FIELD CBOPS. 351 



Experimental shipments of a\ ocado pears to Manila and to New York have shown 

 thai these fruits can be successfully shipped to these points. 



Annual report of the Porto Rico Agricultural Experiment Station for 

 1904, 1>. \Y. M^ {U.S. /'/</. Agr., Office Expt. Stas. Rpt. 1904, pp. , pis. 



\ general review of the station work is given and the agricultural possibilities 

 of the island are discussed. 



Reportofth entomologist and botanist, <>. W. Barrett (pp. 387 106). The plant col- 

 lections, comprising variety tests with bananas, yautias, cassava, orchard fruits, 

 foresl trees, fiber plants, and miscellaneous crops are briefly described, and the nev 

 additions noted. 



Tests of commercial fertilizers, coffee pulp, stable manure, and guano in yautia 

 culture resulted in the highesl yield from the use of aboul 30 tons of stable manure 

 per acre, giving edible tubers at the rate of aboul L6 tons per acre, as compared with 

 8 tons "ii one of the check plats. The highesl yield per plant, 3.22 lbs., was 

 obtained in the plal receiving stable manure, and the Lowest yield per plant, L.6 lbs., 

 in tlic check plats. A second crop of tubers was obtained from the same plants lefl 

 standing after the first ripe roots had been removed. 



Four varieties of cassa\a analyzed by the Bureau of Chemistry of this Depart- 

 ment, showed- a variation in starch content of from 21.50 to 31.69 per cent. Oeiba, 

 the variety showing the highest percentage of starch, is one of the 3 best native 

 sorts. The native "malanga" I Colocasia antiquorum esculentum) made a very prom- 

 ising grov th, and the mature roots, according to an analysis made by the Bureau of 

 Chemistry of this Department, contained L4.94 per cent of starch and 74.47 per cent 

 of moisture. A yield of about 1"> tons per acre of edible canna roots was obtained. 

 These roots showed a starch content of L9.41 per cent, with 70.25 per cent of water. 

 The prevalence and effects of certain inset enemies and fungus diseases are 

 described. 



The outlook for the culture of citrus fruits, pineapples, mangoes, and aguacates is 

 summarized by the assistant horticulturist, II. C. Henricksen. 



The station was successful in growing seedling Castilloa elastica from seed, and the 

 behavior of Borne of the distributed trees indicates that Castilloa should be planted 

 only in rich moist soil. 



Ke/Htrt of (h> rnjfh'sjtrriatist, ./. II'. n tll [jenhoff (pp. 406-410). — The average yieldsof 

 an old coffee grove in 1903 were observed to be as follows: Ripe berries s ^7 lbs. per 

 acre, coffee ready for market L803 lbs., productive trees per acre 746, and the prod- 

 uct per tree 0.261 lb. The cost per LOO lbs. for harvesting and marketing the coffee 

 was $2.26. Notes are given on a number of experiments begun in cutting coffee trees 

 to stumps, renovating old coffee plantations, and establishing new plantings. 



Bananas, yautias and economic fruits such as oranges, le ns, and figs, as well as 



robber and eucalyptus trees, cotton, and varieties of yams and sweel potatoes, have 

 been distributed in the coffee regions for soils not occupied by coffee. 



Report of the tobacco expert, J. van Leenhoff (pp. 410-425, pi. 1 ).— This report is an 

 abstract of Bulletin 5 of the station, which has already been noted - E. S. R., 

 17. p. 32). 



Cooperative experiments in agriculture, C. A. Zavttz {Ann. Rpt. Ontario 

 Agr. and Expt. Union, 26 {1904), />/>■ 13-31).—- The organization of the Experimental 

 Union is described, and the results obtained during 1904 are summarized and briefly 



noted. 



Experiments were conducted during the season by 1,050 farmers, and the work 

 carried out was along 35 distinct branches of field agriculture. The leading varieties 

 of grain crops gave the following average yields per acre: Tartar King oats, L20 I 

 50.82 hn.; Mandscheuri Six-rowed barley, :::; tests, 36.23 bu.; Guy Mayle Hulless 

 barley, 31 tests, 29.43 bu.; Wild Goose Bpring wheat, L9 tests, L9.48 bu.; Common 



