Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-07
CULTURE AND STUDY
Objects Of the Porto Rican
Forest Reserve.
INTERESTING WORK
CARRIED ON BY THE DEPART
MENT OF AGRIcULTURE.
Means Great Deal to the People of
the Island-To Equalize
Water Supply.
INTERESTING WORK

reserve for the culture and study of the
valuable tropical timbers of our insular
possession and still fewer are familiar with
the work that has been done there since
its creation by presidential proclamation
in January, 1908.
The land thus set aside for governmental
experiment comprises 65, $50 acres In the
eastern and most mountainous part Of the
island and is covered with a variety OF
tropical vegetation to which the lnhabit-
ant of the temperate zone Is stranger.
The acreage compared with some Of the
immense western preserves. Is small, but
when it Is understood that the Island OF
Porto Rico is but three-quarters the size
| of the state of Connecticut the reserve
takes fair rank
1t Is called the Loquillo forest reserve
and was formerly the property of the Span
ish government. Private holdings adJoin It
on all sides, but the lands whereabouts have
never been accurately surveyed and the IT,
Tie TO some which are supposed to now be-
long to the insular government is rather
vague The agrfculturists have pushed their
eiearlngs up the sides of the mountains as
tar as they have found it profitable to
go and have helped themselves to the waltz
able timber thereon This system has now
come to an end and the Department of
Agriculture will see to it that the preserva-
sAoAA VI Suc TIMBER ldnQS TO which 1t Is
entitled IS made more than theory
A Valuable Tract.
Under the direction of DR.. John C. Gif-
ford, who was sent to the island by the
bureau of forestry in the summer of 1903.
recommendations will be made to the insu-
lar government for the preservation and
cultivation of this valuable tract of tropi-
cal forest land. Dr. Clifford found that
center and on one side rushes the Lola
ana that half of this is in mountain ks
ana palm lands, only 10000 acres of pro-
ouctlve timber being. therefore, at the SER
vice Oh the Department of Agriculture. He
reports, however, that the entire reserve
STANDS In an important relation to the well
Iafe OF The people of the island, especially
those whose homes~ are in the immediate
vicinity, and that the benefits of its es-
adjustment will be increas ingly manifest
as time goes on.
The small wilderness embraced in the re-
serve is little known even to the natives
themselves, and is one of the widest spots
imaginable. 1t is place of serrated
mountains, rushing streams cavernous
depths and ghoulish glens about which the
natives have woven fantastic tales which
form part of the folk lore of the island
III 1unque, the tallest peak of the island
with an altitude of $500 feet above the
level of the surrounding sea, stands in its
center and on one side rushes the Ioiza
the largest river in Porto Rico, whose val
ley separates the rest of the island from the
reserve. Upon the eastern slopes of the
mountain chain of the reserve the trade
winds, blowing westward pour an enor-
nous precipitation, the heaviest of the island
In 1902 the fall of rain was 142 inches
nearly twelve feet which was well dis
trlbuted throughout the year. Rarely a
half day passes without some rain and
generally the falls are alternated with but
few hours of bright sunshine The re-
suit is torrential streams which at times
are impossible floods soon subsiding into
trickling mountain creeks.
To Equalize Water Supply.
AS an agency for the control of these
floods the Loquillo reserve is likely to be
most valuable to the agriculturists To
some extent the forest will supply water
for agriculture, for to the south and west
of the mountains the climatic conditions
become very different from those on the
ever profusely watered eastern slopes Here
the country Is drier, evaporation more ac-
tive and the vegetation correspondence
changes its character. Therefore while
parts of the island are drenched with water
nearly all the time. other parts but a few
hours ride distant, are in need of irrigation
for their proper cultivation. Too much
water is, however, the fear of the Porto
Rican rather than too little, and 1t Is this
subject that will be carefully studied by
the Department of Agriculture the design
being to make as nearly an equabIe distri-
button as science can accomplish. Massive
stone bridges are as paper structures when
a rush of water down a canyon strikes
them, lives are lost in the floods and al
together the matter is of very serious i'm
port to the native. Farms and pastures
are rhfneG In a moment, and were the
mountains stripped of their forest covering
they themselves would soon be washed to
the valleys below and gigantic trans
formation of the entire island take place.
The value of the reserve from timber
standpoint Is more or less problematical.
1t is said that at one time there was ma
hogany there. but If this is true the scen-
lists of the department are sure there is
little or none now. There was also once
much c1gar-box cedar. but this also is prac-
tically gone and the most common trees are
what are termed weed trees, variety of
tropical vegetation which is characterized
by an irregular growth. Valuable woods
remain, but they are so distributed that
their cultivation is matter of long time
and great work The very best of the for
est in the reserve is that found in the fertile
gorges and rayines, from 500 to 1000 feet
above the sea level, where the trees are
protected from the constant winds. There
are four leading timbers-the tabanuco,
which has wood very much like the
familiar sycamore of this country; the
laurel sabine, which would grade in this
market with yellow poplar; the ausubo.
which is something like black walnut and
the guaraguao a wood similar to our red
cedar. All of these trees reach size of
from two to lVe feet IN diameter.
Mountain Palms.
Climbing vines add to the density of the
forest and species of grass which grows
to height of five feet has razor edge
that cuts as Sharply as that instrument
But the most abundant growth of all is that
of the mountain palms. They are very
beautiful but of little or no value, and to
get rid of them will be at once the object
of the department. 1t will be also a very
difficult problem, for they attain height
of forty feet and cover fully half of the
best part Of the reserve They yield an i'm
mense amount of seed, grow thickly, and,
IL left to themselves, nothing else In the
mountains could compete with them for SUI
premacy. They are weeds of the most
aggressive type and the department real
ICES that they must be artificially held in
check If anything of importance is to be
done with the reserve.
Dr. Clifford has reported that In his opin-
ion the forest should be developed and
cared for along two distinct lines. From
an economic point of view ii should be
managed SO that the best of returns could
be secured from the sale of the timber and
other forest products. always with view
to the preservation of the lands from rain
falls. 1t should also be made accessible to
the public, its scenic value being very
great; roads should be opened and fish and
game introduced. while at the same time,
from purely scientific standpoint, the ex-
fra "a rys interest n IT'S T1udeScrfhad