18 

 FLOWERS. 



There are many very pretty flowers native to Porto Rico, and with 

 a httle care homes may be made quite beautifid with them. There 

 is a lack of systematic planting, however, and much to be desired in 

 improving the quality of the plants. Roses especially do very well 

 in this section of the island. 



The native roses are small and not well adapted to use as cut 

 flowers. The station has introduced many roses from the States, 

 all of which do well, especially the climbers. Noisette or tender 

 climbing roses like the Marechal Niel grow very rapidly and produce 

 many very large, handsome flowers. 



The dahlia makes a very rank growth and under proper treatment 

 will produce very fine bloom. Hollyhocks grow and blossom readily. 

 Cannas and caladiums are native, found wild, and lend themselves 

 very readily to improvement. Geraniums grow very slowly and bloom 

 sparingly. So far they can not be said to be a success. Lobelia and 

 pansies have been grown in shady locations with much care, but they 

 are not very vigorous. Carnations make a spindling growth and 

 inferior bloom. Sweet peas indicate that success will be attained 

 under proper methods of growing; some trials have failed utterly, 

 and others have produced a small amount of nice flowers. Begonias 

 do well; salvia only fairly well. Many other ornamentals are under 

 trial and will be reported upon later. 



LIVE STOCK. 



The station has purchased from farm receipts a stallion registered 

 in the American Saddle Horse Breeders' Association (PI. Ill, fig. 1). 

 It is very much desired that the quality of the Porto Rican horses 

 be improved, as they have very seriously deteriorated. At present 

 they are small and a great many unsound. Several importations of 

 horses have been made into the island, and in the writer's opinion 

 the lighter breeds, like the standard bred American trotting horse 

 and the saddle stock that has sprung from the thoroughbred, are 

 better adapted to Porto Rican conditions. One importation of 20 

 head of Norman horses, made by a sugar company, has not turned 

 out very well, a number of them having been lost. These heavy 

 draft horses unlike those of lighter breed, can not withstand the 

 warm climate. Quite a number of mules are now being imported 

 by the sugar planters and are supplanting the oxen- on the plantations. 

 Mules do very well where properly handled. The station owns 5, 

 which have been on the island from two to five years. The native 

 mules are small and used only in the interior as pack animals; they 

 will not do for work on the cane plantations, 



