The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-09-28

Porto Ricc. Then there are trees and
shrubs valuable for their gums, s=the
nanny, copal and the great trees Of
the high forests, the exudstions from
which are used as incense.
Plants, the bark, wood or fruits of
which are used in dyeing and tanning
are the mulberry, wild ginger, anatto,
indigo, myrh, mangrove and dividivi
or caesalpinia- All these grow practi-
cally in wild state, as also do the
castor bean, cotton and rice.
The forests contain trees which have
been sought for centuries as precious dye
and cabinet woods, chief among which
are the 1ogwood and mahogany, the
former growing in the littoral forests,
particularly In the islet Of Vseques and
the latter on the hills To these must
be added the fragrant cedar, such as the
Cuban cigar boxes are made from, the
laurel, walnut, oak, locust and many
others. The mahogany of Cuba, Santo
Domingo and Porto Rico is held in
higher esteem than that from Honduras,
and logs have been shipped in times
past worth S5, 600 each landed in Lon
don.
We send abroad annually 50, 900, 900
each for indigo and cabinet woods,
which this island can supply for many
years to come, basing future estimates
upon what Il has produced in the past
For raw silk the chief Of our govern
ment bureau Of statistics, Mr. Austin,
says we send away $25, 900, 600 an
nually. In the sheltered valleys Of Por-
TO Rico's mountains the mulberry finds
q congenial home, and the silkworm
likewise.
But these are merely 'tbyproducts- I"
The real staples ef the island have not
as yet been touched upon. These are to-
bacco, sugar, coffee, of which the island
produces, roughly estimated, 7,oo0,-
coo pounds OF the first, 10000 tons OF
the second and II, 900 tons Of the third.
According to the Spanish "Estadistica
General del Comercio Exterior" pub
ajshed in 1897, Porto Rico exported
1916, 566 in tobacco, So, Al, ,s91 in sugar
and $8, 789, ,7SS in coffee. So it would
seem that coffee is the great staple.
Peculiar conditions of soil, climate and
altitude are necessary to the production
Of perfect coffee, and these are not
found in combination everywhere, even
in the tropics According to our bureau
of statistics, in 1896 we imported $780,
59s, ooo pounds OF coffee. of which near
iy 4, 600, 600 pounds came from Brazil,
so, 600, coo from Venezuela, SO, OO0, 600
from Central America, q, 0c0, 900 from
Mexico, about $4,000, 900 each from
Colombia and the West Indies and 32,-
900, 600 from "all other countries )"
Arabia, the ancient home Of the aro-
snatic berry, is not mentioned, and but
small quantity came from Sumatra
and none from Java.
The coffee of Porto Rico ranks with
the best, and, though this may seem a
reflection upon our tastes, that is the
reason it goes abroad and is not COM
mon in our marts. The finest coffee
plantations, and there are more than
1900 in all in Porto Rico, are IN the
interior and the southern and western
portions of the island, located, as q
rule, above an altitude Of 600 feet,
where the heat of the lowlands is nos
felt, where tree ferns and 5ambocs wave
their luxuriant fronds, where streams
dow through tree shaded valleys anc
where the diseases of the littoral region
rarely penetrate.
The coffee tree is render plant, requir-
ing at first shade and protection from
the winds, and these are afforded BY
planting rows Of bananas and pianealns
for the FIRST and windbreaks OF large
trees for the second. Coffee will begin
20 bear In about three years and oon-
t;nue TO increase its yield for dozen
years thereafter. lasting perhaps gen
eration. Planted at distance OF 30 or
30 feet apart, the spaces between the
6ress may be utilized for vegeeaeaes,