The History of Cuba, vol. 5Johnson, Willis Fletcher
History
The History of Cuba, vol. 5
Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Cuba -- Economic conditions; Cuba -- History
A rather novel experiment, carried on by Mr. F. R. Hall, of Camaguey,
has proved quite satisfactory in increasing the length of the ear. His
corn is grown in hills four feet apart and cultivated in both
directions. Two grains are planted in the hill, one a grain of selected
Cuban corn, the other a grain of first-class American corn. The latter
will make the taller stalk of the two, and from the former, or native
stock, the tassel is nipped off, so that only pollen from the American
corn is permitted to fall upon the silk and thus fertilize the native
ear.
The result of this experiment has been a very much larger ear, the tip
of which has retained the tight twist of the husk, peculiar to native
corn. This closes in and protects the grain from attack of worms or
borers. By selecting from this cross, and again crossing or fertilizing
with Northern corn, a greatly improved variety of maize has been
produced. This experiment is sufficient to demonstrate that a great deal
may be done towards improving both the size and quality of Cuban corn.
Between the rows, calabaza, a variety of native pumpkin, greatly
resembling that of the United States, is grown as a rule, thus following
one of the precepts of New England. In this connection pumpkins from
Massachusetts seed give excellent results, planted with corn. The demand
for corn in the market, owing to the large amount consumed in the
Island, insures always a good price to the grower.
Nearly all varieties of millet and kaffir corn thrive well in Cuba and
furnish a very nutritious food for both stock and poultry. This millet,
or “millo,” of which two varieties, the tall white and the short black,
are in common use, is apparently free from enemies, and since it seems
to thrive in seasons either wet or dry, and in lands either moist or
subject to drought, the crop is considered very reliable and hence
profitable especially where poultry raising is contemplated.
Wheat was grown at one time for home consumption, in the Province of
Santa Clara. Here, on the high table lands, with a comparatively low
temperature during the cool, dry winter months, it came to maturity. In
one locality west of the city of Sancti Spiritus in Santa Clara, there
is quite an extensive table land, with an altitude of some 2,000 feet,
where a very good variety of wheat was grown along about the middle of
the 19th century. It is said to have furnished an abundance of good
grain that was highly prized in that section. Just why its cultivation
was abandoned is not known, aside from the fact that most of the
agriculturists found growing sugar cane vastly more profitable. With
money from the sugar crop flour could be purchased and the demands of
the baker satisfied.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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