306 ANNUAL EEPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



gallons of water daily — an amount sufficient to more than supply the 

 present needs of the station. 



With the acquisition of the Cotot farm, arrangements were made 

 to transfer most of the live stock to that place. An attempt is being 

 made to keep cattle under improved conditions as to range, etc., and 

 a considerable area has been planted to introduced grasses to supple- 

 ment the native pastures. On account of the presence of cattle ticks 

 in Guam and the effect of their presence on the breeding stock, an 

 experiment in tick eradication has been begun, with apparently prom- 

 ising results. Experiments are in progi-ess in stock feeding, all kinds 

 of native and station-grown feed being compared with standard feeds 

 shipped from the States. It is intended by these experiments to 

 thoroughly test all available sources of feeding stuffs, determine their 

 deficiencies, and learn how they may be profitably supplemented. 



The field-crop work has been largely selection breeding of corn, 

 preliminary experiments with cotton, and forage-crop investigations. 

 Ear to row tests are in progress, with selections of corn, by which 

 earlier maturity, gi'eater uniformity, and better yields are sought. 

 In the cotton work a number of varieties of upland, sea island, and 

 Arizona-Egyptian types were tested, the largest yield — 1,641 pounds 

 of seed cotton per acre — being obtained from the Yuma variety of 

 Arizona-Egyptian. Incidentally the late arrival of some of the 

 varieties showed the importance of early seeding, a later planting of 

 the Yuma variety yielding only 512 pounds of seed cotton. As a re- 

 sult of this experiment, 10 bushels of Arizona-Egyptian cotton seed 

 has been sent to Guam for distribution among the natives. The for- 

 age-crop investigations include Para grass {Panicum molle), Pas- 

 jmlum dilatatum^ sorghums, kafir corn, feterita, and various legumi- 

 nous plants, especially cowpeas and soy beans. The value of Para 

 grass and Paspalum, introduced several years ago by the station, 

 was emphasized, as they were about the only grasses to yield forage 

 during the unusually prolonged dry season. 



A large amount of attention is being given to the introduction of 

 seeds and plants to extend the range of valuable tropical economic 

 plants in Guam, the office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction 

 of the Bureau of Plant Industry heartily cooperating in this work. 

 The distribution of station-gi'own seeds and plants that have been 

 shown adapted to cultivation in Guam has been considerably ex- 

 tended, more than 4,000 lots being sent out during the j^ear. Through 

 an arrangement with the insular authorities the proper planting and 

 care of these crops is assured. 



The breeding work with horses, cattle, hogs, goats, and chickens 

 has been continued along the same lines as formerly reported, and 

 several pure-bred and grade animals have been added to the station 

 herds and flocks through natural increase. No new stock has been 

 purchased, but the necessity of acquiring new blood is recognized, 

 and some additional breeding animals will be secured as soon as 

 opportunity for their transportation is offered. 



The veterinarian has begun a study of some of the live-stock dis- 

 eases prevalent in Guam, with a view to their possible control. 

 Among those reported uj)on are investigations of cattle ticks, liver 

 flukes of cattle, hogs, and goats, stomach worms of cattlej kidney or 

 lard worms of hogs, lungworms of hogs, and various diseases and 

 internal and external parasites of poultry. 



