St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-05-17
FRUIT IN PORTO RICO.
Orange Trees Grow Wild and Desr
Good Fruit-Sugar and To-
baccO Products.

In a letter la tely received from Louis
S. Mesmer, who is in Porto Rico OF
business connected with the United
States geological survey, some inter
esting information is given concerning
the growth of citrus fruits on that is
land and the effect it may have upon
the orange industry in California, re-
ports the Los Angeles Herald. Writing
under date of January 26 from Arecibo,
Mr.. Mesmer says:
''The real competition between the
island and the states, from an indus
trial standpoint, will be in citrus fruit
culture. Think of orange trees grow
ing wild over sections of the country
SO rugged and rough that it is at the
peril of o mans life that travel is done,
and where trails must be cut through
the dense growth of vegetation; where
orange trees five years old, bearing
over 200 fine oranges, each equal in
quality, flavor and color to our Va
lencia lates, the growing wild.
''What may we expect when these
trees are advanced under improved
methods of practical horticulturists,
together with cheap transportation
and only five days from New York:
Labor costs here $2.4O per week, the la
borer providing his own board and
lodging. Oranges are carried on horse
back and in baske. because there are
no wagon roads at present. Nice
oranges are sold here at eight for one
cent. Selected trees, three dollars per
thousand. People here say that they
can make money at 1914 cents per box.
sit is high time for our citrus fruit
producers to investigate before it is
too late. The more ponder on why
we should take to ourselves this mass
of semibarbarous people, the more
grewsome does it picture itself to me-"
Continuing in his description of the
island and the conditions he found
there, Mr.. Mesmer says:
cit has been raining daily-not q
drilling rain, but with heavy showers.
The temperature ranges from IS to IS
degrees, reminding one of being in
dollhouse. I have just come from
Ponce, the largest city of the south
part of the island. 1t is four days
trip. traversing the island from the At
lantic to the Caribbean sea; and from
sea level to 5000 feet altitude. The
lowlands are devoted to sugar cane;
the uplands to tobacco; the mountains
to coffee.
''In trip of this kind one gets pref
ty fair idea of the island, it's products
and its inhabitants. The people have
but faint idea of the possibilities un-
der scientific methods of agriculture.
The great majority of our people have
no idea of what we have in this pos
session. The island has 1868 square
miles, with almost 100000 inhabit-
ants.
.'The present exports are not now
alarming; neither will the competition
of coffee or sugar be a cause of appre-
hension. If the island consumed as
much sugar per capita as is consumed
in the United States the people would
have to import sugar, as nine-tenths
of the island is mountainous and there
is little hope of increasing the yield.
Tobacco seed is planted in nursery
and then removed to the fields. Four
cuttings are harvested annually. The
first two cuttings are selected for
wrappings and the last two for filters
for cigars. Tobacco here sells for Is
cents per pound. The production of
this island, as compared with the enor-
nous production. of the United States,
will be an insignificant proportion"