The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-03-31
SOME FACTS ABOUT CUBA.
BIZ DR.. J. ". WOlling.


Cuba is a coral reef spreading itself
over a distance Of 7so miles nearly
East to West between the Atlantic
and the Gulf of Mexico. The waters
Of old ocean which surrounds this is
land are Of enormous depths. A
mighty gulf 5000 feet deep, according
TO Uncle Sans coast survey, lies be-
tween Cuba and Florida, and this
mighty depth goes almost up to the
Sudan coast line. 30 that it is
nountain coming up from the oceans
I'D; the work of ages by the currents
and the little insects which build the
coral mountains. Havana, the capi-
4al Of the Republic OF Cuba, is 1,1O0
niles south Of Philadelphia, 400 miles
west OF New York and line drawn
due north through the centre Of the
island would pass through our city of
charleston.
The Climate.
Cuba is, Of course, wholly within
The tropics and hence has no winter.
A writer says: 'While Cuba is con-
sidered a tropical country, it combines
The advantages of the temperate and
the torrid zones, the dividing line
passing but twenty miles north of
. the Cuban coast" All visitors to
0uba have been surprised and favor
ably impressed by the delightful
nights prevailing summer and winter.
Another fact which compels attention
is the complete freedom from heat in
the shade, however hot it may be in
the1 sun. The following table is
worthy Of note. The mean temperature
for the four hottest months of the
year is as follows:
June, average temperature, three
years, 80 degrees.
July, average temperature, SIX years,
80 degrees.
August, average temperature, six
years, 81 degrees.
September, average temperature,
six years, 80 degrees.
This uniform temperature, free
from extremes, makes Cuba one of
the healtniest countries in the world.
The mortality of the island per thou
sand inhabitants, during the year 1909
was. only 1875 which was lower than
that Of any other country except Au-
stralia. These facts are taken from
a careful study Of health conditions,
since the exclusion Of yellow-feVer, by
highly competent authorities.
What Cuba Makes and What She Buys.
The two great products of Cuba are
cane and tobacco, though she is now
having a vast fruit production, espe-
cially pineapples, oranges and citrous
fruits. The tobacco grown in the
western part of Cuba, notably that
grown in certain valley called Vuel-
ia Abajs, commands the highest prices
not only over all Cuban tobacco, but
over tobacco raised in any part of the
world. The returns from the crop
will range from few dollars for the
lower grades to $1,000 per acre annu-
ally, and even five times this latter
amount is known to have been made or
the best grades. Ordinarily an in
iustrious grower can raise, approx
mately ten bales Of the leaf to the
acre, each weighing 100 pounds. This
tobacco will generally sell from $40 te
$50 per bale, a safe average being
s25 per bale, or $3.50 per acre. Ir
her production of sugar, tobacco anc
fruits Cuba now offers wonderful
field for investments. However, W
to this time Cuba has not produced
what the people need to eat and this
tends to make life expensive. A good
authority says: "In the fiscal veal
19oS-1909 the trade of Cuba amounted
to S2O4,355,O 900, of which the export!
amounted to SILT, ,564,OOO" But ever
with this fine slowing in trade, o
food stuffs Cuba purchased durin!
the year 1909 the following items:
Beans to the value of S97S,773; but
ter to the value of s274,819; coffee t
the value of s2,648,665; corn to tn
value of s1,479,21O; lard to the valu
Of s4,S57,860; potatoes to the value {
s1,058,3S2
And indeed many other things to th
value of over fourteen million dollar
nearly all o. which could be produce
on the island. The climate and tn
soil and the present economic ccnd