The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-26
CORNER OF PLAGoNDE LES DELlCEAs. PONCE PORTO RICO

cradle secluded valleys, where the soil Is
OF great fertility. The impressive features
OF the landscape are the rounded SUBMITS
or the muititudnous hills, which leave the
coast in constantly rising pillows that final
~ break agaius. the coriiler. vertebga:
yet all are cuigivable. ard cultivated To
their very crests, Though the higher ncin-
tain peaks are forest-clai.
More than thirteen hundred streams, Il
Is said. Of which number perhaps forty or
atty attain 10 the dignity of rivers, risss IN
the hills and seek the coasts most ef them
running nortaeriy though the bees; hartpors
are In the west and south. But notwith-
standing the great river flow, portions of
the island in the southwest are afflicted
with dgouth al times owing 80 the prccipi-
tatfon OF the northeast trades against
the northern hills.
The higher hills are clothed in the exuhe-
RAM and diversified vegetation of the trop-
icai forest, where tree-ferns flourish and
great gum-trees and mountain palms tower
aicst; at lower levels are the cedar and
mahogany. walnut and laurel with many
others noted for their useful woods.
Throughout the island are found these
trees and shrubs valuable for their gums.
as the NANCY. guaiacum and cnpAi, while
The list Of medicinal plants includes most
OK those Invaluable 10 our phasTnaco-
ioe3as. which tropical America has given
10 the world. These are the silvestres. ma
lures wild children; but Of cultivated
plants l. re is no species peculiar 10 the
tropics hat does no. flourish here In tina
littorai Levels, between the mountains and
the sea. grows the sugar cane which may
be cultivated ap 70 an altitude OF :. M feet.
II Was introduced here from Santo DO
nlingo. having been brought To Ameglea
either from Spain or the Caaaries TIE
annual yield Of sugar Is estimated q. about
1000 tons
In these fertile iowlands, also. tobacco
does exceedingly well, ami the annual pro-
ducsion is said to he quite 900 80 pat,nf.
1t may he cultivated in the hills. but the
true mountain hover is the coffee. which
does n~t do Well below Sr feet. ana IL a,
It's best l,ts1 feet above sne asa II was
isrst hres3sht here from Martinique. . ia
and now yissse 70 the exten; az e ESQ TONS
annually. Maize. the frus Indian corn. ia
Indigenous. rs ~ the yucca. the aboriginal
'sfsG Of fe' ard both grow everywhere
as ae.l Is tire Pineapple. which is more
reliable snd more universal than The peach
% our aurtA temperate zone. Cotton and
rice are found al neatly all elevations. the
latter. which Is she cEles food OF many
iahorefs. heing what Is known as the
mountain variety
Bananas ara plantains are wonderfully
prolific. bearing fruit ia the months from
years, being equally Ionw-ifvea with me
Cocoa palm. which produces mus in six or
seven years. and thereafter during sna
space cf its ordinary life .ix yield berg
rsckonsi ~ a hundred nuts year The
annual produce e bananas Is gsSer as 500
tsss,tss} and % cesaeanu;s 5s9.G.s The en-
t.re rangs II sycfScsl traits - represented
here. surn "a the gtsava i.nn@ orange
aE9acat@. sap%sisIA ard avocado yye@.;
while al sGb-tfopic vegetables may -
- $50. iTsczssEs these o frss <ss3 fs:ser-
ate so-e, sues. for instance, as a-r grown
n flgsyfsa-
TIE usirsraI Kingdom has rot been 50
extensively. xg>soltsd as the vegetable. hu,
sss0-s than traces Eave beer sossna os
copper. ccai and iyan. as vel as vast de-
posts - ss,t. TEE rivers az 1zs trne
Tan rs ths SEA oTer beds ~ golden sand
AID fgeru yne streams TO-DAY f2s IS re
TsIzncoring sxand 80 sanss Douzlaxa
wfssse taa flyst American Sol8 vas f35sc y
eFessg tn. natives ~ssss cat ngwrrts ny ne
Grade rsyoesszes=s os tf&s 1.staat Aar .hsn
AsuenSyis. went prospecting with his Ease
friend gssnee 6e i4escs2~
ThsFs are - native q&aArHe$ss here
lager fazm tae aEaS4t4 ansi she srnzas. Is.
seE A8rsls sra relatively aSwsrsas. ~5ssg
eew - a1e sssuE aaa s3sa@ u brilliant
y}urnaSe A. a9nsastsa fa&s d gsA 5egs.
agsss she great pastures u lie BoTs RESIST
ayss sousAeas1 support sAst herds a cattle
saa aSgzsz. wasca suffice not cay Tor 10