The National tribune., 1900-01-18
AGRIC ULTUIE IN PUERTO RICO.
Results Of Investigations Made by the De.
partment Of Agriculture.

Special Agent o. F. Cook, who was some
time ago sent to L ierto Rico, has made a
preliminary rel ort TO Secretary Wilson.
At present yer, little in the way of plant
products is exported from Puerto Rico out
side of coffee, sugar and tobacco. All
other crops are designated "menores," that
is, minors" and these being considered
unworthy of the serious attention OF the
planters, their cultivation is generally left
to the desultory efforts of the poorest and
most ignorant of the population. AS a
result, there has been little attempt at the
improvement of varieties either by selec-
ton or by the introduction of superior seed.
Much of the fruit and vegetables sold in
the markets OF Puerto Rican cities is Of
very inferior quality and quite unsuitable
for export. The Department will assist
the more enterprising farmers, both Ameri-
cans and Puerto Ricans, in experiments,
which many of them have already under
taken. in order to find out what new crops
suitable for our markets can be grown
there.
As pointed out in Secretary Wilson'S
annual report, we are paying over
500, 100000 for tropical plant prod
uctS, a large part of which could be fur
nshed by Puerto Rico.and the Philippines.
Instead, however, OF entering upon toe
many suggestions at once, it is desirable
10 settle upon few of the more promising
crops and encourage the production OF
| these articles on scale sufficient to give
| them recognized place in commerce. FOr
bananas. for instance, we paid in 1895
| over S5,5O0,0OO, mostly to Jamaica and
Central America. In Puerto Rico the
banana has scarcely been considered as q
source OF income or an article of export
1t has been planted principally for shade
in the coffee plantations, and as one va
| riety was is good as another for this pur
pose, most of the bananas are unstable
| Tho almost pypirICiUnlIv mn or
into the United States is not generally cul
| tivated. AS the conditions for commercial
| banana growing are very favorable, i
may be expected that attempts in this direc
ton will soon be made. 1t is necessary
however that at least 500 acres be pil
under thorough cultivation, for the produc
of less land can hardly be marketed TO ad
vantage. Unless a company with ample
capital will undertake the experiment, i
can be made only through an organized
effort by the landowners OF some favorable
locality.
The soil and climatic conditions are
exceedingly diverse, so that it is probable
that wide range of products can be sc
cured, at least for local consumption
Oranges, lines, and other citrus fruits
European grapes, and other Semi-tropica
| fruits and vegetables can be produced il
the drier parts of the island, while from
the moiSter parts vanilla, cacao, mangoes
and other more strictly tropical plants
can be exported. There are no localities
sufficiently hot and humid for the rubber
producing plants of the Amazon valley
and those of similar habitat, while thu
land is mostly too valuable to warran
| its extensive use for others which nigh
thrive. The potential wealth of the islant
may, however, be greatly increased i
rubber trees can be found which can bc
used for shade or lanted on the rocky
pinnacles of the foot hills, which are nov
covered with tangled masses of vegetation
| Some of the African rubber vines may bt
able to thrive in the latter situations. As
shade trees some supposedly native rubber
! bearing species Of F'iScuS have already heer
planted, but the amount of gum obtain
able is too Small to render a profit for col
| Letting.
IN the meantime it is of,great ilnportanc,
that the existing industries of Puerto Rice
be improved. Sugar lands are receiving
| attention from American capitalists, anC
| large factories with the most modern facili
ties are being built. Coffee has, however
been the chief product of the island, and is
perhaps, that in which the greatest eXpan
sion is possible. Over S13,OO0,OO0 wortl
of coffee has been exported in a single sea
son from Puerto Rico, in spite of the fac
that methods Of cultivation are of the mos
primitive character. Instead of seedling
grown in nurseries, those which spring u
by chance in the heavily shaded plantation
are used. These are already weak am
lspnding; in order to keep them alive
heavy shade is necessary and this is COZ
tinued throughout the life of the plan