STATES RELATIONS SERVICE. , 431 



a<;(' atteiulan.e of women at the ineetinjis l)eino; 48. In cooperation 

 witli the Housewives Lea^iue of Honoluhi. monthly demonstrations 

 were <i;iven on the utilization of meats, ve^'^etables, and fruits of the 

 islands. The attendance at tiiese meetinji; has run as hij^h as 100. 

 most ot the women present beinji; of American parenta*ye. At the 

 request of a plantation a demonstration Avas made with papayas and 

 touiatoes. The attendance at each demonstration was 48 children and 

 7 adults, althou<i:h the meetin<js were intended primai-ily for girls and 

 bcvs of the seA'enth and ei'dith <rrades. 



rOKTO KICO STATION. 



The results of the efforts of the station to aid in improving and 

 diversifying the agricultlire of the island are becoming quite ap- 

 parent. Following the fall in the price of sugar, there has been 

 some redilction in the acreage devoted to that crop, and other in- 

 dustries are beginning to receive considerable attention. 



The station continued its activity in breeding up its herd of dairy 

 cows. During the year a fine Guernsey bull Avas added to the herd. 

 The object lesson given by the station in producing high-grade cows 

 through the introduction of purebred sires is beginning to have an 

 effect, and A^ith the cooperation of the station a number of pure- 

 bred animals have been recently introduced .into the island. The 

 eradication of the cattle tick is necessary before the wide introduc- 

 tion of improA^ed stock can be recommended, and a sentiment for 

 tick eradication is being rapidly developed. ' There are now more 

 than 100 public and private dipping vats on the island, and many 

 individual plantations have been cleared of ticks, but until there 

 is uniA^ersal dipping throughout the island there will be danger of 

 reinfestation through AA'orli oxen Avhich traverse infested areas. The 

 station tank has been made available for use in the neighborhood 

 and during the year just closed 1.329 head of cattle Avere treated 

 in it. 



The entom.ologist continued his studies on the life history of the 

 cattle tick in order to secure data that will explain the apparent 

 seasonal differences in the starvation period of the tick. New sets of 

 ticks are started eA^ery month, and five years' data have been accu- 

 mulated regarding their behavior. InA'estigations on insect trans- 

 mission of the mosaic disease of sugar cane were continued, and leaf 

 hoppers, plant lice, and other cane insects were transferred from 

 infested canes to healthy ones. A considerable number of insects 

 from weeds and grasses occurring in cane fields also Avere transferred 

 to cane, but no infections Avere found either when transferred from 

 diseased cane or from other plants. A study of the relation of cer- 

 tain insects, especially purple scale and cockroaches, to the breaking 

 down of grapefruit in transit and storage was begun. When stored 

 under dry conditions considerable losses occurred, but in the case 

 of grapefruit held under moist or humid conditions, entomogenous 

 fungi destroyed the scale insects, and fruit picked May 6, 1921,' was 

 held for 11 months in moist coconut fiber without impairment of 

 quality. An experiment on the control of citrus scab by the use 

 of a Bordeaux-mixture oil spray Avas begun. The Avork was under- 

 taken in cooperation with one of the largest groAvers of grapefruit 



