POETO RICO EXPERIMENT STATION. 413 



excels. Ponce has more oxen, mules, and asses than any other district 

 because of the demand for them as work animals on the large sugar 

 estates. 



The horses of Porto Rico are very small, and, as a rule, are poorly 

 cared for and driven or ridden with very poor judgment. There are 

 some exceptions, however, with regards the treatment of horses, and 

 I have seen some ver} r fine and spirited animals that were kept in 

 the pink of condition. The feed of the horses consists almost entirely 

 of cut grass, it being very exceptional to find them fed on grain. 

 Such bulky food necessarily distends the bowels and unfits a horse for 

 rapid traveling. Notwithstanding the fact, however, the native Porto 

 Rican will harness his team to the carriage when their stomachs are 

 full, and start at once on his journey at a full gallop. Under such 

 circumstances the horses are winded at the end of the first kilometer, 

 and before the second one is completed the}^ are covered with sweat 

 and lather, and wholly unfit to continue at anything but a slow gait 

 unless given a rest. They are forced to continue, however, and com- 

 plete the journey under continual lashing by the driver. When long 

 journeys are to be taken frequent relays are made, usually at each 10 

 to 15 kilometers. 



Although small the better horses are of good form, clean of limb, 

 and apparently have a strain of good blood. With proper care as to 

 feed and methods of driving these little horses are capable of rendering 

 good service. As saddle-horses they are particularly good and easy- 

 gaited and as hill climbers they are unexcelled and very sure-footed. 



There is no marked mortality among the horses due to disease. The 

 common diseases due to mistreatment, such as colic, lung fever, etc. , 

 are met with, but the worst, most revolting, and dangerous disease is 

 glanders. Glanders is present in all parts of the island, and drastic 

 measures should be taken at once to stamp it out. A skin disease, 

 probably a form of mange, is not uncommon. Comparatively speak- 

 ing, the insects that trouble the horses are few. Ticks are quite 

 numerous, but there are practically no flies to bother. 



The cattle of the island are better than one would expect to find. 

 As work oxen they are excellent. Bullocks weighing 12 to 13 hun- 

 dredweight, with powerful necks and good forms are not uncommon. 

 Steers range on the luxuriant pastures of Guinea grass and "malojillo" 

 grass and become fat enough for market without the addition of any 

 other feed. Besides supplying the home demand for fresh beef the 

 exportations of live cattle as beef and work cattle amount at present 

 to more than half a million dollars annually. The chief market for 

 the cattle is Cuba. In milking qualities the cattle fall far below their 

 standard for beef and for work. The flow of milk is small and the 

 quality poor as regards its fat content. It is quite the custom to milk 

 the cows while the calf is sucking; otherwise it is thought they will 



