19 



Some cattlo have been imported during]: the year, and from residts 

 it is probable there will be more brought in from year to year. The 

 native cattle will doubtless lend themselves very readily to improve- 

 ment, needing especially to be bettered in the line of early maturity 

 and milk production. As work cattle they are very fair, and con- 

 sidering the lack of care in breeding they are remarkably good. 



Porto Rico is infested with one of the cattle ticks, Boophilus aus- 

 tralis, and it is necessary that imported cattle be inocidated either 

 before or immediately after landing to prevent them from contract- 

 ing tick fever. Two shipments of inoculated cattle made during 

 the present year have done very well. The three head that were 

 left at the station for a time apparently showed no signs of tick 

 fever, A later importation of cattle is now at the station undergo- 

 ing inoculation against this disease. There is a belief among some 

 stockmen that tick fever does not prevail upon the island, but the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry of the U, S, Deparment of Agriculture 

 has received ticks from Porto Rico and has infested cattle in the 

 States with them, bringing on the disease. The station is further 

 testing this question in cooperation with the Missouri Station, and 

 until definite instructions to the contrary are given all cattle coming 

 to the island should be inoculated unless they come from below the 

 quarantine line. 



Some sheep are raised in Porto Rico, but their condition can not be 

 said to be thrifty. They lose a great part of their wool, and in the 

 section of greatest rainfall are very liable to disease. 



Goats are found all over the island and add much to the nourishment 

 of the poorer people. The station is endeavoring to obtain imported 

 milch goats of Swiss breeding for the improvement of this class of 

 animals. A great many sections of the island, in the interior espe- 

 cially, are adapted to goat raising and to no other class of animals. 



Several importations of swine have been made into Porto Rico and, 

 as far as the writer's knowledge goes, all have done well. The native 

 pig is of the razor-back type, and it does not seem advisable to try to 

 improve it, but rather to substitute pure-bred stock. No hog cholera 

 or swine plague prevails on the island so far as the writer's experience 

 goes. 



All classes of poultry thrive in Porto Rico, but the stock found at 

 present is greatly in need of improvement. Chickens consist mainly 

 of the game breed, and are small and active, but not well adapted 

 to meat or egg production. Several importations have done well. 

 Ducks thrive, and quite a number of turkeys and guineas are raised. 

 There is a good local demand for poultry products, and there are no 

 serious hindrances to the production. 



