Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/86

54 MEXICO. the fact, that one hundred and fifty slaves are employed, in the Island of Cuba, upon a plantation capable of producing one thousand cases, or 16,000 Arrobas of sugar, (vide Hum- boldt Essai Politique sur Tile de Cuba ;) while, in the valley of Cuautla, one hundred and fifty free labourers are found sufficient for a Hacienda, which yields from thirty-two to forty thousand Arrobas. Thus, (supposing the expense in other respects to be the same,) in the one case, the produce of each individual would be 26661bs., and in the other, 53321bs., or even 66661bs., taking the maximum of 40,000 Arrobas. The correctness of this calculation depends, of course, upon the comparative fertility of the soil in the island of Cuba, and in the valley of Cuaiitla Amilpas, respecting which I am not competent to give an opinion. There is no reason, however, to suppose that there is any superiority in the soil of Cuautla, Sufficiently great to account for so marked a difference in the amount of the sugar, raised by an equal number of labour- ers ; for the elevation of the valley above the level of the ocean, renders it impossible to apply Humboldt's estimate of the extraordinary fertility of Veracruz, to the plantations of Cuaiitla, or Cuernavaca. I regard all these points as well worthy the attention of capitalists, and it is with this view, and not with that of raising upon them any theory of my own, that I have made them here the subject of particular consideration. COFFEE. Coffee is another of the Tropical productions, for which the soil of Mexico is admirably adapted, and which is likely to be cultivated, immediately, to a considerable extent, be- cause the capital required to establish a plantation is compa- ratively small. Coffee has, however, never formed an article of exporta- tion in New Spain, nor has the use of it been very general in