OFFICE OF EXPEKIMENT STATIONS. 213 



rivers, and usually become iiuite limited midway between them. The sugar lands 

 vary in texture from sandy loam to clay loam, and are as a rule quite productive. 

 Considerable of this land is too wet, especially during the rainy season, to give 

 good results in cane. IMnch of it is used as pasture land. By ade ^uate drainage 

 this land could all be used for sugar, and its value increased from $30 to §60 per 

 acre as pasture to $100 to $l."»o per acre as sugar .land. 



The soil of the sugar lands on the south side of the island is of different origin 

 than that on the north and is deeper, darker, and more sandy. Owing to much 

 less rain there irrigation is necessary. 



The acreage in sugar the past year was approximately 80,000, giving an estimated 

 yield of about 90. 000 tons. This acreage can be at least dou hied, and the yield trebled. 

 The past season has been a prosperous one for the growers, and next year will see 

 the area much increased. Both American and local capital is being piat into large 

 new sugar houses, which will replace a large number of the old and wasteful mills 

 that have long been in use. The outloDk for sugar is excellent. 



The soil of the mountainous interior is usually heavy in texture, although small 

 areas of sand land occur, especially along the streams. The interior country is 

 adapted to coffee, bananas, citrus fruits, and minor crops. Tobacco does well on 

 the sand river lands, and also or some of the steep hillsides. 



Of all the industries in the island, nnne received such a severe setback by the 

 cyclone of 1899 as did coffee culture. The damage to coffee exceeded that of all 

 other crops in the island. Many of the plantations are still in a state of ruin, 

 while others were cleared and put in shape and at the present time have nearly a 

 normal crop. The method of growing coffee is exceedingly crude: there is usually 

 too much shade and the plants are set at iinequil intervals and too close together. 

 Very little cultivation is given, and no attention is given to the selection, propaga- 

 tion, and pruning of the trees. By attention to these points great improvement 

 can undoubtedh' be brought about in the production of coffee, and the actual cost 

 of production can be much reduced. 



Cattle do well They feed on the luxuriant pastures the year round, grow 

 and become fat enough for market with no additional feed. They are but little 

 bothered Ijy flies and other insects, and seem to enjoy comfort the entire year. As 

 work oxen and beef cattle, the breed comm')nly found on the island seeins a very 

 good one, but as milkers they are poor, giving only a small flow of milk, which 

 contains a low percentage of fat. With an extension of the sugar lands and the 

 new impetus which coffee, fruits, and minor crops are likely to receive in the next 

 few years the large areas of pasture are lilrely to be much decreased, so that the 

 live-stock interests are likely to be reduced rather than increased. Coffee, fruits, 

 and tobacco and the minor crops, and to some extent dairying, should receive the 

 early attention of the station. 



As regards the location of the experiment station, more difficulty 

 was experienced in obtaining suitable land than was anticipated. As 

 there is no Government land available it will be necessary either to 

 purchase land with funds appropriated by Congress or to secure finan- 

 cial assistance for this purpose from the insular government or 

 municipalities. There will be no opportunity for getting financial 

 aid from the insular government until the meeting of the legislature 

 next winter. In rex^ly to a circular letter sent to the different munici- 

 palities in the island, setting forth some of the advantages of an 

 agricultural experiment station, and asking how much land they 

 would donate for the purpose of establishing an experimental farm 

 in their vicinity, replies, as a rule, stated that the municipalities pos- 

 sessed no lands that in kind and amount would be suited for the jjur- 

 pose, and that their very jioor financial condition would not allow 

 them to purchase. Three municipalities, however, made offers of 

 land, but on examination it was found that the land was either not 

 suitable for experimental purjDOses or too inaccessible. Negotiations 

 are being continued in this matter, but it does not at this time seem 

 probable that land can be obtained without the expenditure of a larger 

 amount than can be used for this purpose from our present appro- 

 priation. I am of the opinion that final action on this matter should 

 be deferred until after the meeting of the insular legislature, when 

 an effort should be made to secure local financial aid in the establish- 



