68 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
two factors, the first being unfavorable economic conditions, 
and the second, unsolved cultural problems. 
The last decade and a half has marked a great change in 
agricultural conditions, however, and the farmer to-day is 
rapidly coming into his own. The state experiment station 
has had no small part in bringing this about. It represents 
organized research in agriculture, and through its channels 
and those of the federal department are concentrated the tech- 
nical training and energy of a large corps of workers whose 
interests are centered upon the problems of the farmer. These 
problems are largely local in character, and in the brief space 
allotted me, I cannot hope to do more than outline a few of 
the horticultural projects in the solution of which the Iowa 
grower is primarily interested. In the main, they group 
themselves under three heads, the first being control methods 
for insects and diseases, the second, cultural methods, and the 
third, varietal adaptation. : 
In the northern half of the state there is a superabundance 
of summer and fall apples and a corresponding scarcity of 
winter fruit. On the lowa Experiment Station grounds are 
several thousand apple seedlings representing crosses, in 
which are combined the most desirable qualities of a number 
of existing varieties. Out of the many, it is hoped that at 
least one or more may be found which will prove valuable as 
a winter apple for that section, and this material also affords 
an unusual opportunity for the study of Mendelian characters 
in the apple, and in time, should give definite information as 
to what varieties should be bred from for certain definite char- 
acteristics. 
About 150,000 acres or more are devoted to potatoes in 
Towa. At the present values of $150.00-$300.00 an acre, this 
represents a considerable investment. The varieties so far 
grown were all originated in other sections than the corn belt, 
and in our dry atmosphere and high temperature soon de- 
teriorate. As a result, most growers send north every second 
or third year for a new. supply of seed, and in this way are 
continually beginning over. “There is an excellent oppor- 
tunity to develop, by plant breeding and selection, a variety 
of potato that is adapted to corn belt conditions, and one 
that is also resistant to some of the diseases that are common 
to this region. Preliminary plans are now on the way for 
work leading to this end. 
About 25 per cent of the world’s supply of sweet corn is 
packed in Iowa. Despite the fact that the state is in the heart 
of the corn belt, the claim is made by many canners that on 
account of the weather conditions the kernel quickly loses its 
