036 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



makinu'. It will he made essentially a sugar station, and devoted 

 mainly to problems connected with the culture and improvement of 

 sugar cane. An ap])ropriation of $15,000 was made for beginning 

 improvements on th(> farm, and $25,000 has been appropriated for the 

 erection of a main building of l)rick, to be made on the grounds, which 

 will serve for laboratories, class rooms, offices, and dormitories. 



The government farm at San Ramon, in Zamboanga, includes about 

 5,000 acres, and was formerly used as a penal colony by the Spanish 

 Government. It will be used principall}" for studying the problems 

 in the management of cocoaiuit plantations, the preparation of copra, 

 and the culture of abaca (Manila hemp). The farm already has a large 

 number of cocoanut trees in bearing, which have improved in condi- 

 tion since the bureau took charge, and 2,000 additional trees were 

 planted during the year, making a total of 10,7<>() on the farm. 

 Ground for 8,000 hemp plants was broken during the year, which are 

 reported to be in a thrifty condition. The advantages of cultivation 

 to lessen the damage of drought were abundantly demonstrated on 

 this tract during the season. 



The revenues from hemp and copra on this farm amounted during 

 the year to nearly $9,000, and it is thought that b}^ further planting it 

 could be easil}^ made a source of considerable revenue. 



The prospects for stock raising as a lucrative industry in the islands 

 are believed to be good, l)ut this will require the exercise of greater 

 care in the prevention of contagious diseases and more attention to the 

 cultivation of forage crops. The industry is at present at a low ebb 

 and there continue to be heavy losses from disease. The stock found 

 in the 'islands is for the most part of an inferior quality, owing prin- 

 cipally to injudicious and careless breeding, lack of care during 

 development, and inattention to feeding. 



To aid in developing the industry a stock farm was established on 

 the Island of Culion in January, 1903, after exploring several regions 

 for a suitable location. The farm lies in a large, well-watered valle}" 

 which affords excellent grazing, and although the island is rather 

 isolated the location is thought to be well suited in all respects for a 

 stock farm. Buildings have been erected for the foreman and laborers, 

 and a stable 2-1 b}^ 132 ft.; and improved stock of horses, cattle, hogs, 

 milch goats, milch buffalo, and a number of varieties of fowls are being 

 imported to place upon the farm, together with some native stock. 

 The effort of the bureau will be to ascertain the breeds and crosses 

 best adapted to existing conditions, to introduce new breeds of animals 

 for breeding purposes, and to study questions relating to the improve- 

 ment of the forage suppl}'. 



The forage problem is an acute one, and experiments in that line 

 are closely connected with the development of animal industry. The 



