22 AGBICULTUEAI. RESOITBCES, ETC., OF POETO BICO. 



retains its vigor for many years. It develops its fruit perfectly, even 

 in the wild state in the forest. In all parts of the island it is possible 

 to find many excellent locations for orange orchards. The planter 

 can select such a conformation of hills as to protect his orchard from 

 prevailing winds. In soils he can take his choice between the rich, 

 sandy loam, the fertile gravel (6 feet deep), and the porous clay loams. 

 Lands for such purposes can be purchased at from 15 to $20 per acre 

 near a good port. At Mayaguez I visited the fruit farm of F. G. Molina 

 on the bay and photographed an orange tree 3 years old from setting. 

 It was 6 inches in diameter at the base and about 18 feet high with 

 branches 5 or 6 feet long, full of fruit. I also photographed a tree 5 

 years old, which bore 5,000 oranges last crop, and another 7 years old, 

 which bore 7,000 oranges. Mr. Molina sold his oranges at $-3 per thou- 

 sand f. o. b. ship for New York. 



What has been said of oranges applies equally to limes and lemons, 

 except that lemons are prodxiced solely by cultivation, and very little 

 attention has been paid to them. , 



SHADDOCK, GRAPE FRUIT, OR POMELO. 



The shaddock is in habit like the orange, grows 30 to 40 feet high, 

 ornamental, globose or pj'riform in shape, pale yellow in color, and 

 produces a large subacid fruit, rather coarse, with thick rind. Speci- 

 mens of this fruit sometimes weigh 10 pounds each and in rare cases 

 15. It is a native of the Polynesian Islands, and was early brought to 

 the West Indies. It is hardy in Porto Rico. 



Grape fruit, the best variety of the shaddock family, attains perfec- 

 tion in Porto Rico. Conditions of growth are like those of the Grange, 

 except that it is more sensitive to frost, which makes it an unsafe 

 product in the United States, only in the extreme south of Florida. 

 This large, luscious fruit would be greatly appreciated in all portions 

 of the United States if it could be placed on the market at a moderate 

 price. With the low freight rates to New York, Porto Rico should 

 supply this demand. 



MANGO. 



The mango is a luscious semiacid fruit, greatly prized in the Trop- 

 ics. Its reliability as an annual product is one of its chief merits. It 

 is valuable simply for home consumption. 



COCOANUTS. 



The cocoa palm is one of the most valuable trees produced in any 

 country. It thrives on the sand dunes, valuable for little else, near 

 the seashore. The trees are from 50 to 90 feet high, and 100 to 160 

 can stand upon an acre. When mature the trees produce an average 

 of 150 nuts each annually. With due allowance the crop of an acre 

 may be estimated at 10,000 nuts annually, worth $150 on shipboard. 

 To gather the nuts, remove the fibroxis shuck, and load costs $2.40 per 

 1,000 nuts, or 124 total cost of crop per acre. The shuck is sold for 

 matting material. Trees begin to bear at 5 years old and continue 

 for about one hundred years. Every part of the tree is valuable. The 

 hard portion of the trunk makes the celebrated porcupine wood ; the 

 leaves are used for baskets and thatching; the fibrous husk of the 

 nuts is made into mats; the shell of Che nuts i§ used for drinking 

 cups, frequently beautifully carved; the meat is used for confec- 

 tionery, and the water or liquor is an agreeable and healthful drink. 



