104 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Avliich combine the hardiness of plant of the wild type with the size 

 of fruit of the cultivated one. Hybrids have also been secured 

 betAveen the cultivated raspberry and the Avild salmon berry, although 

 none has fruited as yet. With vegetables marked success has been 

 attained by the Alaska Stations, and it is now possible to recommend 

 varieties of the more common and hardy vegetables for the prin- 

 cipal regions of the country. This information is of inestimable 

 value in a new and undeveloped country like Alaska, as it makes 

 possible the addition of mam^ vegetables to the dietary of the people, 

 who might otherwise suffer in health by too restricted diet.- 



In Porto Rico the most important introductions thus far have been 

 seedling sugar canes which are not only more productive of cane but 

 yield a higher percentage of sugar and are more resistant to pests of 

 all kinds; varieties of coffee better suited to the American taste; 

 citrus and other kinds of tropical fruits; forage and green-manuring 

 crops, etc. In Hawaii the station was instrumental in the introduc- 

 tion of the Bluefields or Jamaica banana, which bears shipment better 

 than the varieties locally grown before the advent of the West Indian 

 form; the introduction of many important forage crops; the spread 

 of rubber cultivation ; introduction and breeding of improved varieties 

 of rice; cotton production, etc. In Guam the introduction of forage 

 plants and demonstration of improved methods of cultivation are at 

 present receiving the principal attention. 



In connection with the policy of diversification of agricultural 

 products, the stations have undertaken the restoration of industries 

 that formerly flourished but had become unprofitable under altered 

 conditions. In Porto Rico much work has been done with coffee, and 

 as stated in a previous issue (E. S. R., 23, p. 4) many important facts 

 have already been determined which will aid greatly in placing the 

 coffee industry of the island on a more satisfactory basis. 



In Hawaii considerable work is being done to reestablish cotton cul- 

 ture upon a profitable basis, and this is proving one of the notable 

 features of the station's activity. About four years ago the station 

 began experiments with cotton, with a view to the development of an 

 industry adapted to areas where sugar cane can not be profitably 

 grown on account of an insufficient water supply. All the leading 

 types of cotton were secured and culture and breeding work begun. 

 The best results have thus far been secured with Sea Island and Cara- 

 vonica cottons, and the yield and quality of the fiber of some of the 

 strains leave nothing to be desired. 



In this work a number of features have been introduced that are 

 unusual in cotton growing. Both the Sea Island and Caravonica 

 cottons are being grown as perennials. The plants are widely spaced, 

 and are vigorously pruned every year. In thi^ way not only is the 

 shape of the plant controlled, but by the date of pruning the develop- 



