New-York tribune., 1903-03-29
TTHE VEGETABLE PRODUCTS OF PORTO RICO
CHOICE WOODS PUT TO COMMON USEs-ARTCLEs OF FO0D
WHICH REQUIRE ONLY TO BE PLUCKED-.
SOME NOVEL GROWTHS

get for the beams and TRIM? Mr.. hensha" HeNe
the Spanish owner Of one OF them
''why should one take the trouble? ne answered
with shrug expressive Of the advantages o.
avoiding everything changeful or unresuu'
it is probable that the old beams will perform ther
plebejan task for years to come unless some en-
terprising American goes down to Porto RICO WIN
a we'll filled purse and buys up the old houses anu
does his own tearing down on speculation
It is safe to say however. that no more ma
hogany will be used for building purposes in Porto
Rico DR.. A. W. Evans. OF Yale University ana
Percy Wilson, of the New York Botanical Garoen'
returned recently from the island and reported =
preserve what is left Of the prirneVal forest the
only spot the island which mas not oeen sWtep' t
They believe the plan will unquestionaoly be carried
They spent several weeks in and about this forest
and secured a large collection OF heroarlum mu.
incudes number Of large palms which have been
transpoFted to the IN m @ fxo expe
ditions have been classified and located in the
oFe han and passns to TO sa
the ri re has been sTae Oy
The exhibits range from hats OF the Panama mama
utensils and musical Instruments, orchids Of re-
narkabe beauty Many Of the plants; especlaIy m .aIr
new surroundings and are growing with true trop-
Climbing tree afy feet high - to secqEs rare are
to the tree but the discovery Of
Wasp cased aes his O sas re w his single
prize The orchid botanically the Oncedium
admiration of many visitors to the garden the last
summer by the display OF hunareas OF @ gelt3", Fet
long. -, .o.,uo, ,roa,,o,,ors ., ~.
island WHICH lo reduce @ the cost Of living to almost
a cipher for the lazy man who lives only to eat
are baked and used as food there. may be found
in abundance in the valleys and along the "aTe bHt
w6oissome and S good IL ay0r Toc grated on Drm
affair
a pancake, but is doubled over in the shape Of an
pro It makes good m for
cskeS whcR may be seem in the museum The
heart Of Of the varieties Of palms SPECIMENS OF
and a caladium. abundant and prolific on the ISL
and affords tpbsrs no not Unlike PotfEeSd dfed N 6r sf1 the
a vine produces vegetable like cucumber in
When Wien Boiled Bread fruit abounds and the sea al af-
iShoa ish speeies sp ef crab wheh ea!it toG
those hose Who choose to work may live the year
dens Ds IN Which, to cultvate melons. tomatoes and
ana Fsb the tRngS fadey 69 g e da in the
time Of harTestiag the cofree Something Of
American goldfish and beans had become 4 stand and,
ard food ne the 9nP in o ay
large as those sold IN NeIoTk If Te 6ents ITS fG eaGn
Hat nnS are n the nsn many fSs Sd pt6dns t6nsf
of the lace tree. holloH stemmed plant, like the
castor oil bean plant 1t takes Its name from the
inner bark. which lies fold within fold under the
shiny. hard outer bark 1t IS of exceedingly loose
fhrous texture. and may be separated, layer from
layer with the greatest ease. Each layer forms
tubes and attains a height Of twenty to twenty
FIVE feet A section of this vegetable tubing. cut
to required length. be expanded to diameter
Of a foot or The material IS not only ut1l-
lied for hat Innings. but is used an outer COW
ering for lamp shades. with all the effect OF
Panama hats. such as Mr. Wilson secured Tor
exhibits, do grow ready made. but the plant
from which the fibre for their manufacture is Oh
tafned is plentiful. The native weaver counts his
time Of little value and the finished hat used to be
exceedingly cheap compared with New-l ork
prices But the native is learning rapidly under
American influences. and the visitor buys now on
rising market
The toughest of thread grows trees, but IS not
a product of them. 1t is the aerial root of an cpl
phyte which like the begonia, finds Judgement on
the tree usually in crotch formed by the junction
Of branches but does not depend upon its host III
the least for nOurishment as do some parasitic
plants. Such roots may be found fine enough for
dainty sewing Other and coarser ones are used
for making rope
Finally. the streets of San Juan swept with
hroOms which ready for use. They are the
aerial roots of the banEan tree. The main root.
reaching downward from far spreading branch
length Left 70 themselves. these rootets would
penetrate the earth. and the main root would form
arother of the columns of the green arChed grove
a bauyan eStab blishes Sections needed
for broonS selected and cut before this hap
pens and nothing further IS needed but little
forming the brush and the main root the handle.