11 



cattle will ho fed in the neio;hl)orhood of the centrals. At present the 

 molasses is shipped to the States and incorporated in specially 

 prepared stock feeds. 



TOBACCO. 



Dnrinf!^ the year the station issued a bulletin (No. 5) on Tobacco 

 Investigations in Porto Rico. This includes a description of tobacco 

 soils and methods now followed in growing tobacco in Porto Rico. 

 Experiments in growing, curing, and fermenting tobacco are described 

 in detail, and suggestions made for the improvement of our tobaccos 

 both in culture and fermentation and in seed improvement. Our 

 tobacco expert resigned to enter the Bureau of Plant Industry of the 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture, and since that time no work has 

 been carried on with the cigar tobacco growing in the interior. It 

 is very necessary that further studies be made with this im})()rtant 

 crop, should our means allow. The tobacco soils of the island should 

 be mapped out and further studies made of their fertilization. 

 Researches with the curing and fermenting of cigar tobaccos are 

 very much needed. 



Some of the larger companies located in the interior valleys are 

 producing a very fine ({uality of tobacco, both filler and wTapper. 

 The soils of the station and their proximity to the sea forbid the pro- 

 duction of the finer qualities of cigar tobaccos. Experiments are 

 being carried out, however, in the production of other kinds used in 

 manufactiu-ing. It has been found that the White Burley, such as is 

 grown in Kentucky, does very well on the soils of the station, pro- 

 ducing a very large fine plant. Further experiments are being 

 carried out with this variety. 



COTTON. 



There has been quite an increase in the area devoted to sea-island 

 cotton in Porto Rico. This has been fostered by the experiment 

 station, which distributed several tons of improved seed to vari- 

 ous sections. The special agent in charge has also prepared during 

 the present year a circular on cotton growing, which has been dis- 

 tributed over the island. 



The quality of the cotton grown in Porto Rico is very good and it is 

 a crop that is especially adapted to the country, because the poorer 

 farmers can produce it in limited amounts without the aid of capital 

 and employ their families in the various operations in its production. 

 There is no boll weevil in Porto Rico, and the only insect pests 

 reported as in any way seriously affecting the crop are the cotton 

 caterpillar {Alabama argillacea Hbn.) and the cotton stainer (Dys- 

 dercus suturellus H.-Schf.). The cotton caterpillar has caused serious 



