Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-08-19
FERTILE PORTO RICO
THE ISLAND is AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT
is PRODUCTIVE.

THE ISLAND is AS BEAUTIFUL AS 1T
is PRODUCTIVE.
1t Has Thirteen Hundred Streams, u
Wealth of Vegetation. Highly Cultivable
Sol. and Vast Deposits of Minerals-Few
Reptiles, but Many Insects.
Mr.. Frederick A. Obcr, late commits
sioner in Porto Rico of the Columbian
exposition, contributes to The Century
an article Oh 1.-the Island Of Porto
Rico" Mr.. Ober says:
In the extreme northeast rises the
highest peak Of the central cordillera
in the Luquil!o sierra, known as "El
Yunque. Ger "The ANVIL. variorsly
estimated ut from 3. 600 to 4, 800 feet in
height. The hills are of lesser elevation
toward the west and southwest, but
the whole north central country is rug
ged and uneven. Between the spurs
from the main range lie innumerable
secluded valleys, where the soil is of
great fertility. The impressive features
OF the landscape are tho rounded sum-
mits of the multitudinous hills, which
leave the coast in constantly rising bill
lows that finally break against the cor
dillera vertebra yet all are c%ultivable,
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 90 at
tain to the dignity of rivers, rise in the
hills and seek the coasts, most of them
running nortllerly, though the best har.
bors are in the west and south. But
Notwithstanding the great river flow
portions of the island in the southwest
are afflicted with drought at times,
owing to the precipitation of the north
east trades" against the northern hills.
The higher hills are clothed in the
exuberant and diversified vegetation of
the tropical forest, where tree ferns
flourish, aud great gum trees and noun
tain palms tower aloft. AT lower levels
are the cedar and mahogany, walnut
and laurel, witn many others noted for
their useful woods. Throughout the
island are found those trees and shrubs
valuable for their gums, as the Nancy.
guaiacum and copal, while the list of
medicinal plants includes most of those,
Invaluable to our pharmacopnias.
which tropical America has given to
the world. These are the silvestres, ia.
lures wild children, but of cultivated
plants there is no species peculiar to
the tropics that does not flourish here.
In tho vittoyo1 I,yo1c 1k,oo~ a..
mountains and the sea, grows the sug-
ar cane, which may be cultivated up to
an altitude Of 5000 feet. 1t was intro.
duced here from Santo Domingo, hay
ing been brought to America either
from Spain or tho Canaries. The annu-
al yield of sugar is estimated at about
20, 600 tons.
In these fertile lowlands also tobacco
does exceedingly we'll, and the annual
production is said to be quite 1000, 900
pounds. 1t may be cultivated on the
hills, but the true mountain lover is the
coffee, which does not do we'll below
600 feet and is at it's best 1000 feet
above the sea. 1t was first brought here
from Martinique in 1922, and now
yields to the extent Of IL, 900 tons an
nually. Maize, the true Indian corn, is
indigenous, as is the yucca, the aborigi-
nal ''staf Of life" and both grow ev-
erywhere. as we'll as the pineapple,
which is more reliable and more uni
versal than the peach Of our north tenn
perate zone. Cotton and rice are found
at nearly all elevations, the latter.
which is the chief food Of many labor
ers. being what is known as the noun
tain variety.
Bananas and plaintains are wonderful
~ prolific, bearing fruit in ten months
from planting. The plants virtually
last 60 years. being equally long lived
with the cocoa palm. which produces
nuts In SIX OF seven years and there
after during the space Of an ordinary
life. its yield being reckoned at 100.
nuts a year. The annual product Of
bananas is given as 200, 600. 900 and Of
cocoanuts {. 1000. 600. The entire range
Of tropical fruits is represented here,
such as the guava, lime. orange. aqua
cate. sapodilla and avocado pear. while
all subtropic vegetables may be raised,
including those Of the south temperate
0OAOt oANAS " lA6VduG0t t6 0G0 kEUWu
in Florida.
The mineral kingdom has not been
so extensively exploited as the vegeta-
BILE, but more than traces have been
found Of copper, coal and iron, as we'll
as vast deposits Of salt. The rivers at
n time ran to the sea over beds Of
golden sand, and from the streams to.
day Gas in the neighboring island Of
santo Domingo. where the first Ameri-
a gold was discovered) the natives
wash out nuggets by the crude proc
esses Of that distant day when Aguey-
naba went prospecting with his false
friend, Ponce de Leon.
There are no native quadrupeds here
larger than the agouti and the armadil.
10. but birds are relatively numerous,
with a few Of fine song and some of
brilliant plumage. All domestic fowl
do we'll here. aud the great pastures Of
the northeast and southeast support vast
herds of cattle and horses, which suffice