The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-08
THE TROPICAL FOREST We OWN
IT ISM zorro RICO AND 4 VERY
INTERESTING POSSESSION.
A Tangled Mountain Wilderness Never
Fully Explored. Containing Plant LIE
New TO BOtanists DIR. OXFORD Would
Make II Sportsman's Paradise.


In the island Of Porto Rico Uncle Sam
took to himself for special Government
possession just two years ago this month
tropical forest His folks didn't know
much about it. nor for that matter did the
native Porto Ricnns themselves,
Roughly speaking il comprised some
GO 900 acres in the eastern and most noun
famous parts Of the island but its boun-
diaries we're i'll defined its trees were over
grown with thick vines and tropical weeds
IL had no paths at all and nobody had ever
thoroughly explored it, But it belonged
to nobody in particular and IL was IN line
with the forest preservation policy Of our
Government just then to acquire such
possessions for use in studying the tim
Der problem, which affects large and i'm
portant interests.
So it was duly made a forest reserve
and tho Government experts were SGT to
work TO explore and survey It. to find out
it's value TO the Government and TO say what
had beat be done with il. Dir. John c.
Clifford Of the Bureau Of Forestry was sent
10 examine the new preserve
His report is now being printed and 1t
contains, in addition to a scientific de-
scription of previously undescribed fora
In the forest and much information Of in
terest 10 botansts and tree experts recon-
mendatons Of interest to all the people
in the uited States DR. Clifford describes
the forest as one OF unusual scenic teauty
From the economic point of view It should
be mana ged to secure the best returns
from such timber as it contains but II
should also lie made accessible TO the pupnc
for its scenic attractions Roads should
81 mud "a and introduced
Then it will be an exceedingly valuable and
highly attractive sportsmen's paradise
AT present it opens merely splendid
opportunity for studies of tropical forest
botany. What lts value with be "a source
of timber supply is more or less problem
atical Mahogany. If ever present in the
forest, az seems probable has been entirely
exterminated and the cigar box cedar ~
also practically gone
Valuable woods remain, but the essen
tally tropical character OF the forest. IN
which a great number Of species contend
with one another for possession, makes
the problem Of management very dlHi-
cult one. Weed trees abound. and there Is
no uniformity OF forest CROWN. certain
good trees which elsewhere grow 10 be large
and beautiful timber specimens here exist
only al shrubs.
The best OF the forest in the reserve is
found in the fertile gorges and ravines
from 500 to 1000 feet above sea level
where the trees are protected from the
constant winds.
There are four leading timber trees
the tabanuco, with wood very Ike our
sycamore: the laurel sabine which would
grade in the market with yellow poplar,
the auslbo, comparable with black walnut,
and the Ruara guao similar TO red cedar.
All these trees reach large size ranging
from two to five feet in diameter. Inc
tahanuco has in addition, the very ralua-
be Characteristic tina, II tends TO form pure
L adj afa "A ind
Of gum which may prove 70 be an article Of
commercial Importance
Climbing vines add to the density OF the
vegetation Then there l. species Of
grass which grows TO five feet nigh and
cuts like a razor at the slightest touch.
The most abundant tree growth Is the
mountain Palm which il very beautiful
but Of little or no value. To get rid OF
these trees vii have to be the first job II
valuable timber Is secured.
They grow TO height Of forty feet, and
already cover haf the best part of the
reserve They yield an immense amount
of seed and grow very thickly so nothing
in the forest can compete with them for
possession on anything like equal terms.
Wild trees of the most aggressive kind.
DR. Clifford calls these beautiful but useles
Above 1000 feet altitude the trees are
stunted, gnarled and slow growing, OF many
different species, with moss covered limbs
and rOOtS often DAIt. lUel dIe Oh no tpll-
mercal value. but are Of great Importance
as a protective forest cover
Il Is in this last respect that the fores
is particularly interesting TO the Bureau
Of Forestry and the Porto Rcan Govern
ment II places the whole reserve in an
important relation to the economic vel
fare Of the people who are near it. and
the benefits OF establishing il as a reserve
will he increasingly manifest, It ise1pected.
as time goes on.
The reserve is small wilderness Of ser
rated mountains. troplca forest and rush
ing torreutial streams concerning which
ali sorts Of fantastic fables find currency
1t overs n large part of the Sierra de Lu
Qulllo. mountain mass separated from the
mountains Of the rest Of the island by the
valley OF the Lola the largest river in Porto
Rico, One Of its peaks III iunque, * the
highest mountain OF the island, with an
altitude of some 3, 800 feet.
Upon the eastern slopes Of these noun
tnins. which face the sea, the westward
blowing trade winds form an enormous
precipitation the heaviest m the island
In 1902 the total was almost u inches
This rainfall is wen distributed through
out the year
twelve hours to pass without some rain
As a rule heavy, drenching showers alter
nate With bright sunshine. The result is
violent fluctuations in the streams, which
often leap into impossible floods and sub
side again Wllnln an nOll or TWO.
The Luquilo Reserve, as the forest has
been officially designated s most important
to Porto Rico as an agency for the control /
Of these food wuters To some extent it I
will even supply water for agriculture. /
for Immediately 10 the south and west Of .
the mountains the climatic conditions are .
very different from those or the profusely .
watered eastern slopes
The country II dryer evaporation more I
active and the vegetation correspondinCly
changes It's character While other parts
OF the island arr drenched with water most
OF the tsine these other parts. though only
half days ride distant are dependent upon
irrigation, The forest il expected 20 re-
tain and supply abundant water
Beyond this il sill he protection against
too much water for other districts and for
this II IL wanted most Even with the
mountains forest covered floods have
caused great destruction Massive stone .
bridges have been carried away roads
damaged. forms and pastures ruined and
lives lost
Stripped Of their forests. as the noun
tains soon would lie If they PASSED into
private ownership they would soon he
washed hare Of soil There would be no
stay TO the floods at all and after very
heavy shower. the loYland- would be swept
by dan Eerous floods
The reserve has been set aside from pub
lie lands formerly owned by the Spanish
Government To two-thirds 81 II private
owners advance some shaduwy claims
and in practice the 0guCulturists TO whom