The History of Cuba, vol. 5Johnson, Willis Fletcher
History
The History of Cuba, vol. 5
Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Cuba -- Economic conditions; Cuba -- History
Many splendid specimens of live stock, at the order of the Secretary,
have been purchased in the United States and other parts of the world
and brought to the station for breeding purposes. Some twenty odd
magnificent stallions, most of them riding animals and cavalry remounts,
were secured in Kentucky and other states during the spring of 1918 and
brought to the station, where they have been divided among branch
stations located in the other provinces of the Island.
Excellent specimens of cattle also, including the Jersey, the Holstein,
the Durham and Cebu or sacred cattle of India, have been purchased
abroad and brought to the Station and then installed in splendid
quarters, built of reinforced concrete for their accommodation. The Cebu
has been crossed in Cuba with the native cattle for some years past with
very satisfactory results. Doctor Calvino states that a two-year old
steer, resulting from the cross between a Cebu and a native cow, will
weigh quite as much as would the ordinary three-year old of straight
breeding.
Many specimens of thoroughbred hogs, including the Duroc, the Poland
China, the Berkshire and the Tamworth, have been brought to the station,
where they and their progeny seem to thrive even better than in the
countries where the breed originated. Angora goats, too, that came from
the Northwest, from Texas, and the mountains of Georgia, have given very
satisfactory results in Cuba.
Several thousand chickens, including the Rhode Island Red, the Plymouth
Rock, the Orpington, Minorcan and several varieties of Leghorns, were
imported from the United States and brought to the Station, where they
seem to be doing very well.
Under the direction of Doctor Calvino, nearly every acre of the Station
has been devoted to some useful purpose. The grounds on either side of
the main driveway are instructive and interesting. As the winter visitor
passes down the long lane, he will find various tracts under
comparatively intensive cultivation, planted in nearly all the
vegetables common to the United States in addition to those found in
Cuba. Among others are tomatoes, egg plants, green peppers, okra, beans,
peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peanuts, cabbage, beets, malanga, yucca,
name, acelgas and chayete. Each variety is carefully labelled, with time
of planting and other data necessary for complete reports on results
obtained.
Other sections are given over to fruits, and nut bearing trees, those
indigenous to Cuba and those brought from other countries. Among the
indigenous fruits we have the beautiful mango, the agucate, the
guanabana, the marmoncillo, the mamey, colorado and amarillo, the anon,
the nispero or zapote, the caimito, the tamarind, the ciruela, and all
varieties of the citrus family.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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