Casco Bay breeze., 1904-09-01
PORTO ORICO REGENERATE
TROPICAL sPEcIALirIEs THAT
WILL REvoLUTIoNiZE THE
ISLAND.
The Prosperity Must Always Rest on
Its AsrieuIture-The litehi Tree
Prospects for SapodiIIas-The
cashew Tree-YIana-YIana Oil.

s'ohi@Su. AMERICAN 1nUuenceS tneTe
may not always have been for tie best,
but the process of adaptation is steadi-
ly progressing. When this is complet-
ed there will be a new future for
Porto Rico. The prosperity OF the
island must always rest n its agri-
culture; but this must be brought up
to date, and made To yield its quota
OF the worlds goods that are in special
demand.
Under the scientific directions of
the department of agriculture it is
proposed TO make Porto Rico an
island of specialties-specialtie in
tropical commercial fruits. Sugar.
tobacco. and a few other staple pro-
ducts will not be abandoned: but the
islands salvation appears to lie in oth-
er directions. Ii needs more variety
of industries-more materials out of
which to weave a solid, substantial
prosperity.
The soil. climate, and other condi-
uons are all there, and even the pro-
ducts in some instances but there
nave been lacking the brains and
the ability to adapt nature to the de-
mands of the day. For some time
now government experts have been
studying the botany of the island. and
incidentally experimenting with some
of the native and important plants of
commercial value The opening of
the prosperity of Porto Rico will be-
gin with the cultivation of these
plants according to the most recent
scientific methods. Many of them are
indigenous to the island. but either
through lack of proper culture, or ig-
norance of their commercial value.
they have been of little real use to
the natives. Others are to be i'm
ported from the Orient and transplant
ed to the island for cultivation. They
are eminently adapted to the soil and
climate of Porto Rico. and hence there
is little doubt. in the minds of the
scientists having the matter in charge.
about their success.
One OF these new plants to be trans
planted from southern China or Brit
ish India is the litchi tree Uitchi
chinensis), which is eminently adapt-
ed TO climate and soil such as fur
nished in Porto Rico. Specimens of
these trees have been brought to this
country and experimental with i'm the
Washington greenhouses. and planta-
lions CT them are expected to be plant
ed IN Porto Rico by the government
experts within the next year. A litchi
orchard once started should prove a
source of income for the owner for
lifetime. The fresh fruit has a delici-
Gus favor. and dried the fruits resem-
Bile raisins in appearance. A few of
| these dried fruits are imported from
the Orient every year, and they sell
as high as so cents quart. In the
FAR east. however, they are eaten chief
ly in their fresh. acid condition. En-
ormous Quantities are consumed, and
they are considered by natives and
visiting foreigners in southern China.
British India, and the Malay Peninsula
as most excellent fruits. The cultiya-
tion of plantations of these fruit trees
in Porto Rico SHOULD open a market
mere Tor their products. and in short
time the industry should prove a most
paying and satisfying one.
The sapodilla tree is one that visi-
tors TO Florida see at times, but IL
has never been raised on a commercial
scale in that state. The sapohillas
are fruits that are greatly enjoyed in
tropical countries, and there is n
growing demand in our northern
markets as they are better appreciat-
ed. The question of raising these in
Porto Rico on a large commercial
scale IS not a doubtful or visionary
one. IL is believed that there is
ftf,a Co.
are raised in sufficient quantities to-
make II worth while to- introduce the
fruits in our cities. These fruits coul
be brought by steamers direct to this
country, and IL properly refrigerated
in transportation they would Cfier n
tempting fruit TO the millions OF con-
sumers in the United States. In Porto
Rico there Is no frost to endanger
the life and production of the trees,
and plantation should continue to
produce for upward Of 20 years. When
too old to yield good crop. the trees
furnish a most excellent and costly.
close-grained wood that sells for near
ly as much as the cost Of starting and
cultivating the grove for the first few
years.
The tree which produces the cashew
nut OF commerce Is a tropical growth
that can be raised in Porto Rico on
large scale, and IL Is estimated that
plantations OF this tree alone should
add many millions Of dollars to- the
islands income within the next half
century II its cultivation is wisely and
faithfully attended to. The cashew
nut is Of superior flavor. and OF great
value In candy making. Its favo- r.
delicious, and the oil expressed from
IL Is considered for many purposes
superior to almond oil. The few
cashew nuts brought from the West
Indies To this country are readily alb
sorbed, but their imports have been so
small. and the prices so high. that
they have never received the popular
attention they deserve.
From the juice OF the csshew tree
~nxp-orrtol nrct,~s. -