CUBA

171

Cuba  has  2360  miles  of  steam  railways,  over
200  miles  of  electric  systems,  and  1246  miles
of  excellent  macadamized  roads,  which  are
probably  unsurpassed  anywhere  in  the  world,
and  are  ideal  for  automobiling,  being  over  sixteen ­
  feet  wide.
Most  of  the  rivers  of  Cuba  are  short,  with
currents  too  swift  for  navigation.  Some  of
them  can  be  used  for  short  distances  by  shallow ­
  draft  boats,  a  favorite  means  of  getting
sugar  to  ports.  The  Cauto  is  navigable  for
30  miles  and  the  Sagua  la  Grande  for  20
miles.
Sugar  is  king  in  Cuba,  the  1914  crop  being
worth  $240,000,000,  with  only  4  per  cent,  of
the  available  soil  under  cultivation,  and  but
172  estates  growing  and  grinding  cane.
Tobacco  ranks  next  in  importance,  the  annual ­
  production  averaging  $32,000,000.  This
industry  is  centered  in  the  Province  of  Pinar
del  Rio  which  grows  the  famous  Vuelta  Abajo
leaf.  Much  of  this  tobacco  is  made  into
cigars  and  cigarettes  in  the  country,  the  local
factories  exporting  in  1913  $13,878,436  worth