REPORT OF THE SECRETARY, " 143 



certain restricted localities to too much manganese in the soils. It 

 has also been found that pineaj^i^les can be profitably grown in 

 Hawaii with less rainfall than has hitherto been thought necessary-. 

 Experiments with broom corn at the station were so successful that 

 this crop is being planted to some extent and a broom factory has 

 been established in Honolulu. The station has carried on a number 

 of experiments with various tropical fruits, and among other things 

 has worked out a very successful budding method for avocados, has 

 demonstrated the possibility of the orchard production of the papaya, 

 and has aroused interest in improved methods of banana culture. In 

 view of the shortage of forage in the islands the station is encourag- 

 ing the culture of forage plants, especially with reference to ranch 

 conditions. During the year the station established with Territorial 

 funds 3 demonstration farms, 1 on Kauai and 2 on Hawaii. Similar 

 farms are to be established elsewhere. 



THE PORTO RICO STATION. 



The Porto Kico Station has made substantial progress during the 

 year both in equipment and in lines of work, and there is evidence 

 that the relations of the station with the people of Porto Rico are 

 most satisfactory. In accordance with the terms of the last appro- 

 priation act, coffee investigations were made a more extensive part of 

 the station work during the year. The introduction of the higher- 

 priced coffees into Porto Rican culture has been continued and some 

 of the Java varieties are coming into bearing. Some 3-year-old trees 

 have borne at the rate of 800 pounds merchantable coffee per acre, 

 while the average of the island is only about 200 pounds per acre. 

 Considerable attention has also been given to the study of the means 

 of control of various insects and diseases to which the coffee plant is 

 subject. The horticultural work of the station was considerably ex- 

 tended and included investigations on grafting stocks, fertilizers, 

 and cover crops for citrus fruits. Especial attention was given to 

 the introduction and propagation of the better varieties of mangoes, 

 more than 40 varieties having been introduced from various tropical 

 countries. The work in animal husbandry was also broadened and 

 now includes horse breeding to improve the size and conformation 

 of the horse, breeding for work oxen and dairy cattle, as well as the 

 introduction and breeding of hogs, sheep, and poultry. Preliminary 

 investigations on the production of forage have been begun, and a 

 variety of sorghum introduced from Barbados has given heavy yields 

 on dry, hilly lands. The work in making and feeding silage was 

 continued, and it appears that good silage can be made with less 

 difficulty in Porto Rico than in a temperate climate. An investiga- 

 tion showing that chlorosis in pineapples, which prevails in the 



