68 



country will in future years derive great benefits. The ex- 

 tension of the road system is adverted to by the Governor, 

 and we trust that the Legislature will deem the time oppor- 

 tune to assist, by this means, the numerous citizens who have 

 recently taken up homesteads. The severity of the recent 

 storms, which have fortuitously terminated the protracted 

 drought, has tested the rural road system, and in some cases 

 demonstrated the necessity of building permanent and sub- 

 stantial highways. 



During the two years ending December, 1906, nearly three 

 hundred homesteads have been established throughout the 

 Territory, of a total area of over nine thousand acres. The 

 developm.ent of a beneficial homestead policy on the part of 

 the Territorial officials is a particularly gratifying feature in 

 the recent history of agriculture, and we congratulate the 

 Commissioner of Public Lands on the excellent results which 

 have been achieved. 



Incorporated with the Governor's message are the estimates 

 of appropriations for the coming biennial period for the Fed- 

 eral Agricultural Experiment Station. The projected investi- 

 gations for which assistance is required include work affecting 

 the rice, tobacco, silk, pineapple, citrus fruit and honey indus- 

 tries, and the establishment of effectual marketing of tropical 

 fjuits. 



A Preliminary Report on Rice Investigations by F. G. Kraiiss, 

 Expert in Charge of Rice Investigation, Hawaii Agricnltural 

 Experiment Station, Honolulu. Press Bulletin No. ip. 



Rice is, next to sugar, one of the important Hawaiian crops. 

 The industry has recently been declining through increasing 

 competition with Japanese and Louisiana rices, and to some 

 f^xtent through deterioration of the local product. A series of 

 experiments has therefore been begun by the Hawaii Experi- 

 ment Station to determine what improvements in methods of 

 cultivation, harvesting, fertilization, milling, breeding and se- 

 lection can be introduced to bring about the rehabilitation of 

 the industry. These experiments are made possible by the 

 generous contribution of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate 

 and also through the use of lands placed at the Station's dis- 

 posal by the li Estate, Ltd. 



Three projects or lines of work have thus far been planned 

 for these investigations, as follows : Rice culture ; rice breed- 

 ing; and fertilization and rotation. 



The investigations relating to culture include tillage, seed- 

 age and harvesting. The slow, laborious methods of tillage 

 prevalent in Hawaii are familiar to all, and the introduction of 

 specially-designed machinery is being carefully considered. 

 The primitive process of transplantation will also probably be 



