Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-26

tons have fourished and promise to yield
good returns to the owners. Various classes
of orange and grape fruit have been intro
duced in addition to lemons and lines. The
cultivated fruit brings a good price in the
New York market, and the groves of the
island have the advantage over those Of
California and Florida in cheap freight
rates to the northern markets. There is,
moreover, no danger of frost, which has so
often destroyed the crops in Florida.
There has been considerable increase in
the growing of pineappleS, especially the
varieties which proved best adapted for
shipment to the United States markets.
Several canneries are at the present time in
operation, and large shipments have been
made with success to the United States. In
several instances pneapples are grown in
connection with citrus fruits When planted
between rows of trees, approximately 1000
pineapple plants to the acre can be set out
without unduly interfering with the trees
When planted by themselves this number
can Ne increased to eight or ten thousand
per acre.
Fiber and Other Plants.
1.-THE legislative assembly Of 1905 approx
mated the sum Of $4,000 for the cultivation
and commercial exploitation of fiber and
other plants in Porto Rico. Under author
ity of this law, and with the advice Of the
Department Of Agriculture Of the United
States, a number Of bulbils of the Yucatan
Henequen plant were introduced and an at
tempt Is being made to secure large num-
Der Of suckers of the same variety. This
plant, probably more commonly known as
"sisal," grows readily on poor and dry hill
Sides where other crops will not flourish.
Cattle breeding Is also very profitable.
We supply Cuba with a great deal of beef
and neat oxen for draught animals.
Building Of Roads.
1--WE have plenty of government land, but
1t has not been surveyed and 1t will be
some time before it can be placed upon the
market. Most Of 1t Is inaccessible also, but
we are constructing a. system Of macada-
mixed roads which will reach every corner
of the island and then these lands can be
opened to settlement The government has
already built nearly 300 miles Of f1rst-class
maeadamized roads, in addition to the 166
miles that we found there when we came.
A loan of 81 100000 has been authorized
and will be offered to the public in January
exclusively for roads and bridges, so that
we hope to have every district In the island
connected with the seacoast very soon. At
present one of the richest tobacco districts
Is entirely without roads, SO that the crop
has to be carried to market on pack horses.
1t costs a good deal to keep up roads In
Porto Rico because Of the heavy rains. 1t
costs more to build them than In the United
States, because the bridges as well as the
roadway must be so substantial. We have
100 miles Of railroad now in operation, and
there are four other roads under construc-
ton, winch Will give US ABOUT lUO miles
more. They are being built with both
French and American capital.
Porto Rico is the only part of the United
States where there is an excessive supply
of labor, and we have exported several
gangs Of workmen to the Hawaiian Islands,
but they are misfit over there and the
scheme has not been successful. They get
homesick and are unhappy. Owing to this
excessive supply of labor wages are very
low. Ordinary labor Is paid 20 cents and
skilled labor $50 for an eight-hour day.
Another authority reports unskilled labor
at 70 cents to 81, and mechanics at $3.50
to 1928 cents for nine-hour day. A third
fixes cents per hour for unskilled labor
and Is to % cents per hour for skilled labor.
The largest tobacco company in San Juan
pays 81 per day of nine hours for unskilled
labor. Dock laborers receive 1871 cents per
hour on regular working days, and % cents
per hour Sundays, legal holidays and
for night labor. Outside of San Juan the
price OF unskiIled labor is lower, averaging
between 40 and 90 cents per day.
Suited for a Winter Resort,