STATES KELATIONS SERVICE. 437 



some crops, but on the wliole the experiment gave very gratifying 

 results. About 2 acres were devoted to this experiment and very 

 satisfactorv results were obtained with pole and busli beans, Lima 

 beans, carrots, eggplnnt. okra. onions, peppers, radishes, and toma- 

 toes. Less satisfactory results were reported for cabb:ige. kohl-rabi. 

 and beets, although fair crops of all but cabbage were produced. 



Cattle raising is second in importance to the production of sugar 

 in the Virgin Islands. Each of the islands has considerable tracts 

 of land not suited to tillage, and much of the area is well adapted 

 to grov.-ing guinea grass, an excellent forage for cattle. Preliminary 

 to taking up work in animal husbandry a study was made of the 

 station herd, that consisted of 26 work animals, cows, young stock, 

 and calves. The individual animals are considered typical of the 

 class of stock in the islands. They are of mixed type, having de- 

 scended from European importations, with some mixture of zebu or 

 Indian cattle. The 10 work animals of the station averaged 1,294 

 pounds, and the 9 cows 884 pounds, showing that the stock in 

 the Virgin Islands is vastly superior to the so-called native stock in 

 a number of the Southern States. An attempt was made to obtain 

 data regarding milk production of the cows, but the prevailing 

 method of allowing the calves to suck at the same time that milking 

 is being done tended to give very imperfect data. All the cow^s had 

 been trained in this way and attempts to milk them without the calf 

 resulted in failure. From one cow there was milked 360 pounds of 

 milk in the first month of lactation and 214.5 pounds in the eleventh 

 month, the calf at the same time getting a considerable portion of 

 the milk. These facts indicate that the native cattle offer a good 

 foundation upon which to build up herds for various purposes. 

 The presence of the cattle tick will retard the introduction of im- 

 proved stock from elsewhere. 



The entomologist continued his studies on the scale insects of the 

 Virgin Islands and added several species to the already long list he 

 has published. He is also giving much attention to the insect pests 

 of economic plants, their life histories, and means for control. Data 

 on cotton and truck-crop insects w:ere also included. About 50 

 species of insects were found on cotton in St. Croix and 75 species 

 on various truck crops. The life histories and means of control of 

 most of the important species have been determined. Considerable 

 Avork has been done on the insects attacking sugar cane and tobacco. 

 A test was made during the year of the use of trap pans containing 

 black molasses, such as comes from sugar mills, and kerosene and 

 water for the control of truck-crop pests. It was found that while 

 the trap pans caught many insects, they could not be relied upon to 

 control truck-crop pests. Water with a film of kerosene was more 

 efficient in the pans than the molasses. Wind and rain were impor- 

 tant factors in trapping insects, and 63 per cent of all females 

 caught had oviposited before being caught in the trap pans. 



OFFICE OF EXTENSION WORK. 



C. H. Smith. Chief. 



The Office of Extension Work in the Xorth and AVest and the 

 Office of Extension Work in the South were combined October 1, 

 1921. into a single Office of Extension Work, coverincr the 48 States. 



