St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-07-19
s1LKWoRMs IN PORTO RICO.
An Industry That Bids Fair to Enrich
the Island-Chances for Busl"
ness Investment.

/ Tersely put, the question most ire
quently asked of Americans in Porto
Rico by friends in the United States
and the tourists who visit the island
Is: Elbow can l make money in Porto
Rico?" A conservative answer Is: 1t
depends upon the ambition, good judg-
ment and sticking qualities OF the in
lividual, and largely upon the amount
of capital invested, says San Juan
correspondent of the New York Her.
aid. a5
If one has no money or prospects OF
steady employment after reaching
here, it is wise to keep away from
Porto Rico. Living expenses average
at least one-third higher than in TIE
states, and the best of accommoda'
tons may be called poor in compar-
tson with those enjoyed by most Amer
tcans.
Intelligent farmers from the north,
with one-half the effort they now
make to gain an ofttimes meager liv-
ing, in Porto Rico can soon become
independent. Land is plenty and
cheap, and so is native labor.
It is now an assured fact that orange
growing will pay, it having passed the
experimental stage. The end of the
year will see at least 5000 acres of
orange groves in the island, the old
est of the groves being three years.
Until the American occupation OF
Porto Rico. oranges grew wild and
brought good prices, despite the fact
that they received no attention as to
raising, picking or packing.
Lines grow wild in abundance, as do
lemons. Pineapples are attracting
considerable attention. one weighing
rs pounds and of fine quality having
been raised near San Juan. Bananas
are everywhere, without systematic
cultiva ton, and are delicious.
The greatest fortunes are promised
in the field of silkworm culture. Inn
portant experiments in raising silk
worms have been going on in San Juan
for three months. The. result of the
tests has been highly gratifying, and
it has been proven beyond a suspicion
of doubt that there can be raised in
Porto Rico -silkworm which will
make the largest cocoon known to
a cocoon which is three
times larger than that made by the
japanese worm and twice as large as
that of the French and Spanish worm.
It has also been positively proven that
this silk is the equal in qaulity of any
which is known and that its lowest
price in the market is SIS a hundred
pounds. ..-- ,.. -ge
Several months ago, Juan Magda-
leno, native of Venezuela, came to
Porto Rico and noticed the presence,
in immense quantity, of certain leaf,
a small plant which is also peculiar to
the interior of Venezuela, upon which
he knew the silkworm would grow and
rapidly thrive.
Mr.. Magdaleno Immediately re-
turned to Venezuela and procured
about 200 cocoons. He brought them
to Porto Rico, placed them in boxes
with the leaf which he believed they
would live upon and thus began the
which are now progress
ing with such great success.
81 saw Mr.. Magdaleno weigh, off an
ounce of the cocoons and it required
% cocoons to balance the scale at the
ounce mark. The Japanese cocoons
weigh 70 to the ounce and the French
and Spanish cocoons run from As to so
to the ounce"
Mr.. Magdaleno also stated that his
SIS for 100 pounds of the rough cocoons
by a silk weaver of Lyons, France. He
declares that the silk makes up into
goods equal to the best known quail
ties. He proposes to continue his ex-
oeriments with view to engaging ex-
in silkworm raising in Porto
Rico and hopes to interest the govern
nent in tests before expert scientists,
iilk men and naturalists.