FORESTS OF PORTO RICO. 35 



widely throughout the maritime regions of the Tropics. How long 

 it has been cultivated can only be surmised, but sufficiently long at 

 any rate for the development of many varieties. These varietal 

 forms are mostly found in the islands of the Indian Ocean and the 

 Malay region, little attention having been given to improvement by 

 selection in tropical America. 



These groves line the shore in many places and, when well cared for, 

 are a profitable source of income. As yet the nut is the only product 

 exported from the island. 1 There were, according to the 1912 tax 

 assessment list, 6,556 acres of land under coconuts, having a total 

 value of $663,710, and an average value per acre of $101.24 (maxi- 

 mum $269.45 in Anasco and minimum $24 in Comerio). 



THE COFFEE FORESTS. 



Coffee will grow without difficulty at sea level, but it thrives best 

 in the upland district above 2,000 feet elevation. Because of this 

 adaptability to soil and climatic conditions more or less unfavorable 

 to crops requiring clean cultivation, its extension throughout the 

 uplands of the interior was readily accomplished. Whether or not 

 the coffee bush was ever cultivated in the open here, as in Brazil, it 

 is now considered necessary to grow it under shade. 2 While areas 

 of virgin forest were available these were used for coffee culture, the 

 overwood being thinned and the underwood cleaned out and replaced 

 by the coffee tree. In the absence of a natural forest growth the 

 leguminous trees guava (36) and guama (37), and to a less extent 

 bucare (59), are planted instead. The shade trees and coffee bush 

 are planted at the same time, the former by their naturally rapid 

 growth reaching a Size to afford the requisite protection by the time 

 the coffee tree comes into bearing. 



The coffee forests are of interest from the forestry standpoint 

 chiefly because of the protection which they afford to the steep 

 mountain slopes, although, on account of the relatively thin cover 

 and the small amount of cultivation they get, a certain amount of 

 soil erosion necessarily occurs. 



CACAO PLANTATIONS. 



Practically no cacao is now cultivated commercially, although 

 formerly it was to a limited extent. It is a semiforest crop growing 



1 The coconut yields in addition "coir," a fiber obtained from the husks and used in the manufacture of 

 cordage and for many other purposes; "copra," the dried meat of the nut, which when pressed yields 

 coconut oil and a "cake" ; besides the various uses of the wood. (See Appendix 1, under "Coco.") 



2 The advantages which may be attributable to the shading of the coffee, particularly when leguminous 

 trees are used for this purpose, are as follows: The trees hold the soil in place, at the same time protecting 

 the superficial roots of the coffee tree, require little care or replanting, discourage by their shade the growth 

 of weeds, dimmish the cost of cultivation, and lessen the bad effects of drought, act beneficially in breaking 

 the force of the strong trade winds and of the pelting of the torrential rain, and enrich the soil. The actual 

 shade itself, however, is said to be unnecessary and even prejudicial. The use of leguminous shade trees 

 is said to be a remnant of a prehistoric agricultural practice employed in the cultivation of both cacao (choco- 

 late) and coca (cocaine) by the natives of Central and South America before the advent of Europeans and 

 is still in favor among them. 



