battery of their witching eyes.

There is a large cotton factory about two miles from the city, known as
"The Hercules Mills," having over twenty thousand spindles, and nearly a
thousand looms. The machinery was imported from this country. A colossal
marble statue of Hercules is seen presiding over one of the large
fountains, in the midst of ornamental trees and flowers. This statue
cost fourteen thousand dollars before it left Italy. The mill gives
employment to some twelve or fourteen hundred natives, mostly women and
girls. One of the young sons of the house of Rubio, the family name of
those who own this property, went to England years ago, and learned the
trade of cotton spinning. This industry as now carried on was
established by him, and is still conducted by the same manager, Don
Cayetano Rubio. The excellent system of the establishment would do
credit to a Lowell or Lawrence factory; indeed, almost any similar
establishment might take a favorable lesson from this at Queretaro. The
immediate surroundings form a well-arranged and fragrant flower garden,
ornamented with fountains and statuary, with fruit trees, where the
employees are all welcome, and the sweet fragrance of which they can
enjoy even during the working hours. Wages, to be sure, are
insignificant, being only about forty cents a day for each competent
operative, and the hours are long, twelve out of each twenty-four being
devoted to work; but as wages go in Mexico this is considered to be a
fair rate, with which all are content. We were told that a portion of
the cotton used in the mill comes from Vera Cruz, that is, the short
staple; the long comes mostly from the Pacific coast; while fully half
of the raw material is imported from the United States. The fibre of the
Mexican cotton is longer, and not so soft as the American product; but
the cotton raised in some parts of the republic has this remarkable
property, that for several consecutive seasons the plant continues to
bear profitable crops, while in our Southern States the soil must not
only be fertilized, but the seed must also be renewed annually. The
cotton plant is indigenous to Mexico, and is more prolific in its yield
than it is with our Southern planters. It is the same with cotton as
with wool; though quite able to do so, Mexico does not at present grow
enough of either staple to supply her own mills, or produce enough of
the manufactured article to furnish the home market. Both water an