Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-15

the natural resources of the island Fruits
such as oranges aBd hauanas. and also
cocoanuts. which formerly grew Wild
almost exclusively are now being culti-
waited. with excellent results on tho
steamship Philadelphia. on which Mr..
Miller returned to Now York there were
10000 crates of oranges. and on the same
boat. incidentally. were 10000 bags of
coffee from Venezuela. an OF which was
consigned to this country The reason
coffee is not shipped in large quantities
from Porto Rico to the United States is
believed TO be that it differs i'm taste from
that which people in the United States
are accustomed TO use. and also because
it is differently prepared before being
shipped. Ii IL parched very brown after
which 81 is powdered Most of the coffee
from the island goes to Spain, where il is
prepared In a form which resembles
syrup.
Many thiugs which are considered house
hold necessities in the United States are
decided ltNuries three. Oysters can be
had at the rate of 10 cents apiece. Oysters
are found on the island. but they are
small and far different from the oysters
here. Potatoes are not a native product.
but have TO be shipped from the United
States. They are sold at the rate OF four
cents q pound. which is about four times
the cost here amounting TO about 81 40
| a bushel Tomatoes grow on the island,
/ but they are very small.
Mr. Miller saws the Porto Rican oranges
are fine. lie saw large quantities growing
4 wild along the roadside but in most cases
| lie found that owners of property we're
/ caring for the trees, though originally
| wild. and are now cultivatng them. Mr..
/ Miller paid various prices for the fruit.
| While riding along a road, soon after his
arrival on the island he saw hoy along
| the road with a vheclbarrow full of
| oranges The had was selling them at
the rate oi two for "A cent. Mr.. Miller
says he has paid 40 cents q dozen for the
[ same size and kind OF oranges here The
next time he made a purchase the cost
was three for q cent and the next time
three cents a dozen. He and his party
did not want for oranges. Bananas an'
cocoanuts are equally cheap.
Some of the Porto Rican planters ar
experimenting with pineapples, with Tn
expectation OF engaging m that business
They raise a very large and fine pineappl
and the fruit grows in abundance, bu
as vet Il is not sufficiently hardy TO b.
shipped very far An effort Is bein
made to grow them so that they can b.
shipped
Mr.. Miller found many curious thing
in his travels about the island, whicl
was made bv steam cars, trolley cars
horse cars. automobiles. carriages and ol
foot. The carriages were drawn b.
horses about the size of shetland ponies
which however proved to be very siron
and hardy Spanish landmarks abound
Some of the principal cities are surrounde
bv high masonry walls. but as these g
TO decay they are not replaced. On tn
walls arc lookouts, in which Spanish sen
tries were stationed. They we're usual
, in positions which commanded views q
the sea as well as the land. I'm San Jua
IS large house In which the SPANS
covernor-eeneral formerly lived. il
. now occupied by the American con
! mandant.
A fine large wharf was found in on
place which had been almost completed
dismantled by the natives, who ha
/, carried off the board flooring, leaving Il
iron framework. which, however, IS
! excellent condition, and the wharf ca
4 be restored by replanSing It,
Mr.. Miller took trip past st. Ihoma
4 Island. which is a short distance irol
y San Juan. and on the way he notices
! in the distant sea, a large white oblec
' which looked like a boat at full sail. q
going near. he found that j was a lars
white rock projecting out Of the sea. q
:, account of It's appearance 1t is called sa
n rock. On the way a line OF reefs w
|. found. which protects craft from q
l. rough sea.
!, Mr.. Miller and his assistant, W.,
y Causey, Jr., were kept as busy as thf
'e could he with their work, but they four
~ onportunities. while riding along d
p roads 10 take snapshot pictures, and the
DC brought large collection home Wit
NJ them
p Mr. Miller says that while he enioy'
y the experience, he was very glad to g
back home.