EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Vol. XV. March, 1904. No. 7, 



The progress which has been made in organizing agricultural work 

 in the Philippine Islands appears to be most gratifying and encourag- 

 ing when the island conditions and the short period of operation are 

 taken into account. The prime importance of agriculture in the 

 development of the islands, the diversity of this industry, and its crude 

 and crippled condition combine to make the held one of unusual oppor- 

 tunity" and attractiveness to the agricultural expert and experimenter. 

 The introduction into the islands of American methods for the improve- 

 ment and promotion of agriculture has been full of interest to those 

 who have watched its progress from afar. 



Something of the present organization of the Bureau of Agriculture 

 and the lines of work which have been inaugurated is learned from 

 the second annual report of its chief, Prof. F. Lamson-Scribner. Pro- 

 fessor Scribner entered upon the work of organizing the bureau 

 about two years ago, and at the time the above report was concluded 

 (last August) had been in the islands only about eighteen months. 

 The difficulties of securing a competent staff of emploj^ees, the natural 

 conditions of the islands, ravages of disease among the domestic ani- 

 mals, and the distance from the base of supplies have presented many 

 obstacles and inevitably impeded progress, but in spite of this the 

 bureau has been placed upon a sul)stantial working basis and work 

 undertaken in the leading branches of agriculture in the islands. 



The organization now includes a central office at Manila, with experts 

 in charge of .seed and plant introduction, fiber investigations, soil 

 studies, and animal industry; an experiment station and testing 

 grounds near Manila, and six other stations and farms located at 

 various points in the islands. At most of these outlying stations and 

 farms buildings have been erected for the officers in charge and for 

 laborers and animals, and a large amount of preliminary work has 

 been performed in the direction of securing draft animals and farm 

 machinery, getting the land into condition, establishing plantations, 

 constructing the necessary roads, and other pioneer work. The total 

 number of employees in the bureau last August was 205, 29 of whom 

 were Americans and 176 natives. Most of the latter were lal)orers, 

 although several natives were satisfactorily filling positions of consid- 

 erable responsibility. 



633 



