e land system of the Island and with the prescribing of
new rules and regulations for subsequent grants and titles. In entering
upon that work he found some settlers holding enormous tracts which they
had never attempted to utilize. Of these he summarily voided the titles
and assigned the land to others. Such areas were quickly taken up by new
comers, in smaller and definitely bounded tracts, so that by the time of
Governor Carreno practically the only unoccupied lands of considerable
extent and practical value were to be found in the extreme west end of
the Island.

Around Havana and some other large municipalities there were reserved
unassigned zones of from fifteen to twenty miles in width which were
kept practically as public game preserves. No grants of cattle ranges
were made in them. But they were infested by many stray cattle and hogs
which had escaped from the ranges beyond and were there running at large
in practically a wild state, and these were regarded as fair game for
hunters from the cities. It was, however, insisted that anyone killing
such stray animals must bring their hides to market with the ears
attached, so as to prove that they were indeed wild strays, since then
their ears would be unbranded while all the animals on the ranges had
their ears branded with their owner's marks.

The Government wisely desired to encourage agriculture, even at the
expense of stock raising, the latter occupation having been expanded
disproportionately to the former. It was accordingly provided that
grants of land for farming purposes might be made within this hunting
zone, and also that such grants might be made of land already
apportioned for cattle ranges, the owners of the ranges thus invaded
being indemnified by other grants of land elsewhere. By this means a
varied agricultural industry was gradually developed to the great
advantage of the Island, though for many years cattle raising remained
the chief industry. During Carreno's administration more than 20,000
hides were exported yearly, and in the great demand for leather at that
time this trade was exceedingly profitable. Of course a large amount of
meat was also produced, but the difficulty of preserving it in the warm
climate of Cuba caused much of it to go to waste, so that yearly
thousands of heads of cattle were slaughtered for their hides alone,
their carcasses being left to the dogs and buzzards.

The sudden death of Carreno caused some curious complic