1114 



I'OKTO KICO 



smaller, is the "nispero" or sapodillo, which, with its 

 brown skin, resembles a rusty colored pear. The 

 "lechoEa,"or tropical pawpaw, is a valuable fruit. The 

 tree has a straight trunk, surmounted by a crown of 

 enormous spreading leaves, under which the good-sized 

 fruit is borne in a cluster. 



The "guayaba" or guava, which grows abundantly 

 throughout the island, is used for making jelly and paste. 

 The business of jelly-making and of preserving, canning 

 and drying fruits will be developed. The "naranja," or 

 sour orange, is particularly valuable for marmalade. 



POKTO RICO 



producing starch than cassava, which is now manufac- 

 tured iu a crude way in some sections of the island and 

 exported to a limited extent. 



Ollur Possible liesources.-lhe cacao, or coi-o:i tree, 

 is grown in Porto Rico and the product manutatturccl nuA 

 exported, but only to a limited extent. Our impuiis „t 

 this product from the British West Indies haveincieastd 

 from $1,2G2,191 in 1895 to $2,107,150 in 1899, which indi- 

 cates the possibilities of expanding the trade. Another 

 possibility of profit for the island lies in utilizing cer- 



1 steep, dry chalk ridge 



now of little value, for the 

 cultivation of the "mag- 

 uey, "the agave from which 

 ttie sisal is obtained. The 

 importation of this fiber 

 flora the British West In- 

 dies has increased from 

 $2,734,909 to $4,771,989. 

 Arnatto or "achote" finds 

 a congenial home in Porto 

 Kico, and should be made 

 to yield a profit. The cas- 

 tor oil plant bears abun- 

 dantly, and its bean is ex- 

 ported. The bean of a 



able 



'hedi^ 



Preserved ginger, so largely imported into the United 

 States, could be profitably prepared, as the root is now 

 raised and exported. 



r t n —That egetal le 

 R I o d V a 



f an e 



g own "n Porto 



11 n^ wYork 



1 1 t ason. 



I>y the natives as a substi- 

 " tute for coffee and also to 



mix with it. This plant 

 seems to have a secondary value in improving the soil 

 as a gatherer of nitrogen. The canii)lior, tlie rublier, 

 the nutmeg, allspice or pimento, and other spice-pro- 

 ducing trees, and the vanilla may all be grown perhaps 

 with profit on the island. 



Economic Considerations. — Under the Porto Rican 

 law of May 1, 19(10, ail merchandise coming into the 

 United Stati-< Ir.Mn I'urti. Rico, and coming into Porto 

 Rico from tlic IniLd Suites, shall pay 15 per cent of 

 the duties nquirr.! <,, I,,, paid upon like articles im- 

 ported from f"i 



abo 



Mur 



th tt d 



date by certain action of the I I ! :i ' r • 1; -o. 



The present duties are so in -I, 



those of other countries ari'l i ; > : ui.l 



uncertain that for our purp^^ ' i ,■ Im ; ! m < i.;i.-.t, 



we may properly assume fre, I !-l;eil. 



The grower of oranges and . h-nits has 



the advantage of one cent p. i i ;■ i . ■ ihe foreign 



grower, which, on a crop of : I > • - p. r :H-ie. would 



amount to about $200. On pineapples crated, the duty 

 is 7 cents per cubic ft., or 35 cents for a standard crate, 

 or a gain of at least $50 per acre for a lair crop. On 

 pineapples in bulk the duty is $7 per 1,000, a gain of 

 $30 to $50 an acre. 



The duty on vegetables is 25 per cent on their listed 

 valuation. This is an advantage of from $40 to $75 an 

 acre on tomatoes or eggplants. 



th 



d f 



ult A k Iful gar- 



d ne a 1 nt 1 w 1 1 1 n t ay i t to pro- 

 duce $500 to $1,000 worth of tomatoes or eggplants per 

 acre. Fig. 1924. . 



At the present time San Juan is the only port with 

 good shipping facilities for perishable products such as 

 vegetables. Beans, melons of every kind, cucumbers, 

 peppers, okra, sweet potatoes, peanuts, etc., thrive in 

 this genial clime. The more hardy vegetables, such as 

 Irish potatoes, cabbage, lettuce, radishes, beets, and 

 peas succeed in the fall and winter, especially in the 

 hill country. 



NnlU-e fVf/f/afc?!'.?. — Besides the several varieties of 

 "batatas," or sweet potatoes, largely used in Porto 

 Rico, there are several kinds of the larger tropical 

 yams. The dark green foliage of these plants has a 

 rich beauty, trailing from their pole supports. The 

 roots of the broad-leaved "yaatias,"or colocasias, pop- 

 tilarly called elephant's ears, are also extensively used 

 by the peones for food. The cassava, both the sweet 

 and bitter varieties, flourish in Porto Rico. The former 

 is a valuable food for both man and beast. The roots 

 are excellent baked. There is no better source for 



1922 Clur; 



Porto Ri< 



Foreign tobacco wrappers pay, if unstemmed, $1.85 

 per pound, and if stemmed, $2. .50 per pound, and fillers 

 35 cents if unstemmed and 50 cents if stemmed. 



Palms, orchids, bulbs and all greenhouse plants pay 

 25 per cent, seeds 30 per cent, dried fruits, desiccated 

 etc., pay 2 cents per pound ; manufactured 



