The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-02-10
YU1ILx PORTO IIro


h. yssdss4ck 4. Ooss. MeD oosamis-
konr n 1ests Moo Of tho cofumbaaa
sxposition, coatzibatos 10 Tho Osnsur5
IN article On "1ho Island ot Porto
Rico." Mr.. Obe1 aays:
In the extreme northeast rises the
highest peak Of the GENITAL cordillera
in the LuQuillo sierra. known a. 'El
YunQue." or 1.-The Anvil" variously
estimated at from 8, 600 to I, 500 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 the 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 cultivable,
and cultivated to their very crests,
! though the higher mountain peaks are
, forest clad.
More than l, 800 streams, it is said,
Of which number perhaps 40 or SO at
tain to the dignity Of rivers. rise in the
hills and seek the coasts most of them
running northerly. 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,
rypjo,y RI tLa yrooi ~; to tio, ~ tho ,,ortl,
east trades against the northern hills
The higher hills are clothed in the
esuberant and diversified vegetation Of
tie tropical forest, where tree ferns
flourish, and great gum trees and noun
tain palms tower aloft. At lower levels
are the cedar and mahogany, walnut
and laurel, with many others noted for
their useful woods. Throughout the
island are found those trees and shrubs
valuable for their gums, as the Nancy,
suaiacum and copal. while the list Of
medicinal plants includes most Of those,
Invaluable to our pharmacop9ias,
which tropical America has given tc
the world. These are the silvestres. na.
lures wild children, but Of cultivated
plants there is no species peculiar tc
tine tropics that does not flourish here.
In the littoral levels between the
aiountains and the sea, grows the sug
ar cane, which may be cultivated up to
all altitude Of 5000 feet 1t was intro.
dt &ed here from Santo Domingo, hav.
lag been brought to America either
trGm Spain or the Canaries The annu.
III yield of sugar is estimated at about
90, 900 tons.
II these fertile lowlands also tobacco
does exceedingly we'll, and the annual
production is said to be quite 1000, 00G
lH'2nds. 1t may be cultivated on the
hills, but the true mountain lover is the
e<.4ee which does not do we'll below
Nu1 feet and is at its best 1000 feet
a"nve the sea. It was first brought here
f1u,u Martinique in 1874, and now
y'sl,ls to the extent Of 1900 tons an.
rlaiiy. Maize, the true Indian corn, ID
lrGtGenous as is the yucca, the aborigi.
,i;:l STAFF Of life," and both grow ev.
.5ywhere, as we'll al tho pineapple.
~hlch is more reliable and more uni.
>slsal than the peach Of our north tenn.
/ ..te zone. Cotton and rice are found
lit nearly all elevations the latter,
which is the chief food of many labor.
ers, being what is known a. the noun.
tain variety.
Bananas and plaintains a1s wonderful.
ly prolific, bearing fruit in ten month";
from planting. The plants virtually
last 60 years, being equally long lived
with the cocoa palm, which produces
uuts in six or seven years and there
after during the space Of an ordinary
lita, its yield being reckoued at 100
Lnts year. The annual product Of
tananas is given a. 200, o0o, 900 and Of
oeaoanuts 3,000,00O The entire range
If tropical fruits is represented here,
such as the guava, lime, orange, aqua
Gaze, sapodilla and avocado pear. while
nj subtropic vegetables may be raised,
including those Of the south temperate
zone, such, for instance, as are grown
in Florida.
The mineral kingdom mas not been
so e&haustively exploited as the vegeta.
bic, but more than traces have been
found OF copper, coal and iron, as we'll
az: vast deposits of salt The rivers al
one tl:.le ran to the sea over beds Of
golden sand, and from the streams to.
day ta- in the neighboring island Of
Santo Domingo, where the first Ameri.
can gold was discovered) the natives
wash out nuggets by the crude proc.
esses of that distant day when Aguey.
naba weAt prospecting with his false
friend, Ponce de Leon.
There are no native quaorupeds here
larger than the agouti and the armadil.
10, but birds are relatively numerous,
with few Of fine song and some Of
brilliant plumage. All domestic fowl
do we'll here, and the great pastures Of
the northeast and southeast support vast
herds Of cattle and horses, which suffice
not only for the needs of the island, but
are exported to all parts Of the West
Indies, being held in high esteem.
There G"e 10 POI sonCus reJ.tiie> IN ue
feared, lat lusacts Of quest,, nal!e rl.@r.
acter are too numerous fol cs,n.igrt.
This island indeed were . pasadisa
nit