32 



follows: May 10, 1 fruit fit for use, others too green, quality first-class. 

 May 11, still o;reen, not ripe enough for table. May 12, cut two and 

 found them in first-class condition. May 13, about the same as yes- 

 terday. May 14, had one for lunch, first-class condition, no decay. 

 May 21, after leaving New York for return trip to San Juan served 

 last pine, which was in good condition. This barrel was stored with 

 the ship's vegetables, not in cold storage. 



June 3 two large boxes and one barrel were packed with pines 

 wrapped in paper and packed in excelsior. These were bought by a 

 private party to take to the States, but did not reach the railroad 

 station in time to go as planned. They were then taken back and 

 placed in a storeroom, where one box and the barrel was closely 

 covered with several thicknesses of tarpaulin, making it almost air- 

 tight and very hot, being in that respect similar to the hold of a sliip. 

 One box was left uncovered, making the condition similar to the hold 

 when ventilated. June 12 the two boxes were unpacked and no 

 difference could be detected in the covered and uncovered lot, except 

 the first was much hotter to the touch than the other. Nearly all the 

 fruit was well ripened and only one out of thirty-three was bruised. 

 When cut open most of the fruit showed brownish spots, indicating 

 decay, but it was impossible to find the entrance or connection of 

 those spots with the surface of the fruit. The decay was not far 

 enough progressed to seriously injure the quality, but it is evident 

 that a short time longer would have been fatal. The fruit would have 

 sold readily because the outside appearance was all that could be 

 asked for, but the same difficulties in shipping Cabezonas from this 

 end of the island have been reported by several parties, and this will 

 be made one of the chief features of the coming season's work. 



VEGETABLES. 



The importance of vegetable growing was recognized by the early 

 management of this station as evidenced by previous annual reports. 

 The results of the former experiments, although largely negative, are 

 not without interest, remembering that by making proper deductions a 

 negative result is as valuable as a positive. The experiments con- 

 ducted this past year were planned to determine if vegetables can be 

 successfully grown in Porto Rico, and if not, why not. Plantings were 

 made in May, July, September, and November, 1904, and January and 

 March, 1905. All of the principal garden vegetables were planted in 

 large enough quantities to make the results of practical value. A large 

 number of varieties were tested and the principal diseases noted. 

 Various places on the island have been visited by the horticulturist 

 who has noted the growth and behavior of vegetables under different 

 environments, and obtained numerous reports from practical growers. 

 This has been fully treated in a bulletin of the station. Some of the 



