The History of Cuba, vol. 5

Havana is one of the most charming capitals in the New World. Its very name, Indian in its origin, conjures up a vivid panorama of four centuries, crowded with tragedy, pathos,...

Considered from the point of view of agriculture, manufactures or commerce, Cane is King in Cuba. The sugar crop of 1918, amounting to 25,346,000 bags, or 3,620,857 tons, was so...

After a lapse of more than four centuries, there are grounds for believing that the dreams of the early Spanish conquerors, who overran Cuba shortly after its discovery by Colum...

To the lover of romance or student of history, few spots in the western hemisphere, perhaps, have greater charm and interest than Morro Castle, high perched on the promontory th...

American soldiers returning to the United States at the conclusion of her little war with Spain, in the summer of 1898, brought wonderful stories of Cuba, with glowing accounts...

Topographically, the Province of Pinar del Rio is perhaps the most picturesquely beautiful in the Island. Owing also to its variety of soils, mahogany red, jet black, mulatto or...

The Province of Oriente, called by Spain Santiago de Cuba, forms the eastern extremity of the Island, and is not only the largest in area, but, owing to the exceptional fertilit...

Some of the men who followed Christopher Columbus across the Atlantic at the close of the 15th century were accustomed to stock raising in Spain, and all of them realized the va...

The Island of Cuba is essentially an agricultural country. Its fertile soils have come from the constant erosion of rocks by heavy rains, through eons of time. Mountain torrents...

To those who are fond of motoring in the tropics, the world offers no more delightful field than the Island of Cuba from the end of October until early May, with Havana as a poi...

Transportation is the handmaid of production. Where transportation facilities are faulty, exchange of commodities is necessarily restricted to local demands, and commerce with t...

Nothing is more essential to the general prosperity of a mercantile country than good harbors. They are the economic gateways to the interior, through which all foreign trade mu...

The banana is of East Indian origin, but of an antiquity so great that man has no record of its appearance on earth as an edible fruit, nor can any variety of the plant be found...

The Province of Havana, with its area of 3,171 square miles, is the smallest in Cuba, and yet, owing to the city of Havana, capital of the Republic, it plays a very important pa...

According to the log of the _Santa Maria_, the first glimpse of the Island of Cuba enjoyed by Christopher Columbus, sailing as he did in a southwesterly course across the Bahama...

Probably in no part of Cuba is the topography more varied or the scenery more beautiful than in the Province of Santa Clara, with its area of 8,250 square miles. Mountain, valle...

Historically the province of Matanzas has played a comparatively unimportant part in the various events that have influenced the destiny of the Island. In the early days of conq...

Topographically the surface of Cuba may be divided into five rather distinct zones, three of which are essentially mountainous. The first includes the entire eastern third of th...

Corn or Maize was probably indigenous to the Island of Cuba, since it was one of the chief staples of food used by the Siboney Indians at the time of Columbus’s visit. This cere...

The presence of bituminous products in Cuba has been a matter of record since the days of the early Spanish conquerors. Sebastian Ocampo, that adventurous follower of Columbus,...

Thinking men and women, the world over, realize that the hope, security and well being of the future lies in properly educating the children of the present. From an educated com...

In the last analysis, of course, the people of a country have much to do in making it what it is, or what it may be. From them must come the life, energy, character and developm...

The virgin forests of Cuba, at the time of the Spanish conquest, were rich in hardwoods, such as mahogany, cedar, rosewood, ebony, lignum-vitæ and many others unknown in the mar...

Somewhat strange to relate, railroad building, insofar as it applied to Spanish territory, had its inception in Cuba, at a time when the Island was one of Spain’s colonial posse...

In spite of the fact that the Grape is indigenous to Cuba, prohibitory laws on the part of Spain discouraged its culture in all of her colonies, so that vine culture in the Isla...

Although the forests of Cuba abound in several varieties of the citrus family growing wild within their depths, the fruit was probably brought from Spain by the early conquerors...

With the advent of the American colonists in 1900, truck gardening sprang rapidly into prominence in Cuba until today it forms an important part of the small farmer’s revenue. M...

Of all Oriental fruits brought to the Occident, the golden mango of India is undoubtedly king. For thousands of years, horticulturists of the Far East, under the direction of na...

This strangely hypnotic leaf of the night-shade family seems to have originated in the Western Hemisphere, and that variety familiar to commerce, known as the Nicotina Tabacum,...

Next to the “Manila hemp” of the Philippines, which is really a variety of the banana, the henequen of Yucatan is probably the most important cordage plant in the world. The nam...

Notwithstanding the fact that several millions a year are expended by the people of the Republic in bringing poultry and eggs to Cuba, no steps were taken towards what might be...

Cuba, like the other West Indian Islands, is strangely poor in its indigenous mammals. The largest wild animal is the deer, a beautiful creature, resembling much the graceful Ce...

To either Arabia or Abyssinia belongs the honor of having been the birth place of those previous shrubs that were the forerunners of all the great coffee plantations of two hemi...

The information in this volume pertaining to Cuba and her natural resources, climate, soil, mines, forests, fisheries, agricultural products, lands, rivers, harbors, mountains,...

A perusal of Cuban history shows that within a few years after the country was settled, questions in regard to the exchange value of its moneys arose, which were not effectually...

Although from the early days of Spanish conquest the Isle of Pines was considered by Spain as an integral part of Cuba, as are Cayo Romano and all other adjacent islands, in the...

Since on the climate of country depends largely its healthfulness, nothing perhaps is of greater importance, especially to the man who wishes to find some place where he may bui...

American Colonies in Cuba--Founded After the War of Independence--Pernicious Activities of Unscrupulous American Speculators--Heroic Efforts of Illfounded Colonies--The Story of...

The Charms of Havana--Early History of the City--Made the Capital of Cuba--The Quarries from Which It Was Built--Something About Its Principal Streets and Buildings--Various Sec...

Historic Interest of Havana Harbor--The Romance and Tragedy of El Morro--“The Twelve Apostles”--The Vast Fortress of La Cabaña--The “Road Without Hope”--A Scene of Slaughter--Ce...

“King Cane”--Cuba’s Crop and the World’s Production--Natural Conditions Favorable to Sugar Culture--Extent of Lands Still Available--The “Savana” and “Cienaga” Lands--Assured Pr...

Importance of Ocean Transportation to the Insular Republic--Development of the United Fruit Company--The Ward Line and Its Fleet--A Network of Communications with All Parts of t...

A Paradise of Palm Drives--Splendor of the Flamboyans--The Road to Guines--A Fine Drive to Matanzas--Roads from Havana to Guanajay, Artemisa and the Ruby Hills--Old Military Roa...

Introduction of Horses and Cattle by the Spaniards--Improvement in the Quality of Stock--A Favorable Land for Cattle Ranges--Importation of Blooded Stock from the United States...

Agriculture--The Chief Interest of Cuba--Fertility of Soil, Geniality of Climate, and Variety of Products--The Rainfall--Many Farmers Specialists--The Government’s Experimental...

Money and Banking in Cuba--The First Currency of the Island--The First Monetary Crisis at Havana--Development of Modern Coinage and Currency--Single Standard and Double Standard...

Mines and Mining--The Early Quest of Gold--First Working of Copper Mines--The Wealth of El Cobre--Copper in All Parts of Cuba--Operations in Pinar del Rio--Vast Iron Deposits in...

Vegetable Growing in Cuba--Regions Most Suitable for the Industry--Seed Brought from the United States--Winter Crops of Potatoes--Green Peppers a Profitable Crop--Cultivation of...

The Educational System of Cuba--Influences of Clericalism--Work of General Wood and Mr. Frye--Cooperation of Harvard University--Dr. Lincoln de Zayas--The Teaching of English--P...

Antiquity and Universality of the Banana--Its Many Uses--Commercial Cultivation in Cuba--Methods of Culture--Varieties--Pineapple Culture in Cuba--One of the Staple Crops--Diffi...

Origin of the Railroad Systems of Cuba--The United Railways of Havana--The Matanzas Railway--Electric Lines Around Havana--The Great Work of Sir William Van Horne--The Cuba Comp...

The Province of Santa Clara--A Land of Great Variety of Scenes--Ancient Gold-Seeking--The Mountain Ranges--Rich Lands of the Parks and Valleys--Rivers and Lakes--Harbors--Cities...

The Province of Havana--The Pivotal Province of the Island--Visits by Columbus and Velasquez--Topography of the Province--Soil and Products--Agricultural Wealth--The Fruit Indus...

Forestry--Vast Resources of Fine Woods Recklessly Squandered in Early Times--Houses Built of Mahogany--Hundreds of Varieties of Valuable Timber Trees--A Catalogue of Sixty of th...

The People of Cuba--Hospitality Their Characteristic--Love of Children--Founders of the Cuban Nation from the Southern Provinces of Spain--An Admixture of French Blood--Immigrat...

The Province of Oriente--Area and Topography--Mountains and Rivers--Fine Harbors--Great Sugar Mills--Scene of the First Spanish Settlement in Cuba--The Bay of Guantanamo--Santia...

Grape Culture Discouraged by Spain--Recent Development of the Industry--Much Wine Drinking but Little Drunkenness--Food and Drink in the Cacao--The Chocolate Industry--Culture a...

The Tobacco Industry--First European Acquaintance with the Plant--The Famous Fields of the Vuelta Abajo--Immense Productivity--Methods of Culture and Harvesting--Various Regions...

Indian Corn Indigenous--Improvements in Culture Desirable--Millet or Kaffir Corn--Neglect of Wheat Growing--Culture of Upland Rice--Possibilities of Swamp Rice Culture--Profusio...

Recent Scientific Development of the Poultry Industry--President Menocal’s Importations of Choice Stock--Opportunities for Agriculture--Wild and Domesticated Bees--Varieties of...

The Province of Camaguey--Where Columbus First Landed--In the Days of Velasquez--Events of the Ten Years’ War--Topography of the Province--Mountain Ranges--Rivers and Coastal La...

Paucity of Native Fauna--Deer, Caprimys and Ant Eaters--The Sand Hill Crane--Guinea Fowls, Turkeys and Quails--Buzzards, Sparrow Hawks, Mocking Birds and Wild Pigeons--Varieties...