I'<mTO RTCO EXPERIMENT STATION. 427 



ADMINISTRATIVE WORK. 



As time oocs on the iidiiiiiiistrativc work of the station increases. 

 The correspondence has increased about -iO per cent over that of the 

 first yeai-. The total nuinl)er of letters written duriiio- the year has 

 luMMi soniethint( more than 1,000. The duties as dis})ursinfr officer, 

 together with the keeping of separate accounts for the Federal and 

 insular appropriations, require in the aggregate consichMahle time. 

 The detailed administration of the general tield work, together with 

 superintending the labor and keeping in order the general appearance 

 of the farm and Imildings. fully occupies the time of the farm foreman 

 or superintendent and allows him very little opportunity even to carry 

 out the details of experiments. The labor problem is cpiite diflf(»rent 

 from that in the States. Labor, to be effective, requires constant and 

 careful supervision. Without such supervision it accomplishes very 

 little. There are far more workmen than places for them, and the best 

 of tlnMu are quite satisfactory, considering the price, if given sufficient 

 supervision. 



MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



During May and June, 1903, the services of Prof. F. S. Earle, of the 

 New York Botanical Gardens, were secured, to make a study of some 

 of the most important pathological diseases which occur on the island. 

 TJie results of his investigations are appended as a portion of this 

 report. 



About 800 })ound volumes have been added to the library during the 

 year and the unbound ])u))lications have been largeh' increased. 



Tiie mailing list now numbers approximately 1,000 names and is 

 daily increasing. 



At the present time the work of tobacco investigation for the coming 

 3'ear, under the appropriation made by the insular legislature, have 

 been connnenced and arrangements made to continue the .same through- 

 out the year. 



PLANS FOR FUTURE INVESTIGATIONS. 



^fost of the work conunenced during the year will necessai'ily con- 

 tiiuie for several years and is sufficient to fully occupy the time of the 

 present station staff. It is desired, however, to secure two additions 

 to the regular staff, i. e. ,a horticulturi.st and a live-.stock .specialist, 

 and also to retain the services of the tobacco specialist, who has already 

 begun preliminary inve.stigations under the small appropriation made 

 by the insular legislature, through the year. With these additions to 

 the staff, considerable more important work might be undertaken. 



