Haiti unfortunately arrived too late at the fair to construct a special building, but installed excellent exhibits in the Forestry, Fish, and Game Building and in the Palace of Mines and Metallurgy.
The Haitian exhibit at the World's Fair was located in the southwestern section of the Forestry, Fish, and Game Building, next the California exhibit, and covered a space of 30 by 75 feet. In the center was a beautiful pavilion in which the following species of native woods were represented: Mahogany, Santa Maria, tacha, rosewood, and tavernon. The woods most used in the construction were mahogany and Santa Maria. Most of the panels and all of the columns were made of these two woods, and they blended in such a manner that they looked as if they were one and the same wood. The other varieties were used in the smaller decorations. The object in making the pavilion was to show the native cabinet woods of Haiti, especially that of Santa Maria, a wood which very much resembles mahogany. Four columns of the pavilion were made of Santa Maria, one of mahogany, and one partly of each. In the pavilion were served coffee and cocoa, native products.
Just at the rear of the pavilion was a display of imported liquors and sirups from the land of Haiti, including anisette, maraschuino, repikes, creme de menthe, sirup d'orfeat, sirup de granadine, and crême de cocoa; also triple-distilled bay rum and rum of good quality from four distilleries in Haiti. On either side were glass cases in which were shown other interesting exhibits. First a collection of cigars and of beeswax in molds. Next a sectional case containing, samples of cotton mapon, used for the filling of mattresses and pillows. Then the cocoa bean; also coffee taken from the cherry, peanuts, sugar from the sugar cane, and bottled honey. In the next case were hides, leather, and a collection of fine shoes made in Haiti. Next to this case was a display of coffee beans and an interesting exhibit of hats made from palm leaves and corn husks. The chairs were made from the osier, or water willow. In the rear was a cabin made from the natural woods imported from Haiti. The roof was covered with palm leaves. The entrance was draped with an American flag on the, left and the red and blue flag of Haiti on the right. This Haitian; flag was made entirely by hand. In the interior was a fine collection of hand-carved vases, pedestals, mortar and pestles, bowls, urns, and tobacco boxes.
HONDURAS.
Members of Honduras commission.—Mr. Salvador Cordova, commissioner-general; Mr. Howard S. Reed, executive commissioner; Mr. Alejandro Bauer, assistant commissioner.
In the Palace of Agriculture, surrounded by a tropical bower of graceful palms and thousands of yards of long gray Spanish moss, was shown a collective exhibit of the wondrous and little known country of Honduras, Central America. Upon all sides the visitor was confronted by most curious and interesting samples of its varied resources. Crowds were constantly gathered about the rubber tree with its white, milk-like sap, and everyone seemed interested in the great bales of dried raw rubber, while questions, opinions, and discussions were many regarding this little known raw product. Even the great scarlet and blue macaw, from his high perch overhead, joined in with wild screeches when the crowds got too noisy.
Curious bales of sarsaparilla wrapped in white cowhide, great clusters of cocoanuts in their thick hulls, long tables with hundreds of specimens of dug plants and medicinal barks and roots, attracted curious crowds. The banana bulbs and stalks, 20 feet high, eleven months' growth, with the fruit which they had produced, gave the visitor an idea of what is possible by systematic culture, as a banana plantation with the proper care will produce fifty-two crops a year, which means a cutting every week. The consumption of the banana has increased with greater rapidity than any other fruit, and it occupies a position second to none as a food and fruit. The sarsaparilla in its original packing case was unique, and it represented its share in the country's exportations. Honduras sarsaparilla has taken the highest award at the last five expositions.
The cocoanut in its fibrous hull was a surprise to many, as the market shows them only clear of the hull. It is said that each cocoanut tree in Honduras averages about 365 nuts a year, or a nut each day. Brazil nuts were shown, with their hard outside shell, in which some 15 to 20 of the nuts are closely packed.
Of the 400 specimens of cabinet woods which were displayed, only about 100 are known to commercial uses; the rest are awaiting development. In this exhibit were the woods which neither burn nor float. Lignum-vitae, which is one of the heaviest woods known to science, and used extensively in the manufacture of mallets, etc., was displayed; also the San Juan wood, which has lately been discovered, and is found extensively on the coast. This wood is practically non-combustible, and is said to be the coming wood for car building, furniture, and interior finishing, being susceptible of a high polish. The mahogany, for which Honduras is noted, was shown in many varieties, as were rosewood, redwood, hard pine, cedar, etc.
The exhibit of native drug plants received special recognition. Among other herbs were the Peruvian and cinchona-bark quinine, rhubarb, vegetable wax, and many others unknown to science. Sugar planters were astounded at the cane only three months old and 12 feet high, grown without cultivation, and stalks were exhibited 24 feet high of twelve months' growth. At present there is not a sugar refinery in the country.