COAL HARBOR, UNGA ISLAND. Henry S. Tibbey, observer.

MINE HARBOR, HERENDEEN BAY. Capt. J. Ducan, observer.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HAWAII AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, 1904.

By JARED G. SMITH, Special Agent in Charge.

The work of the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station has been a continuation of the various lines of investigation described in previous reports. As stated in the preliminary report, the funds of the station have been largely invested in acquiring an equipment of buildings, tools, apparatus, and books, without which it is difficult to undertake investigations and experiments. Much of the time of the special agent has been devoted to superintending building, clearing, and other operations of a similar character, and the station now possesses a modest laboratory for chemical and entomological investigations and a good reference library well developed along the lines of tropical agriculture, horticulture, chemistry, and entomology, which are housed in comfortable buildings.

BUILDING OPERATIONS.

A new insectary, 12 feet 6 inches by 25 feet, with glass sides and roof, concrete floor, benches, breeding cages, and water fixtures, was built adjacent to the entomological laboratory, and two small cottages for laborers and an addition to one of the stables were also built. The Territorial legislature appropriated $3,000 toward the construction of a fire-proof library, office, and laboratory building (Pl. XIV, fig. 1), and $1,500 for a chemist's residence. These sums were wholly inadequate for their purposes, and to prevent losing them entirely an arrangement was made by which the station supplied certain features. In addition to the residence for the chemist, the station built a four-room cottage for the use of the entomologist. These and the other buildings have been painted, some grading has been done, and additional roads constructed. The water supply of the station proved inadequate for laboratory and other purposes last year, and in order to overcome this difficulty and provide a supply for irrigation purposes a drainage shed was erected on the higher portion of the station grounds, where there is an abundance of rain,

and two 10,000-gallon tanks were constructed to provide a better and more permanent water supply. These operations, which were believed to be essential to the station, have made a serious inroad on its income, and have to a degree caused a temporary cutting down of some of the investigations planned for the year, but it is believed that with the beginning of the fiscal year 1906 the station will be in a position to do as good work and as much of it, considering the number of scientists employed, as at many of the older institutions. Α telephone line has been erected connecting the various buildings with each other and with the city system. Four acres of land surrounding the main office has been placed in a first-class condition and will be used for plat experiments. About 15 additional acres of pasture land have been fenced and cleared of guava and lantana. Considerable additions have been made to the library through purchases and exchanges, so that the station now possesses the best working library in subjects relating to agriculture in the Territory.

FUNDS.

As stated in the annual report for 1903, the Territorial legislature appropriated $5,000 per year for two years for assistance to the station and $1,000 as a part of the salary of the station chemist. At a special session of the legislature the appropriation for the station was cut down to $2,730, and the amount set aside for the chemist's salary was cut out entirely. This action was necessary for reasons of economy. The falling off of the revenue of the islands had been so marked that there were not sufficient funds to supply the needs of the local government, and the station was made to feel the necessity for retrenchment. It is unfortunate that this local support has been lost. The station is maintained for the benefit of the agriculture of the islands, and even a small appropriation from Territorial funds would serve to bring the station and the interests and industries of the islands into closer relationship.

COOPERATION WITH TERRITORIAL AUTHORITIES.

The funds appropriated by the Territory are apportioned to various purposes by the board of commissioners of agriculture and forestry, acting on recommendations made by the special agent in charge. of the station. About one-half of the funds now available has been set aside for carrying on tobacco experiments on the island of Hawaii. A tract of land has been leased for a number of years and experiments are being made with Sumatra and Habana tobaccos grown in the open and under shade. A preliminary report of this investigation is given elsewhere.