Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-20

With view 10 the investigation o.
the coffee-groWing industry Ct Cuba,
Consul-Gensral James l.. Rodgers, OF
Havana. recently went from the town
of San Cristobal. Pinar del Rio Pro-
vince. north into the mountains. winch
lie about midway between Ne Yves
tern Railway Of Habana on the south
and the coast line between Bahia Hon.
da and CabaEas on the north. He
describes his investigations in. tn fol
lowing language:
knowing that this almost inacces
sible mountain region in the old days,
when slavery was in vogue in CUBA,
was the location Of some Of the mos
successful cafe tales" il seemeu the
best place to investigate thu +, m
nant OF the industry and TO see the
former methods Of Culture and har'
vest.
These mountains. COrdiiera de los
Organos which form the highest part
of the backbone of western Cuba. rise
TO an elevation. in places. of over
. 600 feet above sea level ard cen
stitute. with their abrupt deciivities.
their deep valleys. and rugged char
acters. an indescribably rough coun-
try. Il is a region OF many small
streams. lUXuriant forest growth oil
Cnb9n hard woods and chaparra!. ana
disintegratei rock fcrmaticn. While
occasionally highly fertile little va
|le~ interyenes. and on some NIL
shoulders there are small areas, clear
cd centuries ago. and ROW adaptaDie
for limited grazing.
Remnants Of Cultivated Groves
The old ccffre plantation begin IN
the very center CT this range. feiHS
sh ,lte-td alike from the winds of the
Gulf and the Caribbean That the?
are of extreme age is easily seel'
and that imie has been allowed To
work its will is noticeable. The col
fee trees. which have survived the
struggle with the rank tropical
growth. are seen everywhere on t'II
steep Slopes. and only in patches
have there been attempts at rescue
frCm the encroachins vegetation.
The -uarl d and twisted cohee tsees
OF these remnants CT fine plantations
contrast strangely, with nir fellows
which. without topping. have sone up
ward in tho aim fer light, only
small proportion OF the original plant
iass. there fore. exists as coffee Dear
ing trees and these do not eThib1'
much evidence Of the care which &C
comuanics intensive rroducticn.
In each valley M weveT. group oi
fu's. aimCst pTimitiy' in strur'ur".
bctokcns a survival OF co!f.@ culture.
for around them On the mountains
sides stretching at time to the very
ION arc tho "-af~-iaic- OF waving
sizes. Some Eav" Only W hur-
drcd trees anil Cihrrs have thousaEt'.
~; mary all arc laden With IN
d, rrics. slowing nov we'll ratur%
rIak., Ts'uTr. TT" driving hfts ri
sun-h:rn,d bricks. ~ ptast"red c'av.
and @, MOD m cement are in the open
placcs. and IN tho v-.,sy adjaten' 10
tho in vitaFIc "'irnIa" tsi'rcI. ar"
TIE hnIlipz 4 vice. which In chaT~r-
tor an i'sirn lcok - 'huuch they
Nigh: nave CONC 4 Sn from th" time
cr ~ original ocruuaiinn.
\ palm-icsf thatCh sh"ii'rs the
cirr Q r-ounG tho pS-inC:"r of which Is
~, Q mint ~ StSte grooves In WAio1
rsI=. a., hG-r ,TB hing wheel uf hard
vo-d L.. Thu dried iycrrirs arc placed In
this groove and Over incEH passes the
? inch rim ~ tho pnpd"rrus disk as
Il -rSprrhs TO ~" effort "f men Or
D. asiS The nriliug of n IN Gu'"r
husk aad Goiicats skin completed, the