The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-01
How They Plow in Mexico

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Can these not be Increased by irrie>s
tion?"
Yes. We have plans to that effect. We
have immense zones that are suitable
for cotton and we have one concern
which is making final arrangements to
cultivate about q quarter of a million
acres. This will give us all the raw COT
ton We need and leave something for e,p.
port. AS 1t Is now. our plantations are
turning out an annual yield of about 7b,-
100000 pounds. nearly all Of which is used
In our factories"
How much cotton can you raise psr
acre?"
we have tracts which produce go
pounds, or almost bale and one-thfrd
to the acre, and we have other planta-
tions which do not yield more than 20
or 200 pounds per acre. Our best cotton
region Is the Laguna district, lying In the
central states not far from Torreon The
soil there is exceedingly rich, but 1t must
have irrigation. There are schemes for
dams in that vicinity which will increase
the irrigated area. Then we are growing
cotton along the coasts of the states of
Guerrero and Oaxaca and near the coasts
In Vera Cruz and Tamaulipas. The cli-
mate of the Pacific coast is especially
favorable for cotton and the cultivation
will increase there as the transportation
facilities are developed Indeed, the con-
struction of the railroads, already pro-
Jected will greatly enlarge our cotton
belt and we shall soon figure as one of
the first-class producers In the worlds
cotton markets"
Mexican Beef for the United States
How about your stock ranches? VIII
you be able to supply the United States
with beef in the future?'
Il do not see but that we may be abls
to do so.' said the Mexican secretary
of agriculture. You people are growing
so fast that you will soon be unable to
feed yourselves, and we are so situated
geographically that no other country can
compete with us In supplying your needs.
We have something like 120. 000 acres
of pasture lands, and 100000 or $780,
900 head of cattle grazing upon them.
We have several million sheep. and we
are now exporting somethins-like 20o. 900
head of cattle a year!
THE stock industry Is which we
could greatly increase with additional
capital and better farming. Our cattle
are not improved animals, and 1t is a
question whether we can maintain fine
breeds of stock without bettering our
pastures AS 1t is now, the beasts must
be hardy to feed on the sparse grasses
of the dry season and to travel the long
distances that are necessary to reach
water Some of our big hacierdas are
importing shorthorns. Herefords and
other breeds, but we all know that we
must improve our pastures, increase tho
number of drinking places and build the
necessary sheds and barns before We can
radically improve our stock"
The Government and the Farmer
what is the government doing to teach
the farmer?"
''It is just beginning Its work along
agricultural lines" said the minister. Tho
chief trouble we have here Is the poor
machinery, the non-use of fertilizers, and,
in addition. the backwardness Of our
farming class. The government 10 try
ing to show the farmers the advantages
of machinery and modern farm tools. We
have now stations where such machinery
is shown, and where it Is loaned to
the farmer As to fertilizers, we are try
ing to encourage the use of them, and
have obtained from the railroads low
rates for their transportation We are
also prohibiting the expectation of fer
tilizers from Mexico and we will put
export duties on all such goods.
''As to the education of the farming
class, we have a national school of agri-
culture here in Mexico City, which Is at
tended by 800 students, and we have es-
tablished experiment stations and demon
stration farms in different parts Of tho
republic. We have also stan of trav-
cling instructors who visit the farmers
on their estates, and teach them tho
better processes of cultivation. We hope
to advance steadily along all such lines,
and the prospect is that we shall greatly
increase our crops and better our stock"
Farming in the Tropics
I asked the secretary of agriculture
what Mexico was doing as to the tropical
parts of the country. Senior Hernandez
replied:
''There is steady increase IN our plan
tations in the lowlands along the coasts.
This is especially so of coffee, which. has
been aided by the high prices of recent
times. We have many new banana plan
tations, the output of which goes to tho
United States. but which will have mar
ket In Europe as well. Our present pro-
duction of bananas Is abcn. 150,oo0,00o
pounds. The state of Tahasco alone an
nualy sends to your country more than a
million lunches"
"And then there is our rubber" corr
tinued Senor Hernandez. Heavy sums,
have been invested in that industry. and
forests of wild rubber trees which are
producing abundantly and also some good
plantations but a number of companies
have been organized in the United States
and in other foreign countries which seem
to have had no other purpose in mind
than to secure cash stock subscriptions
and to misappropriate them. These have
done us great injury, and we hope there
will be no more IN the future.
"Our exports of India rubber last year
amounted to about 15,00o000 pounds, with
a value of over sIo,o89oa0 and we sold
also guavule rubber to the amount OF
about s6.0on,0oo We sold coffee during that
time which brought in between s4,00Oooo
and s5, coo md our exports of vegetable
products were worth s45.OO0,GO0. In add Z
tion to this we are exporting fibre plants
which will bring to .us in this year about
$3o,00o,0o0 In gold. So you see that we
are still doing business Notwithstanding
the reports concerning our disordered con-
ditions and turbulent state.'
FRANK G. CARPENTER,