The Holbrook news., 1912-06-21
RzAzA, SANVNIAw

able funds permit new buildings an
 being erected for school purposes, 3i
 having been built during the last year
 An enrolment of S,624 pupils in night
 schools throughout the island, and a
 large proportion being adults employ.
 ed during the day, is evidence of the
 general desire for education that now
 prevails
 Business seems to be in a healthy
 condition and shows rapid growth.
 The last two years have shown sat.
 isfactory advances in the prices for
 all local products, with the natural
 result that hitherto unimproved lands
 have been placed under cultivation, producing large quantities of tobacco, sugar cane and fruits of various kinds Production figures show the sugar crop of 1911 to have been 346,785 tons, an increase of about 25 per cent. over the previous year. There was an out put of 244,0OO,OOO cigars and O6,0OO.- 900 cigarettes, large increase over the previous year, and for all of which satisfactory market was found.
 The exportation of coffee amounted to 45,0O0,000 pounds, and this was an increase in production over 1910. The coffee industry in this island is one oil great possibilities, and has not here tofore received the attention it de serves, but the better prices now pre- vailing will certainly encourage in creased production.
 The fruit industry is enlarging Last year the declared value of shipments of fruits reached the figure of $685. SIT, while the value of the home con sumption-which was large-cannot be ascertained.
 New Capital Invested.
 Much new capital is being invested in the fruit, tobacco and sugar dis tricts; virgin lands are being brought under cultivation, and all these indus tries will show important advances from year to year. There is no bet ter grapefruit than the Porto Rican product, and the exportation, as well as that of pineapples, cocoanuts, to- bacco, coffee and sugar, will increase in volume and value as the new lands are brought under cultivation. There are many kinds of fruits produced on this island, some of which are too deli cate to admit of shipment
 There has been a wonderful in- crease in the external commerce of Porto Rico within the last few years. During the last fiscal year the external commerce of the island reached the sum of $6S S,595, ,O74, representing an in crease of 40 per cent. over the exter- nal trade of 1901 and approximately 21 per cent. over the year ending June 30, 1910. This trade consisted of ex- ports valued at $37, ,960,219 and i'm ports at $3O,634.S55, the former being larger by 25 per cent and the latter by 15 per cent than during the previ- | ous year. This indicates a greater in- crease in sales of home products abroad than in purchases of supplies from without, and shows a balance of trade in favor of the island to the amount of $7,325,616.
 This is a creditabIe showing when it is considered that agriculture is the principal basis of prosperity in the a large proportion of the available lands are as yet uncultivat ed, and that only a feeble attempt has been made at intensive farming of the lands now being tiled.
 The opportunities here for capable and energetic men who have knowl. edge of and feel an interest in the growing of fruits under favorable eli. matic conditions, are excellent, and are likely to prove profitable. Land the strong virgin soil-can be had al prices that are not excessive and with a reasonable amount of capital and an abundance of energy there can be only small chance of failure for the and persistent grower of fruits, tobacco and sugar cane. Frost Is unknown, and for this reason the slogan of the island is, Winter is al ways summer" While this is true, it Is equally as true that there is no win ter in the summer.
 The island of Porto Rico Is a charm ing winter resort. In the middle of winter may be seen cocoa, orange, lemon, mango and almond trees, each bearing fruit Only a short distance In other directions are fields of grape fruit and pineapples, while still farther on are great plantations of sugar cane and tobacco. Many kinds of fruits, the names of which are unknown in the states, grow here in wild profu- sion and without cultivation. It would be possible to sustain life the year on what is found growing on bush and vine and tree every month n the year.