Asphalt and Petroleum--Ocampo’s Early Discovery at Puerto Carenas--Humboldt’s Reports of Petroleum Wells--Prospecting for Oil in Many Places--Some Promising Wells--Asphalt Deposits of Great Value--Prospects for Important Petroleum Developments. CHAPTER XIII. FORESTRY.....135 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 the Most Useful--Need of Transportation for the Lumber Trade--Forests Owned by the State. CHAPTER XIV. AGRICULTURE.....144 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 Station--Opportunities for Stock-Raising--Work of the Department of Agriculture--Its Various Bureaus--Value of Experimental Work Begun by General Wood and Extended by President Menocal--Improving Live Stock--Fruit Growing--Grains and Grasses--Combating Insect Pests--Bureau of Plant Sanitation. CHAPTER XV. SUGAR.....160 “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 Projects for Draining Great Swamps--Potential Increase of Sugar Production in Cuba--Methods of Planting, Culture and Harvesting--The Labor Problem--Improved Machinery--Something About the Principal Sugar Producing Concerns in Cuba and the Men Who Have Created Them and Are Directing Them--The Largest Sugar Company in the World--Cuba’s Assured Rank as the World’s Chief Sugar Plantation. CHAPTER XVI. TOBACCO.....183 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 of Tobacco Culture--Insect Pests--Wholesale Use of Cheesecloth Canopies--Monetary Importance of the Industry. CHAPTER XVII. HENEQUEN.....190 The Henequen Industry--The Source of Binding Twine for the Wheat Fields--Cuban Plantations Now Surpassing Those of Yucatan--Methods of Growth and Manufacture--Magnitude of the Industry and Possibilities of Further Extension. CHAPTER XVIII. COFFEE.....197 The Coffee Industry--Early Plantations Which Were Neglected and Abandoned--An Attractive Industry--Methods of Culture--Harvesting and Marketing the Crop--Government Encouragement Being Given for Extension of the Industry. Chapter XIX. The Mango.....203 The Mango--The King of Oriental Fruits--Two Distinct Types in Cuba--All Varieties Prolific--The Trees and the Fruits--Some of the Favorite Varieties--Marketing and Use. CHAPTER XX. CITRUS FRUITS.....211 Citrus Fruits--American Introduction of the Commercial Industry--Varieties of Oranges--Comparison with Florida and California Fruit--Grape Fruit in the Isle of Pines--Limes and Wild Oranges. CHAPTER XXI. BANANAS, PINEAPPLES AND OTHER FRUITS.....219