The Agriculture of Cuba

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United States Department of agriculture, 1943 - 144 pages

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Page 3 - These islands, from their local position, are natural appendages to the North American continent; and one of them, Cuba, almost in sight of our shores, from a multitude of considerations has become an object of transcendent importance to the political and commercial interests of our Union.
Page 3 - Havana, fronting a long line of our shores destitute of the same advantage; the nature of its productions and of its wants, furnishing the supplies and needing the returns of a commerce immensely profitable and mutually beneficial, give it an importance in the sum of our national interests with which that of no other foreign territory can be compared, and little inferior to that which binds the different members of this Union together.
Page 143 - Bernhardt, Joshua. Government Control of the Sugar Industry in the United States. An account of the work of the United States Food Administration and the United States Sugar Equalization Board, Inc., New York, The Macmillan Company, 1920 Blakey, RG "Sugar Prices and Distribution under Food Control," in Quarterly Journal of Economics, 32:567-96, August 1918 Commission for Relief in Belgium.
Page 12 - The Isle of Pines. The Isle of Pines is about 66 miles (by boat) directly south from the west-central part of Cuba but is only about 33 miles from the nearest mainland in the Province of Pinar del Rio. For political purposes, it is included in the Province of La Habana, It covers an area of 755,000 acres and in 1938 had a population of 10,165. This island is about 34 miles across from north to" south, and 40 miles at its greatest length from east to west. A marsh running across the island from east...
Page 26 - ... farmers now grow cane usually under contract for sale to the mills. These growers are called colonos. Some own their land, and others operate on rented land. Some large colonos also finance smaller growers called sub-colonos. From 80 to 90 per cent, of all the sugar cane is produced by the colonos, whose farms average about 100 acres and rarely exceed 500 acres. Only a relatively small proportion of their acreage is actually in cane for harvest, the remainder being in uncut cane, burned over...
Page 16 - ... actually under cultivation. Most of Cuba's farms are highly specialised, as for example, sugar centrals, producers of bananas for export, mountain coffee plantations, and cattle ranches. Sugar-mill lands are scattered in fertile areas throughout the island, but particularly in the central and eastern part. Most mill lands are devoted almost exclusively to the production of cane, as are also most of the medium and small farms surrounding the sugar mills. These farms have little livestock, and...
Page 9 - ... located just south of the Tropic of Cancer, which passes between it and Florida, the climate is tempered by the prevailing winds and the ocean on both sides of the narrow island. Temperatures vary only slightly from day to night and from summer to winter. Havana, for instance, averages about 80'F.
Page 67 - ... markets in spite of the fact that Cuban pineapples are subject to a duty of 20 cents a crate, whereas those from Puerto Rico are duty-free. However, much of the Cuban fruit is shipped through New Orleans to Chicago, whereas Puerto Rican fruit is most important on the New York market. CITRUS FRUITS Oranges, grapefruit, and limes are grown in most parts of Cuba and are used extensively for domestic consumption. Only grapefruit are exported in any quantity. Oranges are of several types, including...
Page 3 - American public policy pointing in the same direction; for the peace of Cuba is necessary to the peace of the United States; the health of Cuba is necessary to the health of the United States; the independence of Cuba is necessary to the safety of the United States. The same considerations which led to the war with Spain now require that a commercial arrangement be made under which Cuba can live.
Page 109 - ... pasturing during all seasons of the year. This provides cheap feed, particularly for cattle, which are by far the most important kind of livestock. Large sections of the east-central part of the island consist of relatively poor land, suitable only for grazing.

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