, 1913-01-11

In Europe, but we we're courteously received
by his brother, who told us that Gasolene
Motor pIonghs were at wor k on his brothers.
estate and giving him great satisfaction.
He told us that he had tried gasolene
ploughs for some years, but none had given
satisfaction and been able to stand the work
until they got out q Big Four 80 Engine
some nine mouths previous to omr visit.
The first Of these machines had given such
good satisfaction that they had immediately
sent away for two others, and all three en-
8lnes were now working splendidly. Mr..
Mendoza telegrapEed to his nephew at Ger
trudis to ask if we could see the ploughs at
work, but received the reply that, on ac-
count of excessive rains, the ploughs would
not be able to work for some days. Mr..
Mendoza gave us u letter of introduction to
Mr.. Chas. W Benson, Manager of the Mill
Supply Co., Recla 8, This gentleman, lo
told us, was agent for the John Deere Co.
and had been sent to Cuba bv them to Dlt
up and start the work of the BIG Four 30
engines.
We visited Mr., Benson and got from him
the following information.
The Big -Four 80 Engine, made bv the
Gas Traction Co. of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
is a four cylinder machine which delivers 80
Horse Power at the drawbar. Before the
Introduction Of this machine engines of the
one cylinder and two cy Under type had
been tried in Cuba without success, owing
to the very stiff clay soils on the Sugar lands
and the deep %plou9hinr required. AT the
time Of our visit eight of the Big Four 30
ploughs were at work on Sugar Plantations
in Cuba and IS more were on order and
expected early Ill the coming year. The
ploughs were working the land to a depth
nf l n ~ I > inoho., on I oool- 1-: III
gang Of 8 bottoms. On account of the very
sticky nature Of the Cuban clay soil ordinary
mould board ploughs had not given salts
factory results, and these had been replaced
by disc pioughs, which were lighter IN
draught and secured much better.
MIR. Benson told US that when putting
new land into cultivation they first pIoughed
to a depth Of only 6 to Z inches. Tuis
operation called "breoking' cost in gasolene,
oil and lAbour 81 70 an acre, and the sub
sequent cross plouYhing to a depth of 10
to IL inches cost another S1.70 per acre.
The amount Of p~loughiug done per day was
Approximately IL acres, and 3 gallons of
gasolene were used for each acre ~ploughed.
Before we left Havana we made two ex-
cursions into the country-one to see the
Agricultural Experiment Station, and the
other to u place called Guines, about sixty
Inc NUN 1NNdllN
At the Experiment Station we met the
Veterinary Expert and were shewn around
by him, The Director of the Station was
not at his Office at the time Of our visit. At
the Station we saw some promising cane va
rieties that were being tried out and OBJ
tanned o promise to send some of these va
rieties in exchange for some of ours.
There is not much cane grown in the i'm
mediate vicinity of Havana. We saw some
large fields at a place called Gillian, near
June The canes were planted in flt
ground, the soil being a bright red clay.
Tne canes were planted very close together,
the rows being about 3 feet apart aud the
canes very close In the row. The canes in
consequence made Il very spindIy growth.
III the nei9hb0utn)od OF Hawai- the pin
cipai crops appeared . be Guinea corn,
citrus fruits, and market garden crops.
We LEFT Havana on Saturday, October
Doth, for New Orleans, and arrived in that
city on Monday October 26th.
In New Orleans we visited the Danish
Consul, Mr.. Soegaard, and obtained from
him introductions to the Director of the
Sugar Experiment Station, Mr.. Chiquelin,
and to the Managers of the local branches
of the firms of John Deere & Co. and of
NJ --.- N..- o Co.., Al. Coo~no-l -