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Diirinf; tlio past year besides the Annual Report for 1904 the station 

 issued Circular No. 5, on Coffee Growing in Porto Rico; Bulletin No. 

 5, on Tobacco Growing in Porto Rico, and Bulletin No. 6, on Yautias 

 or Taniers. 



REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 

 By O. W. Barrett. 



Following is a brief account of the various lines of work conducted 

 by the entomologist and botanist, until the spring of 1905, when he 

 severed his connection with the station. 



The lines of work were more or less identical with those carried on 

 in 1904. During July, August, and September attention was directed 

 largely to the study of the coffee leaf-miner parasites and toward the 

 general study of the fungus diseases of native crops. The various 

 collections of native crops, like yams, yautias, etc., were harvested 

 during December and January and replanted on a larger scale in Janu- 

 ary and February. Many specimens were added to the herbarium. 



The banana collection was increased hj the addition of the Cuban 

 varieties, and so far as possible the eighty-five or more numbered sorts 

 were classed into distinct types, which were mostly grouped in the 

 permanent variety test plat in the alluvial soil between the station 

 office and the river Yaguez. It was found necessary to allow about 

 twelve groups or types to contain the said number of varieties. 

 During the arrangement of this collection it was discovered that 

 several native varieties, largeh^ believed to be identical, were quite 

 distinct as regards the fruit itself. It is hoped that this test plat of 

 banana varieties from various tropical countries of the world mil 

 definitely decide the question of sjoionymy of the local names, as 

 well as decide several questions in regard to the adaptability of certain 

 types to the manufacture of banana flour, banana coffee, etc. 



The yautia collection was increased by the addition of a few 

 varieties from Panama and Central America. The present number 

 of varieties under observation is about fifty. A bulletin" giving a 

 general resume of the subject, together with the results of fertilizer 

 tests, analyses, and prospective uses of the tubers, which, so far as is 

 kno\\ai, is the first bulletin to be issued on this subject, has been pub- 

 lished. The crop is believed to be the oldest one in the history of 

 agriculture. 



The cassava collection was enriched by the addition of a full set of 

 the Colombian varieties, secured in Jamaica by Prof. P. H. Rolfs, of 

 the Subtropical Laboratory of Miami, Fla. About fifty named sorts 

 are now on the variety list. 



a Porto Rico Expt. Sta. Bui. 6. 



