LETTER OF SUBMITTAL 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

 DIVISION OF FOODS, BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY, 



Washington, D. C., August 22, 1904. 



SIR: I herewith submit the report of recent work done in the Food 

 Laboratory, now the Division of Foods, with a number of tropical 

 fruits and fruit products, especially fruits grown and products man- 

 ufactured in the island of Cuba. The recent acquisitions by the 

 United States of tropical territory make further information regarding 

 tropical fruits of great interest. The fruits mentioned in this report 

 are grown either in the Philippine Islands or in Porto Rico, and many 

 of them are grown in both places. In many cases these fruits grow 

 wild and have at present no commercial importance in those localities. 

 At the same time it is apparent that with proper treatment they should 

 have a large degree of commercial importance. All of the prepared 

 fruit products from Cuba could also be made advantageously in Porto 

 Rico, and should be brought to the attention of consumers in the 

 United States. 



Pineapples are extensively canned in the Bahamas and the Straits 

 Settlements. The extension of this industry to the insular possessions 

 of the United States would also seem practicable. The presence of Mr. 

 Chace in Havana for a number of months afforded him exceptional 

 opportunities to study the nature of fruit products manufactured and 

 used in that locality and to secure samples. 

 Respectf ully submitted. 



W. D. BIGELOW, 

 Chief of Division of Foods. 

 Dr. H. W. WILEY, 



Chief of Bureau of Chemistry, 



V. S. Department of Agriculture. 



