The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1921-10-06

prepared By the National oeoEraphie 30
eisty. washington ID. CO.
Cuba, which Immediately following
The World war climbed to heights OF
prosperity seldom attained by any
bther small country, has passed now
into the valley Of hard times; and the
reason In both cases was the same
sugar. For though the Islands annual
tobacco harvest is very valuable and
though II has many other potential,
Il undeveloped, resources, II is hardly
accomplishing the Importance OF
sugar production to say that Cuba Is
q one-crop country. When European
and Eastern sugar was unobtainable
prices scared skyward and Cuba not
only cashed in heavily on her usual
production but feverishly Increased
her cane acreage and sugar mills. Now
that sugar from the eastern hemls-
phere is reaching the world markets
while Europe has little buying power,
sugar prices have fallen to low levels
and Cuba is finding her wrrIncreased
crop a drug on the market. Financial
kiOOln nus lOtlOMNu uPVI Nht hNtio VI
q most hectic prosperity, "as the night,
the day"
Sugar-cane is grown by three classes.
Of planters In Cuba. Perhaps the
major part Of the crop is grown by
share farmers, or "colonos," as they
are called. The owners OF the sugar
mills furnish them with a given num-
Der OF acres Of land to plant and give
them an agreed share of the sugar
they produce.
They Made Money Rapidly.
The next class Is composed OF the
iand-ownlng farmers, who grow their
own cane and have II ground on
shares, after the fashion OF the rural
Erist mill. The remainder Of the cane
Is grown by the owners Of the mills
themselves. At some centrals the
administration" cane. as that grown
under central" management is known,
amounts to only 4 per cent of the
total; at others II amounts to 80 per
cent.
Even the share farLosr, at pre-war
prices. made moLey. According to
Scuba Before the World" the official
handbook OF the republic at the Pan
Ama-Paclhc exposition, when sugar
was selling at 2.62 cents a pound, his
share of the sugar brought him, on
the basis Of twelve sacks to the acre,
a return OF from $40 to SOL per acre.
When one remembers that the selling
! price OF sugar in 1920 was from four
4 to six times as high as before the war,
the size OF the per-acre income at the
high tide OF prices is apparent.
Boom In Sugar Lands.
A great deal OF the cane land pro.
duces much more sugar to the acre
than the modest twelve bags that
formed the basis Of the calculations
cited from Cuba Before the World
According to figures furnished by the
Cuban department Of agriculture, much
land produces % bags to the acre
This, Mt 10 cents pound, brings a
gross rAiurn OF more than $1,000 an
ARE
These conditions brought about an
unprecedented boom IN sugar lands
One su~ar estate. which was bopght
about 1917 for $3,OOOOOO sold In Jan
uary 1920 for $0,J00OOO. Another
which vas valued at about $4,000 OOC
/ 70" years before. changed hands Al
$i5 100000.
Numerous new "centrals" were built
M capitalized on the basis OF earn
lngs during The early months Of 1920
Thousands % American capitalists In
vested IN these flourishlng enterprises
How Cuha's receipts from sugar ex
panfed Is shown by the fact that tn,
1915 crop brought a total return o
lass than S200OO00OO while two-thlrd
Of the 1920 croL (one-third remain
unsolD brought s4O0000,OOO
Production Cheaper There.
Cnha has tie advantage Of ever,
country IN producing sugar cheaply
Most countries have to plant ever
-'v" wears ana some of item ever
season, hui the average IN Cuhn /
once In from to 10 years
IN most parts OF the island m
harvesting season Is six months Ion
from December to Jr,a; mt 4
some sections the harvest lasts frnr