30 AGEICULTTJBAL RESOURCES, ETC. , OF PORTO RICO. 



more attention this year to the production of food crops. It may, 

 therefore, be fairly claimed that, as a whole, the net income of Porto 

 Rico from farm crops will be about the same as iisual; but this will 

 not relieve the distress, because it will not be as widely distributed 

 as formerly, the deficiency occurring in the coffee districts. 



Possibilities of Agriculture in Porto Rico. 



As to the possibilities of agriculture in Porto Rico I submit the 

 following statement: 



The United States imported in 1899, in addition to the imports of 

 sugar, coffee, and tobacco, the following: 



Fibers (vegetable) , manufactures of, including mattings, etc $45, 457, 687 



Nuts and fruits -- 18,317,201 



Silk, unmanufactured 32,479,637 



Total - --- --- 96,254,515 



The industries of Porto Rico, properly developed, could produce 

 a large portion of the foregoing without interfering with her present 

 exports. In addition, it could produce camphor, India rubber, spices, 

 and other articles of which we import large quantities. Thrifty speci- 

 mens of India rubber plants and of camphor plants were seen. In 

 case of such an expansion in the production of tropical products, 

 Porto Rico would become a large consumer of the food products 

 exported by the United States, which would be greatly to our trade 

 advantage over the present plan of securing these articles. No por- 

 tion of Porto Rico is over 20 miles from the coast, and with good 

 roads all products could reach an ocean port in a few hours and by 

 the conveyances of the farm. The transportation from the ports to 

 New York is low and with increased freights will be much reduced. 

 A few thousand dollars .iudiciously expended annually in the devel- 

 opment of the agricultural resources of Porto Rico will result greatly 

 to our benefit, because we shall then be buying our tropical imports 

 with our surplus products. 



The appended list shows some articles, and their values, of import 

 into the United States in 1899, all, or a portion of which, could be 

 profitably produced in Porto Rico : 



Articles imported into the United States which might be produced in Porto Rico. 



Cocoa and the manufactuies of - - _ -.- $5,360,116 



Coffee - 55,375,470 



Fibers, vegetable, and manufactures of.-. -. 45,457,687 



Fruits and nuts 18,317,201 



Hats and bonnets, materials for -- - 3,436,736 



India rubber andguttaperchaand manufactures of 33,370,098 



Molasses _ ..-.■. 789,576 



Silk, unmanufactured 33,479,637 



Spices.-- 3,783,301 



Sugar... .-.- 94,964,120 



Tea - - 9,675,081 



Tobacco and manufactures of - 11,843,357 



Vanilla bean - 1,335,412 



Total 313,976,771 



An Agricultural Experiment Station. 



The most potent factor in accomplishing the improvement of agri- 

 culture would be a properly equipped agricultural experiment station, 



