement
OF Bates county, the early settlers
of the neighborhood Of Fairviev
N school house will call 10 mind
noted cattle driver" of thos,
early days when cattle were useS
for breaking the virgin sod, anS
what a yoluble vocabulary he has
ia the preaching" line. Ash
Gabe il he does not remembe.
him.
The agricultural possibilities @
this country are great but il vii
take greater people than the ma
tive Costo Ricans 10 deyelOpe tn,
country A few American
have settled here and the mos
lof them are doing well. II is ex
pected that a great many EN-.
ployees OF the l. c. Q. will settl,
lhere during the further progres.