A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 1649 



lower reaches of the north coast rivers, particularly those rising in the 

 coffee district or the Luquillo, may be compared with the south coast 

 rivers. The former show relatively few abandoned channel beds 

 and less spreading stream bottoms, are obstructed only by sandy or 

 gravelly bars and relatively small boulders, and maintain a reasonable 

 flow of water even in the dry months. South side rivers, which are 

 largely fed by the rains falling on the steep grass slopes of the Cor- 

 dillera Central, have wide, dry bottoms showing often no less than 

 six different channels separated by low islands. The boulders, 

 which are everywhere strewn about, are several times the size of those 

 in the north coast rivers, and in the dry months the stream is of 

 insignificant proportions in the midst of surroundings indicative of 

 destructive power. 



In the larger commercial sense, the forests of Puerto Rico are 

 particularly deficient. In their present condition, they neither add 

 to the island's export trade nor provide the raw material for important 

 local industries. They furnish only one fourth of the wood materials 

 actually used on the island. Even as they stand, however, they are 

 vitally important as a source of domestic wood supply. 



The principal fuel of the island's \% million inhabitants is charcoal, 

 of which enormous quantities are used. There is also a demand for 

 stakes, posts, cabinet woods, and construction timbers. In normal 

 years, Puerto Rico imports wood products to the value of 5 to 6 

 million dollars, much of it in the form of softwood lumber from the 

 Southern States. Importation of this class of material will probably 

 continue, since no pines or other softwoods are native to the island, 

 but there appears to be no reason why the 400,000 or more acres of 

 land unsuited to agriculture should not be made to produce such 

 other forest material as is needed, with a surplus of valuable cabinet 

 woods for export. 



The insular government is not unmindful of its forest problems, and 

 legislation has already been enacted which will aid greatly in remedy- 

 ing the deplorable condition of forest areas. Existing laws provide 

 for 



A forest service to have custody and management of lands reserved 

 for insular forest purposes. 



An assessed valuation of $1 per acre of all areas over 5 acres in size 

 planted with 600 trees or more per acre. 



Authority for the insular department of agriculture to purchase 

 lands for forestry purposes, at a price not in excess of $15 per acre. 



Authority to establish auxiliary insular forests on private lands 

 above 1,000 feet elevation and to exempt from all taxation lands so 

 classified. 



Authority for the Federal Government to acquire land for forstry 

 purposes, unspecified as to amount. 



The three forest nurseries of the island produce about 1% million 

 seedlings annually, most of which are distributed free of charge to 

 landowners. Although the financial condition of Puerto Rico does 

 not permit any great increase of forestry activities at present, there is 

 a growing interest in forests on the part of the general public. Some 

 owners who are awakening to the value of tree crops as a part of 

 diversified agriculture are reforesting their nonagricultural lands as a 

 business undertaking. 



