GUAM AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 15 



INTRODUCTION OF AMERICAN LIVE STOCK. 



During the fiscal year 1911 the selection and purchase of an experi- 

 mental shipment of pure-bred stock was made in the United States 

 by Dr. Walter H. Evans, chief of insular stations, for this station. 

 This lot of animals consisted of 2 young Ayrshire bulls and 2 heifers 

 of the same breed and 4 registered Morgan fillies. Simultaneously 

 arrangements were perfected for the transfer from the Bureau of 

 Animal Industry to this station of 2 young Morgan stallions. These 

 colts, combining good breeding and good individuality, were furnished 

 from the department's Morgan horse-breeding farm at Middlebury, 

 Vt. As the only possible means of effecting the shipment of these 

 animals from the Umted States to Guam w^as by the U. S. army 

 transi)ort Dix, and the saiHng date of that vessel was postponed 

 until September of the past fiscal year, the importation was unavoid- 

 ably delayed until that time. During this period pending shipment 

 it was found possible to effect the further purchase of 4 good Berk- 

 shire hogs, of wliich 2 were sows and 2 were boars; and a pen each of 

 Barred Plymouth Rock and Single-comb Brow^n Leghorn chickens 

 were also obtained. On June 29, 1911, the Ayrshire lieifer, Willow- 

 moor Red Rose, while being held near Seattle, Wash., for shipment, 

 gave birth to a bull caK. This calf has been registered in Volume 

 XXIV of the Ayrshire Record under the name of Netherhall King B 

 14591. All these animals finally arrived in Guam on October 12, 

 1911; and considering the long sea voyage of more than 5,000 miles, 

 requiring in transit a period of 26 days, they reached their destina- 

 tion in remarkably good condition. 



The object of this iiatroductiop was of a dual nature. First, it was 

 desired to determine the possibihties of estabhshing these improved 

 breeds in their present purity of blood. It was beheved tliat while 

 imported stock, and especially the cattle, might not thrive well, their 

 progeny bred and raised on the island might prove better adapted to 

 the environment and that increased hardiness might be developed 

 in succeeding generations. It was hoped by this means to develop 

 a strain of animals which, in addition to their many other superior 

 quaUties, would also be able to withstand climatic influences and thrive 

 under ordinary treatment. It w^as also desired to cross these animals 

 with the common native stock with the view to bringing about the 

 general and rapid improvement of the present inferior island types. 

 To this end breeds have been selected which are beUevcd to be best 

 adapted to the general demands of the work, breeds wliicli will 

 probably be as httle affected by the change of environment as would 

 any of the better breeds obtainable, and which at the same time are 

 most likely to cross easily and satisfactorily with the native stock. 



