REPOET OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. LXIII 



AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS IN HAWAII AND PORTO RICO. 



In accordance with the recommendation in my Report of 1899, Con- 

 gress made an appropriation of $10,000 for the establishment and 

 maintenance of an agricultural experiment station in Hawaii. In order 

 to ascertain definitely the condition of the agriculture of that Terri- 

 tory, Dr. W. C. Stubbs, who for many years has been the successful 

 director of the three experiment stations in the State of Louisiana, was 

 sent to the Hawaiian Islands, where he made a careful investigation 

 with special reference to the organization and work of an experiment 

 station. In his report he recommends that a station be established 

 under the direct control of this Department and independent of exist- 

 ing local institutions. As the station already maintained bv the 

 Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association will continue its work on prob- 

 lems relatino- to the sugfar industry, he i-ecommends that the station to 

 be established by this Department giye its attention to other agricultural 

 interests. Among the subjects which require special attention are the 

 culture of fruits and vegetables, coffee growing, stock raising, dairy- 

 ing, irrigation, forestry, and diseases of plants. 



For Porto Rico an appropriation of ^5,000 was made to determine 

 the agricultural conditions existing in that island, with special refer- 

 ence to the more desirable localities for agricultural experiment sta- 

 tions, as well as the subjects on which the agricultural people of the 

 island are in most immediate need of practical information, and how 

 this need can be most economically and effectively supplied. With a 

 view to determining these questions. Prof. S. A. Knapp, formerly of 

 the Iowa Agricultural College, and more recently engaged in agricul- 

 tural enterprises in southern Louisiana, was sent to the island. He 

 found that there was urgent need of agricultural education and inves- 

 tigation to promote the interests of agriculture there, and recommends 

 the establishment of an experiment station in the vicinity of San Juan. 

 He also urges that this station be established on a broad basis, special 

 attention being given at the outset to demonstration experiments and 

 the dissemination of information regarding improved methods of agri- 

 culture. Among the subjects to which the station should direct its 

 attention are the improvement of the culture of coffee, sugar, and 

 tobacco; the encouragement of the production of food supplies for 

 home consumption; the improvement of live stock; the making of 

 cheese and butter; and forestry. 



As a result of these investigations, I am convinced that experiment 

 stations should be established in Hawaii and Porto Rico, as in other 

 parts of the United States, and that these island Territories should 

 receive an annual appropriation for experiment stations equal to that 

 which is given to the other Territories. This Department is prepared 

 to take active measures for the establishment of these stations as soon 

 as Congress has declared its policy in this matter. 



