T H E C V B A R E \ 1 ]•; W 



Agricultural Experimental Station. 

 Extensive experimental cultivations of winter garden products. 



PROGRESS OF THE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTAL 

 STATION OF SANTIAGO DE LAS VEGAS 



Since General Eugenio Sanchez Agramonte, Secretary of Agriculture of Cuba, provided 

 the Station of Agronomy with a new technical and executive management, and in conjunction 

 with Dr. Carlos Armenteros, his under-Secretary, took a personal interest in that plant, great 

 improvements and progress have been made. 



The buildings and gardens have been repaired and beautified, providing the various de- 

 partments with the necessary materials for the work as well as with modern reference books, 

 and new and useful relations with the agricultural centres of Spain, Italy, France and their 

 colonies have been established. 



New cultivations have been undertaken and greater impetus has been given to the old ones. 

 This year the Department of Agriculture, in spite of the cold weather, has obtained a good 

 amount of cane from the true giiiu seed, continuing the planting of selected maize, having 

 introduced a new fodder plant from Southern Africa, the gigantic grass known by the name of 

 Elephant Grass, from which, with the Japanese cane cultivated during the season, it is 

 expected new resources will be added to the fodder production in Cuba. 



The Department of Horticulture has improved the cultivation of the mango fruit by its 

 system of shield grafting, making this an easy and plain operation. 



Experiments are being made with a large number of varieties of strawberries, which give 

 an abundance of fruit from January on. 



Also all kinds of vines and crossed plants of a similar nature have been introduced, in 

 order to supply Cuba with the best varieties known to produce grapes, wine and vinegar. 



From the wild domestic tomato called "Placer" we are getting, by means of seclection and 

 crossing, such varieties which to the vigor and endurance of the former combine the size and 

 pulp of the fine varieties, which in the tropical cUmates are not affected by many diseases. 



The Botanical Department has selected the true "Havana" tobacco in a genealogical 

 manner, under a botanical point of view, and now it will be selected under a chemical and 

 industrial point of view, according to a plan prepared by Dr. Calvino and the Agricultural 

 Engineer, Mr. Gonzalo M. Fortiin. 



