Cruising among the Caribbees, summer days in winter months . r locust, and giants called flamboyants, leaflessbut all aflame with scarlet flowers ; and the silk Cot-tonwood with enormous misshapen roots and longhorizontal branches, on which grew a multitude ofparasites and air plants. Here, too, were the curi-ously formed frangipani, with hooked or claw-likebranches, the banana tree with clustering fruit andits huge purple and cone-like blossom. Flowers ofall colors and shapes, from the fragrant white jasmineto the yellow and red cacti, adorned the pelicans floated on the sea,
Cruising among the Caribbees, summer days in winter months . r locust, and giants called flamboyants, leaflessbut all aflame with scarlet flowers ; and the silk Cot-tonwood with enormous misshapen roots and longhorizontal branches, on which grew a multitude ofparasites and air plants. Here, too, were the curi-ously formed frangipani, with hooked or claw-likebranches, the banana tree with clustering fruit andits huge purple and cone-like blossom. Flowers ofall colors and shapes, from the fragrant white jasmineto the yellow and red cacti, adorned the pelicans floated on the sea, or sailed in longand continuous flight through the air; the groveswere never without modest music from numbers ofelegantly dressed birds, and innumerable brilliantbutterflies harmonized in the beauty of their coloringwith the superb flowers upon which they fed. It was at Santa Cruz that we first visited a largesugar plantation. Driving on a fine hard road,neither muddy nor dusty, beneath a noble avenue ofcocoa palms, which bordered fields of sugar-cane, we. SANTA CRTJZ 47 came in due time to the sugar mills of BartramBrothers, one of the largest establishments on theisland. It is under the care and management ofColonel Blackwood, a retired Maine sailor, whoknows the West Indies and the Spanish Main by-heart. After many voyages he has cast anchor here,and is doing his best to make these fields and millsremunerative. Thus far, by introducing new machin-ery, by keeping up with the times, and by untiringindustry and personal supervision, he has made thempay, but the present outlook is almost discouragingeven to such sagacious industry. The colonel showedus the processes of growth and manufacture in detailand with extreme courtesy. The cane is planted onprepared ground in wide rows, in the fall, and growsto a great height in a years time. It must be hoedand kept free from weeds. The resemblance of acane field to a closely planted field of Indian corn isstriking. When it has attained
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1895
