The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29

the United States.
wise. Our coffee has a flavor which is be-
yond compare"
CHEAP LANDS IN PORTO RICO.
What are coffee lands WORTH
THAT depends on the location and the
SOIL" replied Mr.. Degetau. IF the lands
are accessible to the ports and in good
coffee districts. they will bring much more
than where it is hard to get the coffee out.
The coffee business has been so bad that
you can buy some lands for SIP an acre. and
very good lands for little more than that.
l think good speculation could be made
in such lands and in other lands the
island Indeed, bought a piece myself the
other day for one-tenth what its value was
just after the war. This was not strictly
farming land, however. 1t was a tract OF
twenty-four acres adjoining the town of
Aibonito. 1t is high up in the mountains
not far from Ponce, III one CT the most
healthful regions of the world. 1t cost me,
not counting the buildings, about $40 per
acre"
The conversation next turned to the fruit
industry. and Mr.. Degetau ventured the
prophecy that Porto Rico would some day
be the chief orange grove and pineapple
plantation of the United States. He says
the fruit lands are being taken up, and
that many Americans have gone there TO
raise oranges. He cited one instance of a
man who offered a job at $1,000 a
year in the United States. The man had
recently lived in Florida and had just be-
gun TO raise oranges in Porto Rico. He
replieds that while he had nothing. now he
would not give up his prospects of max
ing a fortune out of the fruit raising IN
Porto Rico for $4,000 year. much less
5000 The island is such that there is no
frost Oranges grow luxuriantly and pro-
duce excellent fruits. So far but few of the
trees have budded and the bringing in of
the best of our Florida and California vari-
cites will make the Porto Rico orange one
of the best. At present the transportation
facilities are not as good as to some of
the other West Indian islands, but fruit
lands are cheap and such plantations are
steadily growing. / have never seen bet
ter pineapples than those which are grown
in Porto Rico. They are about twice as
large the varieties we have in our mar
kets and their flavor is unsurpassed.
What other industries have you?"
asked.
1--WE have some excellent tobacco planta-
TONS replied the Porto Rican commits
sioner. I'VE can grow as good tobacco as
Cuba, and great deal of our tobacco goes
Havana. Not long ago some of the Cuban
farmers objected to the importation of
Porto Rican tobacco on the ground that
the Havana exporters were using 1T and
that its quality was such that II would In
jure the Havana brands. Inasmuch as the
exporters had most to lose by such an
injury, the complaint should have come
from them The tobacco is grown well up
in the mountains. There large planta-
tons near Cayey and elsewhere. There are
cigar factories in both city and country,
and in San Juan there is a cigarette fac
tory which makes about 10000 cigarettes
a day."
what are the prices of tobacco lands? ''
They vary according to situation and
quality. Very good lands can be bought
| from $50 to sl00 per acre..
A STOCK COUNTRY.
"Tell me about your Porto Rican cattle y
| Said Mr.. Degetau: Porto Rico has great
| possibilities as a stock-raising country. We
| have something like 100000 cattle, and we
| raise as fine stock as is grown anywhere.
| Our cattle are noted for their beautiful
| hides. Indeed, one of the South American
republics which charges tariff on other
| stock admits Porto Rican stock free on
| this account. The animals are usually Of
| dun color. They are heavy-limbed and
| finely formed They are said to be the de-
| scendants of Andalusian and African cat
! tie which were brought to the island CEN
| turtles ago..
| Have you much pasturage?"
Plenty of IL. The grass is green all
| the year round. II grows luxuriantly, and
| the expenses Of keeping stock are low
What other kinds of stock have your
asked.
I'VE have horses, hogs, goats, mules,
| sheep and donkeys. We have altogether
| four or five million dollars worth OF stock,
and as whole more than one million acres
| in pasture. / think there is money to be
| made in stock raising
| How about your markets."
4 ssWe have all the West Indies and all