The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-01-09

dividends on such a valuation.
AS TO the growth of the industry,
the sugar exported in 1901 was worth
only 100000 In 1899 il was about
sf9,ooo.o0o. and il has increased
steadily from year to Year.
The Porto Rican sugar plantations
are now as Well managed rs any Of
their kind the world over. Many Of
them are allied TO the sugar trust. and
all are scientifically operated. They
have introduced modern mills. rail-
roads to bring out the cane n men
are employed to study diseases and
combat insect pests. The actual sum
Der Of the mills has decreased, and
scores of abandoned cane mills can h.
seen, with their tall chimneys pierre
ing the sky. The cane from the
smaller plantations is now carried TO
the large mills and sold.
Tobacco Grown in Tents.
An { us development has
taken place in the tobacco Of Porto
Rico, 1t is thirtv-four times as great
as it was in 1901, and it amounted
last year TO betWcen five and SIX mil
lion dollars. III the time we took
hold Of the island the tobacco was
cured in open sheds made of poles
rooted with hatch saw these sheds
lining the hills, and in some places
they We're 50 steep that the men bad
to e as they hung up the leaves.
The tobacco was badly cured, and it
was 50 cheap you could buy a good
cigar for a cent. The chewing to-
bacco used by the natives was sold
by the yard. It was cured with rum
and mOlasses and twisted UP in ropes
about 100 feet long ana as thick as
Your finger. A half cents worth Of
this tobacco would equal the amount
contained in the ordinary pocket plug
of an American cheWer.
Since then tobacco las gone up
and science has come in to help
raise it. Cur Department Of Agri-
culture has introduced the methods
Of Cuba, and now a great deal IS
grown under tents Of cheeSeclOth
This is especially so of the tobaccos
which are used for cigar wrappers.
In some Of the valleys there are so
many tents that at a distance they
.eem 10 be filed with snow. The
cheesecloth is stretched over poles
which uphold q two of wire
about ten feet from the ground. The
people are using fertilizers and they
are taking care as to the selection OF
seeds. They pay more for their work
in the factories, but wages are faI
lower than with us, and they make
cigars and cigarettes at a very high
price.
Uncle SANS Best Fruit Garden.
Another thing that is paying wei
is fruit. This is q new industry 70
Porto Rico. 1t amounted to prac'
! tically nothing at the time we tool
hold Of the island, something like
: 100000 worth Of oranges being an
I nually exported. Now the orange eS
ports alone o to six times tha
t sum-. and the total fruit exports ar,
:, something like 100000 a yea
5 We are now taking $500, 900 worth
: Of fresh pineapples from Porto Rice
e every twelve months, and these ar
the finest sold in our markets.. Som
e Of them are as big as peck measures
and they are sweet and full of juice
PineappIes grow all over Porto Rico
One sees great beds of them in tn
! } valleys and along the foothills Of tn
mountains. They are not careful
J ultivated and grow almost wild. Tn
n pineapple expectations have increase
= 100000 during the last year.
:, The grapefruit business has ais
increased enormously, ana it wi
. ompete seriously with that of Florid
! and Cuba. The freight rates fror
q Porto Rico to New York are said t
be lower than from Florida to NeV
York. and the Cuban grapefruit ha
IS to pay a duty, While the Porto Rica
e comes in free. Moreover, the Port
Is ttican grapefruit is said to be fa
better than any other, and it stand
t. shipping we'll.
ID Money in COcOanuts and Coffee.
ar A great deal OF money is heln
made in c~Ocoanuts. Thousands {
10 trees are being planted along tt
l. coasts and they bring in III the avel
"a age a dollar per tree every year. Oh
ct hi'ii ii4hhoS F-o'Vo' "a ~ - II
O cocoanut orchard.
to This business is easy. The nu
re are laid out on the ground n ate
le q short time each sends down a sprol
or from one Of the little eyes at its en-
At the same time a roo shoots OF
or and goes down into the ground ar
"a within q few months h sprOut grow
to the height of your waist. tt
loot can now be broken off, and Il
nut planted where the tree is to stan
~ 1t is set out 50 as TO give almost =
10 trees to the acre, INC il begins to De:
IS at tive years. The nuts ripen all t
y, the year round. They drop Oft then
~ +ia ,,Ao have nnlN- To x