io8 



and all portions thereof are free from disease ; provided that in 

 the case of cotton seed, seed cotton, cotton seed hulls or cotton 

 lint, such certificate shall state in addition that the shipment 

 originated in a locality where, by actual inspection by said attest- 

 ing official or his agent, the Mexican Boll Weevil was not found 

 to exist. 



Sugar has been grown in Porto Rico since 1548 and unquestion- 

 ably has now supplanted coffee as the chief source of the Island's 

 wealth. 



For the fiscal year 1904-1905 there was exported (almost entirely 

 to the United States) 271,325,118 lbs. of an estimated value of 

 $11,925,804, as against 259,294,060 lbs. of an estimated value of 

 $8,690,814 for the fiscal year 1903-1904. 



The good price obtained for last season's crop has boomed the 

 sugar industry of the Island and great activity is now being shown 

 in the opening up of new land, formally used only for grazing 

 purposes, in order to supply the growing capacities of the mills. 

 New centrals have been built, others are in course of construction 

 and all the old factories of any importance are installing modern 

 machinery. 



The introduction of improved agricultural implements into the 

 island during the past few years, has permitted the more rapid 

 exploitation of great areas of land at a considerably less rate of 

 expense than was formerly possible. The use of fertilizer has 

 become more prevalent and has amply repaid those who have 

 made use of it. 



The manufacture of sugar can be undertaken profitably only by 

 capitalists, and on a large scale with modern machinery. Sugar 

 land is easily worth $100 per acre and a sugar central will cost 

 approximately $1,000,000. A net profit of $75, to $100 is a fair 

 yield per acre. 



COFFEE. 

 Coffee, which has always formed one of the three principal 

 staples of the island, is now attracting much interest in the 

 United States, and the tide of public opinion seems to have at 

 last turned in its favour. This is evidenced by the fact that 

 previous to the Spanish-American war but one-half of one per 

 cent, of the coffee crop of the island went to the United States, 

 while in the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1903, the States took 

 three per cent, of the crop, and in the fiscal year ending June 30th, 

 1905, they took nine per cent. This shows a steady increase in 

 the quanthy exported to the United States, and, as a convert to 

 Porto Rican coffee can never be induced to use anything else, it 

 is confidently expected that in the near future the coffee crop of 

 Porto Rico will again reach the high water mark of 60,000,000 

 pounds as in 1896, and will be almost entirely consumed in the 

 United States. Every effort is being made to create a market 

 there for the Porto Rican bean and the last Legislative Assembly 

 passed an Act providing for the establishment of a Commercial 

 Agency in the United States for the sale of coffee and other 

 products of Porto Rico. This agency is now open for business 



