Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1905 — POSSIBILITIES IN CUBA [ARTICLE]

POSSIBILITIES IN CUBA

The letter given below whs written by a man who has been there and knows all about it. This shows one of the many ways »of making a good living in Cuba.

COCOA NL’T.

I ttish to give you an actual experience of mine regarding cocoanuts. Three years ago on the north coast of Cuba, near the city of Goanaji, and now adjoining the American colony of Palm City, is a tract of land of 150 acres, as good lnnd as there is on the island of Cuba. It was fenced, two acres planted to oocoanuts, then in bearing at four years of age. There were two shacks on the place, a few thousand bananas and as many pineapples, many magnificent wild fruit trees, bearing heavily, and much valuable wood. This tract is located on. a good rgad. The same was offered to me at 412.50 an acre; I offered SIOOO. I kept track of this farm, visiting it three and four times a year, and the Ist day of June. 1905, the owner showed me that the two acres containing 120 cocoanut trees eacti, or a total of 240, bad each produced within twelve months in no case less than 400 | oocoanuts, whioh amounts to 96,000 nuts, whioh he sold at the ' farm at $16.00 a thousand, he sim-

ply superintending the counting as they were picked. This amounted to over $1,500 in cash from two acres of land without one hour’s work in the grove for the past two year’s except the gathering of coffee from the trees planted in between which he has sold at a handsome price. Coffee does well araoug cocoanut trees as it requires shade, and the fruit of the cocoanut growing close to the body of. the tree, when it drops does not injure the tender coffee plant. During the past three years eight acres more of this tract has been planted to cocoanuts and all has been sold except 33 acres. I offered him S2OO an acre for his 33 acres which be veTy sensibly refused. Now, this is a case iu point where anyone can visit the farm and verify these statements, as there is no question as to the facts being true in the fullest sense with the exception that many of of the trees furnished more than 400. The owner has a large family which has been provided for during their lives without any effort except as to planting and caring for cocoanuts for two years. He planted sweet potatoes seven years ago, and they are still producing abundantly without replanting or any attempt at cultivation and will continue to do so for all time to come.

Now, ray friend, who has been frozen out, dried out and possibly sold out, don’t you believe if you had expended onehalf the energy that you have expended during thb past ten years in Cuba that to-day you could have ten or twenty acres of cocoanuts, the same number of acres of oranges, limes and other fruits always readily marketable and enjoy a climate where there is not one hoar in the entire year that is even unpleasant if you are in the shade during the summer mouths at noonday which you cau easily do? I wish to be earnest with you. I have seen so much suffering in the states, being thoroughly acquainted with what western people bad to undergo in opening up their farms—as I was one of them —and remember the sufferings of at least three-fourths of the pioneers for ten years of their lives, and Borne for a longer period, barely eking out an existence, but after twenty years their lands became valuable aud they are now comparatively independent, yet think wbat they have gone through. It would have been the easiest thing in the world to have accomplished twice as much in five years that they have in the twenty without suffering, under the most pleasant conditions, always haviug plenty to eat, being comfortable away from the blizzards, sand storms, droughts, hail storms and many other adverse conditions to look back over now seem almost insurmountable.

Then, when they are shown what can be done in Cuba, then for them to hesitate because they don’t want to leave their wife’s uncle, aunt or cousin, not knowing that they cau build up a friendship and a social class among bright, progressive, honest, deserving people that it will always be pleasurable, honorable and profitable to be acquainted with and join issues with, living a life that the wealthiest of our citizens would envy every day of their lives, complete comfort, absolute contentment and enjoyment never heard of in the farm life at its best.

Taking it all in all, if you are hesitating and think you are running some terrible risk, or liable to be swamped or lose a couple of hundred dollars, or being required to expend that amount or more to get located, and are afraid to take the risk or are hesitating to take the chance; if you are made of that kind of stuff, I sincerely hope and beg of you that you will not write m»: that you will not hsk any questions about Cuba,* but leave me amid peace and plenty among my American friends in Cuba.

It is our disposition, and we delight iu ‘‘blazing our way,” making cur own conditions, carving our future from surroundings blessed by bountiful nature as no other couutry is blessed to day, starting from the foundation, building our way, not hampered by a century of mistakes. * Indeed it is a pleasure, taking matters from their inception and building according to our ideas. D. E. Kerr, Rav*enswood, Chicago, and Camaguey, Cuba.