Report of the governor general of the Philippine Islands. [1908]

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE. 295
carried into effect on August 1, 1907, a revised pay roll, providing for a general
reduction both in wages and in the amount of labor employed. This measure
reduced our force from 28 to 18 laborers and decreased the average daily wage
from P1.14 to V10.90. Despite these changes no difficulty has been experienced
in securing help when needed. The labor force here is composed largely of
experienced men, who have been employed at the station for a period of two or
more years. With a few exceptions they have rendered satisfactory and efficient
service.
Climate.-Weather conditions have been in some respects unusual. The wet
season of 1907 was late opening, but continued correspondingly late in the fall.
Due to this fact no general irrigation was demanded prior to the second week in
February, and good rains on the 15th and 25th rendered further irrigation during that month unnecessary. Rain fell again on March 29, putting the soil in
excellent condition. The wet season opened again on May 3, and since that
time no irrigation has been needed. A typhoon struck Manila on October 26 and
caused considerable damage to crops and plants growing at the station.
Another, more severe and of longer duration, visited us on May 28 and 29, doing
much damage to vegetation.
All things considered, weather conditions have been possibly more than
usually favorable for a majority of the farm operations being performed.
Disposition of green forage and seeds.-Forage-growing experiments conducted here, and reported elsewhere in this report, have furnished an abundance
of green feed for all live stock maintained at the station, besides a considerable
surplus which has been delivered at San Lazaro for feeding to the serum herd.
Guinea grass was also furnished the quartermaster's department for conducting
a feeding experiment in which this grass was fed to horses. The following
table shows the different feeds removed from Singalong since October 7, 1907:
Quarter~T~r.~, r c ~~master's Serum labKind of forage. Depart- Serum labtory.
ment.
Kilos. Kilos.
Guinea grass.............................3.......................... 10,909 36,608
Teosinte...................................................................... 3,140
Green corn............................................................. 1,950
Total................................................................. 10,909 41,698
Making grand total of................................................................... 52,607
Seeds grown at this station have been sent to the office and turned over to
the division of seed and plant industry for distribution. They have been furnished in comparatively small quantities: Among others were 1,985 kilos of
palay, about 145 of velvet beans, and 55 of teosinte.
There is no fence surrounding these grounds, hence it is impossible to grow
many crops successfully owing to the depredations of animals, such as dogs,
hogs, and chickens, as well as people trespassing on the land and destroying
the value of experiments by carrying off the fruits and vegetables. Although
a watchman is kept on the ground at night, it is impossible to stop this vandalism.
Silk culture.-Near the close of the last fiscal year this bureau, in connection
with that of science, started a series of cooperative experiments in silk culture
at. Singalong. This work has been under the direct supervision of Mr. W.
Schultze, of the bureau of science, with Mr. Jose Dizon, of this bureau, in
charge of the feeding and care of the silkworms. Two men have been used for
collecting leaves, which have been obtained both from the station grounds and
in other parts of the city. Two girls are now employed in the silk house.
Owing to the fact that the supply of mulberry leaves has been limited, it has
not been possible to carry on the experiment with more than about 11,000
worms for each generation. The supply of leaves consumed daily by the 11,000
worms varies according to their age, as follows:
First age (from the first to the third day), 0.9 kilo per day.
Second age (from the fourth to the fifth day), 1.4 kilos per day.
Third age (from the sixth to the seventh day), 2.3 kilos per day.
Fourth age (from the eighth to the tenth day), 11.4 kilos per day.
During the four periods they consumed a total of 44.5 kilos of leaves, or an
average of 11.1 for each.