428 RKl'oUT <>!<' OKKICK (»!•' KXl'KRIMKNT i^TATIoNS. 



TOBACCO INVESTIGATIONS. 



'\\\r lohiu'co iii\ csl ij^iilioiis :i,s diil liiK'tl for tlic ymv coiisisl, lirst, 

 of ;i survey of tlic tohiicco conditions in all IIk' principul tohacco- 

 oTowinj^ districts, and second, of some detiiiled experiments on a 

 j)lantatioii near A«j;iias liuenas. (1*1. XIX, tigs. 1 and '2.) Itis j)lannod 

 to coiuluet experiments in the preparation of seed beds, comparison 

 of ])lants from Porto liiean, Sumatra, IIa])ana, and Connecticut-grown 

 seed for the production of wrappers, comparison of growing wrap- 

 pers with and without shad(\ methods of to})ping and priming, efi'iict 

 of fertilizers on yield and ([ualitv of tillers. exp«^riments in manner of 

 curing, and also of fermenting. In short, the crop will be carried 

 through from the seed to the product ready for th(.> manufacturer. 

 The cooperation of the United States Department of Agriculture 

 would have been of great assistance in this connection, but, unfortu- 

 nately, the appropriation for tobacco investigations was so re.>:jtricted 

 that it could not !>(> us(>d iii the island possessions. 



POMOLOGY. 



As above stated, the investigations now begun in plant industry v.'ill 

 be continued for some time to come. PromincMice will l)e givcMi, how- 

 ever, to pomology, and especially to the citrus fruits. An order has 

 already Iteen i)laced for 2S varieties of budded trees of orange, gi-ape- 

 fruit, and lemon to be planted in the experimental orchard. As will 

 be seen under the head of horticulture, .seedlings fi-om a variety of 

 stock are now in the nursery and will form the basis of an elaborate 

 investigation in the propagation of citrus stock for Porto Rico. For 

 example, Imdding material from the best native orange ("china") 

 that can be found will be uniformly l)udded onto stock of each variety 

 that we now have to determine the b(>st stock to be used. A consider- 

 able number of seedlings from what is now supposed to be the best 

 stock will also be ])udded with a large luunber of standard varieties of 

 orange to determine which is best suited to Porto Rico. Other experi- 

 ments in reference to the best fertilizers to be used for orange trees, 

 together with methods of soil management and the pruning of the 

 trees, will also })e inaugurated. 



ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



It is doubtful if any work along this line can be commenced during 

 the present year, because of the lack of funds. Th(>re is scarcely a 

 doubt, howevei', but that the insular legislature will make provision 

 for this line of work when the matter is properlv laid before it. It 

 will require a good man to take charge of the work and a considerable 

 outlay at the start for the purchase of animals and the installation. 

 The most promising lines to begin with would be dairying, swine 

 husbandry, and poultry. There is also a demand for the breeding of 



