STATES RELATIONS SERVICE. 593 



rieties differed considerably in their habit of growth, but most of 

 them produced satisfactory growth during the dry weather and 

 matured good crops of seed. Considerable damage was done by cater- 

 pillars attacking the heads, the varieties having compact heads suf- 

 fering the most injury. Fortunately, a brick-red ladybird beetle 

 kept the caterpillars fairly well under control in the field. 

 ^ The horticultural work consisted of experiments and demonstra- 

 tions in the production of vegetables and the introduction of new 

 fruits and other valuable plants. In order to encourage the more 

 general planting of the varieties of vegetables that had proved suc- 

 cessful at the station, distributions were made of fresh seed or plants 

 of these varieties. 



The garden-vegetable work of the station, although conducted 

 under rather adverse weather conditions, was on the whole very 

 encouraging. Plantings were again made throughout the year, 

 but the most propitious time for many vegetables was between 

 November and March. During this period the rainfall was more 

 than the average and the temperature and evaporation were lower 

 than at other times. Insect pests, especially caterpillars, are 

 usually more abundant from August to October than during the 

 rest of the year. Considering the season, satisfactory results were 

 obtained with string beans, Lima beans, eggplant, okra, peppers, 

 tomatoes, Bermuda onions, peas, radishes, turnips, carrots, parsley, 

 mustard, endive, and New Zealand spinach. Again the superiority 

 of certain of the varieties over others was plainly indicated. Beets, 

 chard, celery, and rutabagas were more or less of a failure. Cab- 

 bage withstood the hot weather and made small heads, but it and 

 many other plants were severely injured by insects. Where it was 

 possible to use it, dusting with a mixture of lead arsenate, powdered 

 lime, and sulphur gave fairly good control of leaf-eating insects. 



The value of starting vegetables in seed beds and transplanting 

 them to the garden after a favorable rain was demonstrated and 

 48,115 plants were distributed among prospective gardeners. While 

 the results of this distribution were not all that could be desired, 

 vegetables, especially tomatoes and carrots, were reported in the 

 local market to a greater extent than usual. 



Some demonstration work in gardening was begun on St. Thomas 

 during the year, and it is hoped to extend this quite rapidh^ and 

 to make that island less dependent on importations from Tortola for 

 its vegetable supplies. 



A considerable number of introductions of economic plants of 

 various kinds were made, many of them through the cooperation of 

 the office of foreign seed and plant introduction of the depart- 

 ment, and many of them became established and are growing well 

 even with the low rainfall of the past year. A few grape vines 

 were observed on various plantations in the islands, and the success 

 reported with them led to a collection of local material and the 

 importation of other varieties from the Southern States which 

 were planted late in 1922. The vines are reported to be making some 

 growth, but are beginning to show the effect of a lack of moisture. 



Additional data were recorded for the station herd, especially 

 the milk yields of the cows, with a view to beginning experiments 

 in breeding up a dairy herd. 



