POMEGRANATE— PORTO RICO 



1701 



CiTBUS White Fly. See Orange Pests. 

 Cottony Cushion Scale. See Apple 

 Pests. 



Flokida Wax Scale. See Orange Pests. 

 Greedy Scale. See Apple Pests. 

 Ivy Scale. See Apple Pests. 

 Pomelo. See Grapefruit. 



Porto Rico 



Porto Rico is one of tlie group of West 

 India islands, and belongs to the United 

 States. It is situated about 1,000 miles 

 from Havana, Cuba: and now that the 

 Panama canal is finished is in almost a 

 direct line with the traffic of the Pacific 

 and the Atlantic oceans, so that it is a 

 convenient coaling station for European- 

 bound ships. Its latitude is about 70 de- 

 grees north in the tropical zone. The es- 

 timated area is 3,550 square miles. From 

 east to west there is a chain of moun- 

 tains ranged in two nearly parallel lines, 

 the highest point of which is El Yunque, 

 3,699 feet above the sea. Between these 

 ridges is a high tableland interspersed 

 with valleys sinking into wide and fertile 

 plains that border on the coast. The 

 eastern and northern slopes, valleys and 

 plains receive an abundance of rainfall 

 for all kinds of crops, while the southern 

 and western slopes are often parched by 

 drouth. 



The maximum temperature at San 

 Juan is 99 degrees. In 17 years it has 

 not risen above this, while the minimum 

 during that period has been 57 degrees. 

 The mean temperature for several years 

 past has been from 78 degrees to 82 

 degrees. 



The island is drained by numerous 

 streams and rivers, some of them navi- 

 gable for a short distance from the coast. 

 It is indented with bays and harbors that 

 make it easy for ships to anchor and 

 attractive to commerce. On the north 

 coast are 17 rivers; on the west, 16, and 

 on the east, 9, besides several freshwater 

 lakes. 



The rocks are metamorphic with a 

 strong admixture of limestone, which dis- 

 integrates, mixing with the soil and ren- 

 dering it very fertile. 



The principal agricultural products are 

 coffee, tobacco, cotton, sugar-canes and 

 tropical fruits. 



The climate of Porto Rico is healthful. 

 The water, gushing from the hillsides, is 

 pure, and the market conditions are often 

 more favorable than those of some of our 

 own states, because the island is nearer 

 Europe. 



The fruit industry is as yet undevel- 

 oped, but there is every reason to believe 

 that it will become a great producer of 

 oranges, lemons, bananas, cocoanuts and 

 all varieties and kinds of tropical fruits. 

 It is claimed by some, on what seems to 

 be good authority, that Porto Rico is the 

 best pineapple region in the world, while 

 sweet potatoes reach the highest degree 

 of perfection. The industries are mostly 

 agricultural and a large percentage of 

 its arable land is under cultivation. Man- 

 ufactures are not well developed. On 

 account of the removal of the tariff on 

 Porto Rican products the grower of or- 

 anges in that island at this writing has 

 an average of 1 per cent per pound the 

 advantage of growers outside of the 

 United States, and on a crop of 300 boxes, 

 which may be produced per acre, this will 

 amount to about $200. On pineapples the 

 duty is 7 cents per cubic foot, or 35 cents 

 for a standard crate, making a difference 

 of at least $50 per acre. The duty on 

 vegetables is 25 per cent on the listed 

 valuation. There seem to be great oppor- 

 tunities here for the development of the 

 tropical fruit industry, and great wealth 

 is sure to result from proper investments 

 and well-directed labor. 



Granville Lowthee 



Potash. See Apple Orchard, Fertiliza- 

 tion of. 



Potatoes 



The potato is the edible starchy tubers 

 of a plant known to scientists as SolanUm 

 tuberosum, of the night-shade family 

 (SolaiMceae). The tuber is usually round- 

 isn or oblong, with a whitish interior and 

 a dark-colored skin. 



There has been much controversy as to 

 the origin of the potato. It is conceded 

 that it came from America, but from 



