. The Cuba review. 26 THE CUBA The hut or "bohio" of the Cuban. COFFEE IN CUBA. Cuba's National Drink. Coffee is a necessity in Cuba. We can conceive a Cuban without his "horse, without his machete, and even without tobacco; he might go with- out food for some time, but not without cofifee. Cofifee for the Cuban is what beer is for others, what wine is, whisky or "pulque;" in fact, cofifee is Cuba's national drink, and the best anti- -dote against the fever in a tropical cli- mate. With coffee to warm his stomach, a Cuban can suffer the inclemencies of the wea
. The Cuba review. 26 THE CUBA The hut or "bohio" of the Cuban. COFFEE IN CUBA. Cuba's National Drink. Coffee is a necessity in Cuba. We can conceive a Cuban without his "horse, without his machete, and even without tobacco; he might go with- out food for some time, but not without cofifee. Cofifee for the Cuban is what beer is for others, what wine is, whisky or "pulque;" in fact, cofifee is Cuba's national drink, and the best anti- -dote against the fever in a tropical cli- mate. With coffee to warm his stomach, a Cuban can suffer the inclemencies of the weather; coffee is invigorating and strengthenine; coffee enables him lo treat bis friends or a stranger who comes to the poorest "bohio" (hut) in the country; coffee is a beverage which makes him sober, peaceful and attentive. Industry Now Inactive. Consul-General James I. Rodgers, of Habana, says the coffee industry of Cuba is comparatively inactive, and there is now no special culture except on large •estates where coffee for the consumption of the owners and tenants is grown. The reason is th,e low price of coffee in the markets of the world, the difficulties at- tending its culture in Cuba, the high price of labor, and the inclination to more profitable crops, such as sugar cane and tobacco. Cuba does not grow enough coffee for its own use. This is shown by the statistics for the fiscal year of 1905-06, which state that 20,690,- 539 pounds were imported, of which 5,926,850 pounds came from the United States, 2,023,639 pounds from Brazil, 9,997,963 pounds from Porto Rico, and 2,485,498 pounds from Venezuela. This great importation of coffee continues, despite the fact that a duty of $ per 100 kilos (kilo— pounds) is levied. In the same fiscal year Cuba exported only 19,356 pounds, most of which went to Spain, thus indicating that it was local- ly grown coffee exported from sugar states and haciendas owned by Span- iards. In a few localities young plan- ta
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