REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. XI 



ing- States that can be exterminated whenever pulilic sentiment will 

 j)ermit the restraining of dog's from biting* for a term sufficient to cover 

 the period of incubation. The Bureau finds that Texas fever among 

 cattle exists in Porto Rico and continues experimentation with dips 

 and other remedies. 



Dairy division. — Experimental shipments are being made of dairy 

 products across the Atlantic and Pacific and to Cuba and Porto Rico. 

 Complete exhibits were sent to the Paris Exposition. Composition 

 of butter for tropical countries is being- studied. Inspection and 

 certification of dair}^ products designed for export is discussed. 



Division of Chemistry. — The work of this Division has embraced 

 during the year the extent and character of food adulteration; an 

 examination of horse meat; a study of soils; sugar-beet investigations; 

 inquiry into foreign-food products; cooperation with other Depart- 

 ments, with legislative branches of the Government, and with other 

 Divisions of this Department. 



Division of Entomology. — The Smyrna fig is now successfully 

 grown on the Pacific coast as a result of the importation, by this 

 Division, of the insect that fertilizes the blossoms. Over six tons of 

 this fruit were grown and packed the past season. A scientist has pre- 

 pared a life history of this insect for publication. An African insect 

 has been imported that preys upon the olive scale. A fungous disease 

 of grasshoppers has been imported from Natal that has destroyed 

 swarms of locusts in Colorado and Mississippi. 



Division of Botany. — The work of this Division includes testing 

 of seed for Congressional distribution along lines of purity, germina- 

 tion, and trueness to name, the average purity of seeds sent out last 

 year being 97.3 and the average germination 91.4; experiments with 

 home-grown and foreign clover seeds, and methods of seeding land 

 with Bermuda grass; supervision of the introduction of seeds and 

 plants from foreign countries, and distri})ution among State experi- 

 ment stations and others making research; investigation of poisonous 

 stock plants and preparation of reports; inquiring into tropical plants 

 of Porto Rico; introduction of Hungarian wheats. 



Division of Vegetable Physiology and Pathology. — The diseases 

 of cereals were studied during the past year; cereals were extensively 

 shown at Paris; plant breeding is a leading feature; orange hybrids 

 have been placed in several Southern localities with a view to hardier 

 trees; corn breeding for earlier maturity, drought, and smut resist- 

 ance, and increase in protein content is being continued; hybridizing 

 of cottons for longer staples and other improvements is being studied 

 with promising results. This Division cooperates with the Division of 

 Soils in tobacco research; fermentation of tobacco, it finds, results from 

 an agent within the plant. Diseases of the sugar beet are being studied, 

 and also diseases of forest trees. 



Division of Pomology. — The most important work of this Division 

 during the 3^ ear was that connected with our fruit exhil)it at the Paris 

 Exposition, which excelled all other countries in many respects, being 

 continuous from the opening to the close; horticultural implements, 

 seeds, plants, fruits, etc., were shown. Seventeen States were repre- 

 sented in the apple exhibit; the apples were kept in cold storage from 



