404 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



these club members Avas $3,513.63. At the last a«^ricultural and indus- 

 trial fair held at Af^ana February, 1920, boys' and fjirls' club members 

 contributed 375 out of 557 exhibits, and they aa'ou a lar^re percentage 

 of the prizes in the classes in which they exhibited. The extension 

 AYork is developin*; rapidly, and it is believed through this agency 

 much can be accomplished of permanent value to the agricultural 

 development of the island. To more efficiently carry on this work, 

 better facilities for travel are needed. 



VIRGIN ISLANDS STATION. 



The work of the Virgin Islands station has been continued very 

 largely along the lines developed before the station was acquired by 

 this department. The principal investigations have been in agron- 

 omy — sugar cane, corn, and Sea-Island cotton receiving the most at- 

 tention. During the year an entomologist Avas added to the staff 

 and he has begun a survey of the islands to determine the most 

 troublesome pests, and has inaugurated some experiments for their 

 control. A collection of the scale insects of the Virgin Islands has 

 been begun and nearly 50 species have been collected and identified. 

 Experiments have shown that most of these insects can be controlled 

 by the use of kerosene emulsion to v/hich fusel oil is added. 



The work of breeding and testing new varieties of sugar cane is 

 being continued with very good success. The variety S. C. 12/4 

 bred at the station continues to give large yields of cane having a 

 high sugar content, and its cultivation is being extended on a number 

 of plantations. Several other new" seedling varieties are very promis- 

 ing and their field trial is beincr begun. More than 100,000 cuttings 

 were distributed to various estates for trial during the year. About 

 3,000 new seedlings were grown during the fiscal year 1920, but many 

 were lost due to a severe drought that lasted from February to 

 June. 



The station's cotton-breeding experiments are being continued. 

 About 180 acres of Sea-Island cotton was planted in St. Croix, the 

 seed being secured from the station. An average yield of 600 pounds 

 of seed cotton per acre was secured. The crop of 1918-19 averaged 

 1,000 pounds of seed cotton per acre and ginned about 27 per cent 

 lint, which was sold in Liverpool at from $1.80 to $2 per pound. In 

 the plat work at the station one strain yielded at the rate of 4,000 

 pounds of seed cotton per acre, the lint being If inches long, strong, 

 and of good color and luster. Twenty-six samples of hand-ginned 

 cotton were submitted to the Bureau of Markets of the Department 

 for judging according to the official cotton standards for Sea-Island 

 cotton. The lint ranged from H to 1| inches in the different lots. 

 Some of the samples were considered worth a premium over the 

 grades of Sea-Island cotton. One variet}' of cotton growing at the 

 station has been found comparatively resistant to the blister mite, 

 one of the most serious cotton pests of the island. The corn investi- 

 gations of the station consist of breeding work and studies of methods 

 of planting. An attempt is being made to secure a fixed variety for 

 general cultivation and by hybridizing to produce a table corn 

 adapted to the Tropics. A considerable number of crosses have been 

 made from which to select the types best suited to the conditions of 

 the experiment. 



