New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-03
IRRIGATION IN PORTO RICO.
vOIRs-OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREAT
IMPROVEMENT.

Although the island of Porto Rico has less area
than State of Connecticut yet its different sec
tons subject to as great variation IN ram
fall as are the of the United States, rang
ing from practical aridity to heavy precipitation
As much as $40 inches Of annual rainfall Is re-
ported parts Of the island, while at places
on the south coast three years have passed With
out rain. And 1t is the south coast that oppor-
tunity is offered for irrigation but the area avail
able is small Some of the methods in use, how
ever, quite interesting.
THE soil on this land said Herbert NJ. Wilson.
the engineer of the Geological Survey. who has
Gently visited Porto Rico rs in every case the
best kind for irrigation 1t is fairly deep and
underlaid by a porous limestone coral. which
affords good drainage, and probably insures safety
from the danger of producing alkali Much of it is
already under cultivation.
THE perennial flow of the streams of this section
is unusually abundant for land requiring irriga-
ton. Moreover. the flood discharges of these
streams occur at frequent intervals during the
year, but especially well distributed through
out the summer
Are there any opportunities for the storage Of
water?'
These frequent Hoods afford abundant surplus
for storage and the shapes of the smaller parting
valleys and of the lower canyons through which
the rivers emerge from the mountains afford oppor
tuniies for the construction of storage reservoirs
relatively small
THE Spaniards, who in the past have been the
principal landholders, thoroughly familiar with
practised in Spain Quick to appreciate the adj
vantages of the artificial application of water. they
have already constructed numerous bitches of mod
crate sze and much of the valuable sugar
land is cultivated exclusively by the aid of irriga
tion
Such works noticed" continued Mr.. Wilson.
Corresponds in general type those seen in Mex
leo. but because of the greater influence of Euro
pean ideas in this island their construction is of
more substantial character. and more nearly ap-
proaches that prevalent in Spain and Italy. The
diversion works in every instance Of the
erudest kind-smple wing dams of rock and bowl
ders thrown out into the beds of the streams
direct a portion of the waters into the heads of
the bitches. These are necessarily carried away by
each flood, recurring them to be Immediately re-
placed On the other hand, the headworks falls,
regulating gates and other dviders are constructed
sorry. ma
are In 3 strong contrast to this type of construction
of the cane fields. These were built by owners
VINO had great grinding and boiling machinery for
certain extent with American methods. They out
Ainerlcanized our Western irrigatOrs. Their dis
and shallow wooden troughs or cutters made of
lumber brought from America. These tap the hill
portions of the field as mmedia ee wafer 10
After Irrigation in such localities be require IL
t oPg are removed and utilized in irrigating
resored in order to reach the numepo is
aeIached rolling hills, ten to twenty feet in maxi
1 1ands is broken In other localities where prac-
@ these lands are irrigated by direct diversion
ana ramlfying to every portion the field to which
WHAT effect might Porto Rican production or
msaido Geveopment in the island have upon the
Will IN none whafever The island is small and
Whhe methods will be improved the total nrodnn
sugar 9e greatly Increased The Increased
even on the Louisiana crop to say not ine or 10
eGnSqmphon Of this country Porto Rico's
In any way affect the United States my ''iiiot