Coconuts. Increasing attention is paid to raising coconuts. Thirty thousand acres of the trees, which seem to enjoy the sea breeze, have been planted. In one year 2,000,000 nuts and 180,000 pounds of copra, dried coconut, were exported, also coconut oil, the value of all the products shipped being $45,000. This will be greatly increased when all the trees come into bearing.
Cacao. The culture of cacao, as yet unimportant, is increasing. It grows well in the river bottoms of the forest region, but does not like the sea breezes. It may, however, be protected from these on the coast lands by a wind break of tall trees.
Coffee also has been neglected though about 240,000 pounds were exported in 1914. Its quality is said to be equal to that of Trinidad or Caracas.
Pará rubber is cultivated in plantations on river lands and immediately back of the coast, more than 6000 acres being planted; but as yet little has been exported.
The plantain, beloved by the negro, and praised for its food value, is grown in enormous quantities. The unripe fruit is usually eaten boiled, but is better fried, or roasted and buttered. Sliced, dried, and ground, it is thought by some to be superior to arrowroot or sago.
Other tropical fruits might be grown for export, oranges, limes, mangoes, pineapples, sapodilla called luscious, guava, cassava biscuit, etc. The saouri nut which grows in the forest one writer calls the most delicious nut in the world.
Forests
About five-sixths of the country is forest land, nearly all the property of the government. These 78,000 square miles of timber are largely inaccessible on account of the numerous waterfalls and rapids of the rivers; a railway line to the remote interior is of the utmost importance. The timber and lumber trade is slight, though the greenheart, a wood of great strength, weighing 75 pounds the cubic foot, is sought for its use in the construction of docks, heavy flooring, etc. The trees which grow in clay soil near rivers and creeks supply logs 18 by 24 inches, 70 feet long. Most of it is shipped to Panamá where it was used in the locks; 40 to 60 varieties of trees are found on an acre. The export of balatá is important, only sugar, rum, and gold preceding it in value, nearly $1,000,000 worth in a year. It is a kind of gutta percha much used for belting. The tree is tapped the same way as a rubber tree. Licenses are granted for certain forest areas and the country is ranged over by prospectors and tappers. Over 1,000,000 pounds are produced. The milk resembles that of the cow, and is sometimes used for coffee, but it is believed to be unwholesome. A tree usually yields one gallon, which produces five pounds of balatá, but some trees five gallons. The trees must not be tapped oftener than once in four years.
In the forest are found various gums and balsams, the copaiba, the tonka bean, the basis of many perfumes, vanilla, nutmeg, oils from palm nuts, and most important, the caraba oil which is used by the Indians to lubricate their bodies and to dress the hair for the purpose of warding off noxious insects and vermin. It has a strong unpleasant odor, doubtless arising from its valuable properties. Light woods suitable for paper are found and many others of value. There is a variety of fibre plants, agave, pineapple, pita hemp, and others, some of which might be utilized to save the great importation of rice and sugar bags. There is an inexhaustible supply of pulp material for the manufacture of paper.