350 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



understood and appreciated by the natives. The experiments in 

 progress with poultry inchide breeding and incubation work. Ad- 

 ditional breeding stock is needed to enable the station to resume its 

 cross-breeding exjoeriments with native breeds. An effort to add 

 to the breeding stock of the station was defeated by transportation 

 difficulties. 



The agronomy work was retarded by abnormal rainfall, and many 

 of the crops suffered by reason of insect attacks. Practically all the 

 rice in the plats was destroyed in this manner. Among the forage 

 plants investigated, kafir, darso, Sudan grass, and sorghums are 

 giving excellent promise of being adapted to Guam conditions; and 

 among the green manure and cover crops, velvet, jack, and mungo 

 beans and cowpeas are. all proving valuable; but as the natives are 

 said to be interested only in crops that also yield food, the results 

 with mungo and soy beans and cowpeas are looked upon more 

 favorably by them than those with plants that give a heavier pro- 

 duction of vines, as velvet and jack beans. The work with cotton 

 is being continued, and in the experiments in corn improvement the 

 eighth generation of corn has been planted. The work with tobacco 

 has again shown the necessity of spraying with lead arsenate to secure 

 undamaged leaves. A series of soil experiments has been begun to 

 determine the fertilizer requirements of certain typical soils. 



The horticultural work consists of propagation of tropical fruits 

 and of vegetable-garden demonstrations. Considerable losses are re- 

 ported as due to certain diseases of vegetables. In cooperation with 

 Mrs. Vallie P. Briggs the station has begun trials of native and 

 introduced fruits to determine methods for their utilization and con- 

 servation. 



Late in the year W. H. Weston, of the Bureau of Plant Indus- 

 try of this department, visited Guam and made a survey of the plant- 

 disease situation. While no epidemics of plant parasites were noted, 

 the desirability of adding a plant pathologist to ihe station staff and 

 of establishing adequate quarantine regulations was pointed out in 

 his report. 



Just after the close of the fiscal year Guam was visited by a very 

 destructive typhoon, wind velocities of 130 miles per hour being re- 

 ported. There was little loss of life, but all crops were destroyed. 

 The station suffered much damage to its buildings and fences, the 

 poultry plant being practically destroyed. 



VIRGIN ISLANDS STATION. 



With the incorporation in the appropriation bill for this depart- 

 ment of provision for an agricultural experiment station in the Virgin 

 Islands of the United States, preliminary arrangements were made 

 for taking over the station established on St. Croix by the Danish 

 Government. Under existing ordinances the director of the station, 

 in addition to performing the usual duties of such an office, acts as 

 adviser to the governor on all agricultural matters. Through an 

 understanding with the governor no change in this policy is contem- 

 plated. With the passage of the appropriation bill the station will be 

 taken over and administered by this department. 



The agricultural experiment station on St. Croix was established 

 in 1910, following a visit by the superintendent of agriculture of Bar- 



