DROWNING BY NUMBERS

Perhaps you read the previous, if not, check it out if necessary, or skip it. NOW HE COUNTING TREES.  A post dedicated to Ivonne Acosta Lespier.  These humble lines are connected to that post.


Inventories, polls and statistics are useful.  Often they are related to money, even this post, when stretching the imagination will be related to it.


One pertinent factor is that anyone can attach any numbers to one's intention. Mine is to show national stupidity or the roots in  the San Juan Metro Zone  with  this small token.


There are 23 palms in Bouret street.  The biggest one, a 4' in diameter in Tito's front yard.  It is probably 20/30 years old and ugly as hell.  Except for this one, the rest were planted in the last ten years, (mostly shitty Arecas) judging from diameter/height.

This is evidence that contamination by
palm/turf/Ficus hedges is a relatively recent epidemic.  Since there are very few blogs in the concrete/asphalt isle, about gardening and no one else is concerned or writing about landscape trends in this urban context with the rigor it demands, is my word.  


Most palms are in front, less than five feet, from the residences or the sidewalk.  Except for the whale sized one in Tito's.

Crotons are significant to judge the trends in the vicinity. Their growth is super slow.  I counted 8, used as hedges, not taller than 5'.  Most of these houses were built 50/70 years ago.  In consequence the vegetation shows the trends, availability, and taste of yesteryear.  Any person with skills can tell through the observation of plant, bush, tree, climbers, ground covers, (mostly concrete), these old fashioned trends.


Out of over 50 houses between Eduardo Conde and Ponce de Leon avenues, on this street, less than five have real turf, and use trimmers/blowers to irritate the vicinity and your irritated servant.  Including Universidad Sagrado Corazon, the neighbor from hell in our backyards.  


18 Bouganvilleas (# equal residences) are a sign of good taste, old fashioned trends,  in my opinion.  They are tall, thick, all showing incorrect pruning, duplicating their branches unnecessarily.
A light purple is the dominant color, all looking like crap for their unkempt looks.


The 3 Crape myrtle are significant for the huge amount of organic waste falling from their branches. Dry leaves, flowers and seeds.  Ucar and Mahogany, with hated palms are also in this exclusive group.  In addition all the mentioned clog the gutters/drains, causing floods.


Most of the vegetation mentioned so far, besides the waste, create a standard aesthetic problem: dwarfing residences because of their height.  On one hand, on the other, the constant mutilation of  branches with improper pruning when reaching the electrical wires, which in turn duplicate them culprits.


Now that you got part of the picture, lets explore some more. Lack of  meaningful orchard like trees, or other edible possibilities.


Guava, lemon, papaya, orange and grapefruit are represented in the inventory.


One would expect that people in the tropics will be fond of fruits in their back or front yards.  Not in the vicinity.
When adding the totals, with lemons dominating with 5, they do not reach 10.

Bear up with me now. This is very subjective, but rather logical.  Middle classes and the uppers, have some disdain for the country side and its people, peasants.

That would explain the total absence of: breadfruit trees, musa: banana/plantains,
yuca or yautia to name a few.  Aesthetics aside....I know some of these will grow nicely, check my former Yucca manihot at right.


But reality bites.  One explanation for the lack or orchard sensibilities is the total lack of shyness from the natives/invaders, pedestrians, junkies to take home any reachable fruit from any branch on their path or visual field. Ripe or not.


For the first end of this post, let the record show that Junior, the toothless handyman/tree butcher, placed an upside down trash can in Farrukito's front yard to grab some Guavas........


For the end in depth, money was mentioned as part of the story.  Think of all the money that could be saved getting rid of the bothersome vegetation, eliminating waste, noise and pollution, planting something with intelligence and research.


Or the money selling the virtual/real fruits, or bartering, exchanging what they produce in their yards, as some people do in California. 


Money makes the world go round, but is not the only way...Apaga i vamonoh.