The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-08-24
ISLAND OF PORTO RICO
The Melting LONELINESS OF Its
Tropical Landscape.

Mr.. Frederick A Obes. late com.
missioner in Porto Rico of the Colum'
bian Exposition, contributes to the
August Century an illustrated article
on s.The Island of Porto Rico" Mr..
Ober says:
In the extreme northeast rises the
highest peak of the central cordillera,
in the Luquillo Sierra known as eel
Yunque," or "The Anvil" varlously
estimated at from $500 to 4,5OO feet
in height. The Mills are Of lesser
elevation toward the west and south.
west, but the whole north central
country is rugged and uneven Be-
tween the spurs from the main range
lie innumerabie secluded valleys,
where the soil is of great fertility:
The impressive features of the Land
scape are the rounded SUBMITS of the
multitudinous hills, which leave the
coast in constantly rising pillows,
that fnally break against the cordil-
lera vertebrae ; yet all are cultivaole,
and cultivated to their very crests,
though the higher mountain peaks are
forest clad
More than 1900 streams, it is said,
of which number perhaps 40 or 80
attain the dignity Of rivers, rise in
the hills and seek the coasts, most OF
them running norther!y. though the
best harbors are in toe west and
south. But. Notwithstanding the
great river flow, portions of the isl.
and in the southwest are afflicted
with drought at times, owing TO the
precipitation of the northeast "trades"
agains. the northern hills.
The higher hills are clothed in the
exuberaet and diversified vegetation
of the tropical forest. where tree
ferns flourish and great gum trees
and mountain palms tower alort At
lower levels are the cedar and mo-
bogany, wa!nu. and laurel, with
many others noted for their useful
woods Throughout tine island are
found those trees and shrubs valuable
for their gums, as the nancy. guaia
cum and copal, while the list of med
icinal plants includes most OF those,
invaluable to our pharamacopoeias,
which tropical America has given to
the world These are the siIvestres,
natures wild children But of culti'
waited plants there is no species pecu-
liar to the tropics that does not -four
isb here. In the littoral levels, be-
tween the mountains and the sea,
grows the sugar cane. which may be
cultivated up to an altitude of 3,OO0
feet It was introduced here from
Santo Domingo, having been brought
to America either from Spain or the
Canaries. The annual yield of sugar
is estimated at about 10000 tons.
In these fertile lowlands. also, to.
bacco does exceedingly well. and the
annual production is said to be quite
I, 0O0 900 pounds. 1t may be cult
tivated ON the hills, but the true
mountain lover is the coffee, which
does not do well below 600 feet, and
is at its best 1, 900 feet above the sea
1t was first brought here from Marti'
nique in 1922, apd now yields to the
exten. of 1900 toas annually
Maize, the true Indian corn. is in
digenous, as is the yucca the aborig-
inal s:staff of life." and both grow
everywhere, as wei! as the pine
apple, which is more reliable aud more
universal than the peach CT our north
temperate zone Cotton and rice are
found at nearly all elevations, the
latter, which is the chic; food Of
many iaborers, being what is known
as the mountain variety.
Bananas and piantaIns are wonder
fully prolific, bearing fruit in ten
months from planting The plants
virtually last sixty years, being equal
ly long lived with the cocoa pain,
which produces nuts in six or seven
years, and thereafter during the
space of an ordinary life, it's yield
being reckoned an 100 nuts year.
The annual product Of bananas ls
given at 200, 900. 900, and of cocoa
nuts 100000 The entire range
of tropical fruits is represented here,
such as the guava, lime, orange,
aguaca,e. sapodilla aud avocad" pear,
while all tie sub tropic vegetables
may be raised, including those of the
south temperate zone, such, for IN
stance as are grown in Florida
The mineral kingdom has not been
so ezhaus,ively exploited as the veg
etable. but more than traces have
been found o. copper, coal and iron.
az we'll as vast deposits Of salt
The rivers at one time ran to the sea
over beds Of golden sand, and from
l.