Page:Guatimala or the United Provinces of Central America in 1827-8.pdf/226

Rh as four to one, and the Indian cultivators of cocoa to the latter similarly employed is as five to one. While the proportion of land possessed by the whites and ladinos, is three times as great as that in the possession of Indians, and the number of trees owned by the former, is four times as great as those possessed by the latter. The civilization of the Indians, the division of the land into small lots, and their participation in equal rights and privileges, is evidently one of the steps most required for the prosperity of the country.

Up to the year 1800, Quezaltenango in the state of Guatimala, had thirty small manufactures of linen, cotton, serges and coarse cloths, which unitedly employed about 200 hands, but these have rapidly disappeared, and very few now remain. The annual fair held at this place, was till within the last few years considerable. The average sales were estimated at about 18,000 bushels of wheat,—14,000 dollars worth of cocoa,—50,000 dollars worth of panelas,—12,000 of sugar,—30,000 of woollen cloths and 5000 of cottons. This fair is now very inconsiderable.

In the environs of St. Ana, are some iron foundries, which up to the year 1800 produced annually 1500 quintals, or 150,000 pounds at the present day they do not furnish more than a third of that weight.