The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-12-24

rihbean Sea, Just east OF
Haiti. lies the rich tropical
island possession Of the. United
States, Porto Rico erich port,
where sugar. cane is king. The
island. which is roughly rectangular
in shape. is smaller than Connections
$500 square miles,. A range of
mountains 1000 to 1900 feet QEI
Yunque, 3,700 feet, is the highest
peak crosses the islands from east
to west. The wide northern slope
is a mass of dark green tobacco
fields on the lower hillsides, deep
waving fields Of sugar care on every
flat. on the southern face, which
is much narrower and semi-arid,
irrigation is necessary to grow crops:
for the moisture-laden northeast
trade winds, which blow the year
round, drop all their precious burden
on the north side Of the mountains.
The Thermometer rarely rises above
100 degrees or fills below so de-
grees.
Only Cuba, the Hawaiian Islands,
and Louisiana raise more sugar cane
than Porto Rico, and of all her ex-
ports sugar products compromise
more than half. Tobacco is the sec
ond crop, and the coffee plantations
also constitute an important part Of
the islands wealth. Under the rule
of the United States fruit growing
has greatly increased. Oranges.
grapefruit, pineapples and other
fruits are now being profitably
grown. Cocoanuts too. are an inn
portant product. Hundreds Of acres
are now devoted to sea island cotton
and farmers are being encouraged
to increase the acreage as well as
to improve the quality. Textile
fibers, guano, phosphate rock, and
vegetables are other products. Near
~ two-thirds Of the people are en-
gagged in agriculture and the agri-
cultural experiment station at
Mayaguez is constantly adding to
the list Of crops which can be raised
in this moist hot climate. On the
northern and eastern slopes of the
island cattle are extensively raised.
Gold. copper, iron and other metals
exist, but there is virtually no min
ing. The SUBMITS Of the mountains
are covered with limestone forma-
tions. and there are very productive
salt works. Originally the island
was covered with beautiful virgin
forest, much of which has been ruth
lessly cut down. 1t is still famous,
however, for the beauty and size of
it's trees-severa1 species of palm,
rosewood. sandalwood. Spanish
cedar. mahogany and dye-woods.
$50
m HE manufacturers-exc Of
lace and embroidery-are d.
rectly dependent upon agri-
culture. First among these come
sugar and molasses, in the produc-
ton Of which the most modern
methods are now employed, ard then
the manufacture Of cigars and cigar
cites and the cleaning and polishing
of coffee. At the seaports-San
Juan, Ponce and Mayaguez, which
are also the principal towns-you
may see in warehouses down near
the wharves groups OF native women
on the floor of sorting rooms, with
wide flat grass baskets into which
they are putting green coffee ber-
ries, cleaned and graded.
The island has a population of
about 100000, IS per cent being
white, the remainder negroes and
mulattos. In spite of the sanitary
and educational work of the United
States officials. the condition OF the
common people is pretty bad. Ane-
mia and i'll health are widely prev
alent and labor is poorly paid. Com
pulsory education was introduced in
1899 during the military occupa-
ton, and many teachers were