PANAMA RAIL ROAD COMPANY. 25

-THE PANAMA CANAL

CANAL ZONE.
Supply DEPARTMENT.

Balboa Heights, September 3, 1917.

Tue PRESIDENT,
PANAMA Raitt Roap CoMPANY,
BauBoA HricHtTs, CANAL ZONE.
SIR—
ANNUAL REPORT—OPERATIONS OF COMMISSARIES, PLANTATIONS
AND PASTURES—FiscaL YEAR 1916-1917.

_ I beg to submit the following report covering the operations of the
-commissaries, plantations and pastures during the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1917. |

COMMISSARY DIVISION.

The Commissary Division has been in charge of Mr. R. K. Morris since
August 1, 1916. ‘This division operates the line commissaries, wholesale
and manufacturing plants, the various plantations, hog, chicken and dairy
farms, ete. During the year the plan of eventually making the Canal
Zone independent of outside sources for its food supply has been developed
and arrangements have been perfected so that we would be able to support
ourselves in case we should for any reason be cut off from all outside food
supplies.

We now have 15 plantations as shown on the attached map. We
expect to raise all our cocoanuts, cacao, plantains, bananas, mangoes,
grape fruit, limes, oranges, allivator pears, papayas, bread fruit, corn,
yams, yampees, sweet potatoes, yucas, peanuts, melons, beans, tomatoes,
okra, egg plant, lettuce, cucumbers and other small vegetables. Some
of these are now produced in sufficient quantities and others are being
developed.

The sales of commissary supplies to steamships using the Canal and
its terminal facilities increased from $295,799.67 in 1916 to $381,602.46,
an increase of $85,802.79. These sales will undoubtedly greatly increase
when normal shipping i is again resumed, as the ships appear to appreciate
the opportunity of purchasing their supplies, especially groceries and cold
storage articles, under governmental supervision.

The total sales of the Commissary Division for the fiscal year ainounrcd
to $8,779 ,742.57, as compared with $7,619,087.36 for the preceding period
an increase of Sh 160,655.21.

The net profits of the operations of the Commissary Division for the
fiscal year amounted to $194,605.01.