REPOKT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 5 



ntately in a substantial decrease in the imports of this fruit, bnt will 

 doubtless augment the demand, because of the superiority of the fresh 

 over the di-ied product. Manj- of the trees introduced represent 

 varieties Avhich are sold only in the fresh state, and which tliei'efore 

 never reach the American market. Besides the date palms, Mr. 

 Swingle secured a number of valuable seeds and plants especially 

 adapted to cultivation in the arid Southwest. 



Through the services of Lieut. A. P. Hayne, of the California Heavy 

 Artillerj^ assisted by Mr. Jeremiah Rebmann, private. Company B, 

 First Nebi'aska Volunteers, a considerable collection of seeds of the 

 native and cultivated plants in the environs of ]Manila has been 

 secured. These seeds will be specially valuable to the residents of 

 Porto Rico and the Territory of Hawaii. 



Mr. M. G. Kalns visited the Bermuda Islands to investigate the 

 possibility of successfully introducing into this country the cultivation 

 of the Bermuda lily and other bulbs. 



Through the generosity of Hon. Barbour Lathroj), of Chicago, the 

 Department of Agriculture has been made the recipient of a large 

 collection of seeds and plants from the AVest Indies, South America, 

 Europe, Asia, and the East Indies, the result of an exploring expedi- 

 tion which lasted from December, 1898, to September, 1900. He was 

 accompanied by Mr. D. G. Fairchild, formerly special agent in charge 

 of this Section. This expedition procured over 450 separate items of 

 seeds and plants. A vast fund of information was also secured for 

 the Department concerning the most desirable commercial products 

 of the countries visited, the introduction of which would be benefi- 

 cial commercially to the farmers of the United States. Some of the 

 many importations of seeds and plants made through the efforts of 

 Mr. Lathrop have already proved to be of decided value to the farm- 

 ers of the United States. The warm thanks of the Department are 

 due to this public-spirited citizen. 



About 100,000 pounds of imported and domestic seeds, together with 

 large numbers of cuttings, scions, and plants, were distributed 

 through this office. One of the most promising importations of the 

 year has been the Jannovitch cotton, secured in Egypt by Messrs. 

 Lathrop and Fairchild. About 2,000 pounds of seed have been placed 

 among some 1,100 experimenters in the cotton States. The plants 

 are more resistant to diseases than either the sea-island or the upland 

 varieties. As Egyptian cotton does not compete with either of the 

 latter, the successful establishment of this crop in any portion of the 

 United States would mean an increase in the total market value of 

 the cotton crop. The Jannovitch does not seem to be as productive as 

 the best American cottons, but this defect may be remedied hy selec- 

 tion. 



A large number of seeds and plants have been imported for cooper- 

 ative experiments conducted by the various Divisions of the Depart- 



