The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-07-05
PIONEER BOUGHT 1000
ACRES Of BANANA LAND
Tom Groves Returned Last Night After Making Con-
siderable Purchase of Land in State of Vera Cruz,
Mexican Republic Believes Mexico is Going to Have
an Era of Great Development in Coming Few Years
the pioneer merchant3


who left here some two months ago
for a trip to California and Old
Mexico, returned to this city last
night. He is in love with the south
land. Mr.. Groves spent about three
weeks in California, went through
the Rio Grande and Texas and from
there to Mexico City, Mexico. He
states that this is beautiful city
1t his population of about 5000
Americans and these people are rev.
authorizing customs and ways in the
old capital of the Aztecs. There is
in the course of construction there
now a 100000 theatre and Mex
leo City is thoroughly modern now
and is one of the richest cities in the
world.
From Mexico City Mr.. Groves
went south to the tropics and cross
ed the Isthmus of Panama. He pur-
chased 1000 acres of raw banana
land in the state of Vera Cruz. Ba-
mana land and rubber land promises
for the immediate future the great
est returns. He became acquainted
with an American there VINO had just
sold &.t40 acres of rubber land,
LOO acres of which was plated to
four year old trees and the balance
was raw land. This sold for 100000
cash. Another man owned 5000,
acres, 1900 acres being planted and
the balance raw land and sold for
100000 cash. An English syndicate
purchased this.
Vera Cruz, where he purchased,
is in the extreme south of the Mex
lean republic. The climate is ideal
and Mr.. Groves says that Mexico is
becoming the Mecca of thousands of
Americans who see great possibility
in that section for American enter
prises. He will return sometime
this fall. The 1000 acres purchased
was raw land, and January and Feb
ruary are the months in which the
land should be cleared. 1t is now
covered with rank growth of un-
ierbrush. Later on the clearings
will be burned and May is the plant
ing time. The 1000 acres will be
planted to bananas. The plants are
purchased, from 800 to 400 planted
to each acre and from each plant
from three to four cuttings can be
made for new planting. Bananas
mature in one year and from each
plant from three to four punches of
fruit can be taken. These sell for
81 in Mexican money. This is equiv
alent to SO cents in American cur
rency.
Mr.. Groves states that the rubber
industry is especially interesting.
The rubber tree is stately one. 1t
grows straight for many feet and
branches out very high. The plant
ing is done by seeds. A man will
go along with pointed stick, press
it into the earth, making a hole,
drop in the seed, then step on the
hole and the planting is done. 1t
takes from to IL years for the rub
Der trees to mature. The rubber is
obtained by tapping the trees, allow
ing the fluid to run out the same as
in the maple sugar trees. The bana-
ma and rubber orchards are non-irri-
gated. There is plenty of moisture
for the growth of these trees with
out irrigation. The rubber land is
peculiar to itself. 1t must be por-
Gus, allowing the moisture to drain
through and only certain localities
are adapted to this.
Mexico also has her orange belts,
besides the banana and rubber, and
Mr.. Groves believes that there is a
reat era of development ahead for
ais southland republic.
Edward Moore, who went south
with Mr.. Groves, is still in Vera Cruz
and it is likely he will remain there
for some time.