262 



The report of the British Consul at San Juan, Porto Rico, 

 upon the trade and industry of the island during the past year, 

 has recently been issued. The most important development of 

 the year has been made in the sug^ar industry which has been 

 stimulated by the free market of the United States. Much 

 capital is being attracted and many new plantations are in 

 process of construction. The average sugar production is 

 about two tons per acre, which could be greatly increased by 

 fertilization and modern methods of cultivation and extraction. 

 The total value of sugar exported, including molasses, was 

 valued at $13,433,000, an increase of nearly four million dollars. 



About 7,000 acres are devoted to citrus cultivation, seventy 

 per cent, of wdiich is planted in oranges, twenty-five with 

 grape fruit and five with lemons. Few of the citrus plantations 

 have arrived at full yield, but the fruit is of good quality and 

 has obtained high prices in New Vork. The freight on a box 

 of oranges to New York is about 28 cents, as compared with 72 

 cents from P'lorida and 98 from California. Cuba pays 35 

 cents freight in addition to 56 cents duty per box. 



The tobacco industry is rapidly improving the quality of 

 its production. The main crop is exported as cigars to the 

 United States and the inferior grades as raw tobacco to Ger- 

 many and the Netherlands. 



The coffee production showed little advance on last year's 

 depression. Before the great hurricane in 1899 coffee was the 

 principal product of Porto Kico. In 1896 the crop was valued 

 at nearly eight million dollars, while in 1905 it amounted to 

 approximately two millions. 



Canning factories are working successfully in two parts of 

 the island and more will be erected as soon as a good supply of 

 fruit is assured. 



One of the most important achievements of the Hawaii 

 Agricultural Experiment Station during the past year has been 

 the mission of Air. J- E- Higgins with a consignment of Ha- 

 waiian fruit to the mainland market. Hitherto the exporta- 

 tions of island fruit have consisted almost exclusively of bana- 

 nas and pineapples. This has been due to several reasons, 

 chief among which are that for these fruits there already exists 

 a demand upon the coast, and also that they are more easily 



