The times., 1899-01-25
CROPS In PORTO RICO.
Interesting Reports Received by the
Department of Agriculture.


The climate and crop service of mo
Weather Bureau. Department OF Agrieul-
| ture. has just received from its Porto Ri
can section via the central station at San
Juan. the second bulletin for the week end
ing January ..
The bulletin gives interesting statistics
| concerning the agricultural and weather
conditions in the colony. as follows:
II has r,inesl. for week. harder than usual
at this stSson Of the year. In san Juan I.GD
inches Of rain FELL about double the average guam
tity Rains were frequent from HumacOa to
Arectbo, and were tOTTential at some points t1
the east Tins rain, Of course. brought low tenn
peratureS and retarded vegetation
The cutting for sugar cane Is backward
in consequence OF the great quantity Of rain and
at the beginning Of the cutting tho cane will
yield but little. Nevertheless this loss will be-
compensated by the greater increase in the spring
| cane, which will be cut in april and MAY This.
| paintings Of October and November are fine in
the high, dry regions, but in the plains are SUI
fering very much from the rains. The little cane
| that was ground last month Tin Bayamonl gave
a normal yield and the fermented juice gave
| eight de--ces Of sweetness.
The heavy rains of the week have somewhat
| delayed tobacco planting In some places. on
account OF prolonged rains planting had to be
suspended and plantations in many OF tn.
Valleys growth WIS retarded Otherwise the con-
ditions normal
! The coffee crop is not entirely gathered in
| the central region. The weather i most favor
able for planting. The price of the berry is very
moderate.
| The growth Of Indian corn has been magniA-
! cent in ssblna Grande account Of oppoFtune
| rains. and consequently now, the yield NAV
/ be estimated at 10 quntals per cueTtla,
/ half more than the average.
| The potato CyaH) product il very abundant
| in the region of Juncos, eucrda producing
| as much As 81 quintals.
Correspondents make the following re-
marks:
sabana GranJc--Senor Don Jose r. Fernansez.
In the district OF StsJa there are only two kfn,Is
! Of crops planted during the year, viz: Corn AMI
tobacco. No others planted on account of the
scarcity OF rainfall during the months Of August
September. and October.
| MOrovis.-SeEor Don Federico CaIaf The cron
OF sugar cana in 1s9s ISL I5-lsi quntals per
cuerdd. The equivalent yield in sugar was 50 =
| GWutaiS. o. pe- cent. Compared with the
yield Of previous years this is very small since
previously for average seasons, the cane Yielded
10 qulntaiS Of sugar per cuerJa. The past tobacco
| crop was abundant in this district. some plant
| ers reckoning much as ) quintals per euerEa.
| The low price at which it was quoted on lc-
| count Of the war and the fear OF not Obtainna.
| remuneratiye prices, prevented many from plant
ing II IN the same quantity as last year. The
merchants who speculate On these farmers bleed
them without pity and cause agriculture the
source OF their wealth, 10 anguish, and prevent
its prospering In this district there IL but little
coffee According to the reports which l have
obtained from district Cortes. they reckon
the mean yield of . IL quintals per cueria. The
| berry is very aromatic and superior to that of
| all other districts. The yield has been small and
| the harvest il already approaching its end The
small proprietors OF this valuable product arc
also victims Of the merchant who exploits them
according to his whim BY lowering the price of
the berry and by the exchange, making thereby
enormous profits. | believe. with good reasOr
that the hour has come for the regeneration and
prosperity of this country worthy OF a better
fate.
Caguas-Senor Don " Jimenez Cruz The in
sect gEillOtllpa common grasshopper) the dread
cd enemy of the planter. according the eli
matte conditions of the year. has done consider
rain, necessitatinS extensive resowings which in
I crease the expenses Of planting II manure could
be obtained at a low price and il il easy tn
| apply il scientifically this would be favorable
the merchant, who slsians his credit. are dI--
couraged for want Of established markets, which
I would regulate the price of leaf tohseeo
YabucOa.-Senor Prot. Don Miguel ]. ChiguS.
The cultivation Of sugar cane Is the only branch
Of agriculture carried on in this region, since,
corIiing official reports. only % eiierdas
devoted coffee, - 10 tobacco. 40 to minor
fruits ESQ to pastures. and about 5000 to cane
The c,lerda of Porto Rico is said to be
the area of field that is 70 Spanish ya-as
in breadth and length. The popular vara
of all the Old Spanish colonies is said TO
he 333S5 English inches; therefore, q.
varas are 205.656 English feet. and a fisld
of 10 varas square contains 43.537-i5 square
feet. As the English acre contains 49, 60
square feet, it is evident that a euerda is
the same as an acre to within the two
thousandths part of itself In general,
therefore. one quintal per euerda Will b,
the same as 19l.5 pounds avoirdupois per
I acre