OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 209 



tesy of the Secretary of the Navy, this Dei^artment has been granted 

 the temporary use of the naval hospital site for experimental purposes. 

 After negotiations with the government of the Territory of Hawaii, 

 the larger portion of the Kewalo-uka tract was definitely set aside for 

 the use of the experiment station to be conducted under the direction 

 of the Secretary of Agriculture in the proclamations issued by the 

 acting governor of the Tarritory. 



About 50 acres of land have been cleared, and half of this area has 

 been plowed and harrowed. This includes 13|^ acres of forest land on 

 the upper portion of the reservation, where there is sufficient rainfall 

 to make it possible to carry on experiments without irrigation. This 

 will be devoted to horticultural plantations, and in this way will be 

 covered with trees again. A water system has been provided by the 

 erection of several large tanks, which are connected with the city water 

 system and operated with the aid of a gasoline engine and pump. 

 The following buildings are in iDrocess of erection : Residence for the 

 special agent in charge, ofiice and laboratory, one frame cottage and 

 two grass huts for laborers, one stable, and one covered manure pit. 



Plantings of taro have already been begun, with the special object 

 of studying a disease which plays havoc with that crop. This is a 

 very important matter, since the taro is a principal food plant of the 

 islands. Everj- i3art of the plant is eaten at some stage of its growth. 

 The root is large, fleshy, and full of starch, and is exceedingly whole- 

 some and palatable. It grows in marshy lands in the valleys, but there 

 are also varieties suited to ui^land cultivation. Probably 50 per cent 

 of the working population in these islands depend on taro for their 

 daily food. The fungous disease above referred to cuts down the yield 

 to one-fourth or one-third of the normal average, and is all too preva- 

 lent. Within the last decade the price of taro has increased 500 per 

 cent because of the losses by this disease and the attendant deteriora- 

 tion in quality and yield. There are many other fungous diseases of 

 fruits and vegetables prevalent on the islands in Hawaii which should 

 be studied. 



Some poultry experiments have also been inaugurated. These could 

 be undertaken immediately without great expense, and it is hoped that 

 they may lead to results of immediate practical usefulness. Largely 

 because of the great number of diseases with which barnyard fowls are 

 afflicted in the Hawaiian Islands the supply of poultry does not meet 

 the demand. Live chickens sell in Honolulu markets for $15 a dozen 

 and eggs at from 40 to 50 cents a dozen. If the station can demon- 

 strate a x)ractical way for the economical production of chickens and 

 eggs it will add largely to the resources of the small farmers on the 

 islands. 



Owing largely to the insufficient supply of forage, pork production 

 is very expensive, the ruling price for hogs in the Honolulu markets 

 being from 10 to 17 cents per pound on the hoof. To remedy this diffi- 

 culty experiments with various tubers and roots and with the common 

 pai)aya as feed for swine will be undertaken at an early day. 



As soon as possible investigations in dairy husbandry will be 

 undertaken. On this subject Mr. Smith reports as follows: 



Dairying and cattle feeding is now being carried on on a small scale with some 

 measure of success, but the supply of milk and butter is insufficient to meet the 

 demands of the home trade. Island butter retails for (iO cents per pound, milk for 

 12 cents a quart, and Hawaiian-made cheese is almost unknown in the Hawaiian 

 markets. A few of the dairies are managed on a scientific basis. 



There is, however, widespread ignorance of the best combinations of feeds and 



AGR 1901 14 



