The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-10-30
Oranges in Porto Rico.

A short time ago, we called attention
to the fact that Porto Rico is to be
rival of Florida in several lines of fruit
growing. The following from the Cali
fornia Cu1tivator, shows something of
conditions on the island:
A most interesting letter has been
received by J. w. Mills, regarding
citrus conditions in Porto Rico, from
Fred Palmer, son Of Frank l.. Pal
mer, superintendent Of the large Rich
ards Orchards at North Pomona.
Regarding Mr. Fred Palmer, Mr..
Mills writes:
erred worked with me on my fe1
ti1izer experiments for two years; went
to New York city where he worked in
an office for a year and was sent to
Porto Rico by a company to take
charge Of their 25o-acre orchard"
The letter was written from San
Juan on Sept. IA, and from it we quote:
"It is hard to know what to say
about Porto Rico when writing to you.
It is a country which has unlimited
possibilities. We are raising Cor trying
to raise) citrus fruits. Our neighbor
just across the Bagamon River is
Some little distance farther inland to-
ward the mountains, we find an Ameri-
can opening new land for coffee and
tobacco Others are interested in CO.
Goa berries, peppers and such small
scrub products as that. There are
numerous cocoanut plantations that
seem to be thriving.
"The price of property is rising
steadily. American industries are
noticeable at every hand and improve
ments are being made along many
lines.
eve do not know which are the
most profitable Of all these different
products. Our shipping and transpor-
tation facilities have not been perfected
vet to the extent that we can know.
TRANSPORTATION will be cheap but will
it be fast enough to avoid decay?
''The oldest trees in Our plantation
are six years old and are very large.
Grapefruit seems to be sure crop.
They raise grapefruit that is as fine
as any that goes into the New York
markets, but the oranges are still on
the doubtful list. They have about
twenty different varieties growing, in
Guiding all of our standard California
varieties The most are different odd,
old fashioned Florida varieties which
really are of little value They have
bndded all these onto native sour stock.
This makes a very hardy fast-growing
tree.
The trees are of a different shape
than Our Washington nave1s, they grow
more open and scragg1y, due I think
to the continuous humidity in the air,
and to the continuous trade winds.
They dc, not seem to possess the fruit
bearing wood that Our trees do. They
have tendency to make wood instead
of fruit
"Our plantation of $50 acres is To-
Gated on the seashore on land that was
once heavy forest or Jungle. This
has been cut away and by leaving
strips of the forest they have a strong
wind break left standing for the pro-
lection OF the intervening strips of or
chard
1--WE get very quick results from Our
fertilizers as the soil is very full of
lime. There is no subsoi1, the roots
are all on the surface The whole plan
tation is rolling, having been entirely
formed by the ocean The soil is all
on the surface, the sub-structure being
nothing but sand 1t is very interest
ing to me: I think there is nothing like
it in California"