58 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



ill tlie texture and otlicr ([ualities of tlie leaf. It is i)laiined to devote 

 considerable attention to tlie diseases of tobacco also, particularly 

 tliose in which the nutrition of the plant is involved. The most seri- 

 ous troubles affectiuii^ tobacco are those due to the derangement of the 

 functions of the plant, wliich are, in a large measure, due to methods 

 of culture, particularly those pertaining to the supplj^ of food. 



The work on the Pacific coast is being continued along lines similar 

 to those of last year. The growing importance of the agricultural 

 and horticultural interests on the coast, and the wide variety of ques- 

 tions that are constantly demanding attention mal^e it almost a neees- 

 sitj' to enlarge the scope of the work. There have been requests from 

 orange growers, from sugar-beet growers, and from several other 

 interests to undertake work which with present facilities it is not 

 practicable to do. The work planned for the current year covers as 

 many of these questions as the helj) at hand will permit, but it is 

 hoped to materially enlarge the scojje of this work another year. 



The work planned on plants under glass has for its object the obtain- 

 ing of better knowledge of many of the diseases and the elucidation 

 of problems which will establish some of the more important principles 

 underlying plant growth. Much interest has been aroused in the efforts 

 of the Division to obtain reliable data as to the status of this work in 

 the United States. It is planned to continue the collecting of such 

 data relative to the growth and development of the industry as will 

 enable the Department to ascertain the practical value of some of the 

 lines of work it is carrying on. Obviously the first requisite to induce 

 the adoi^tion of the Dei^artmeut's recommendation for the improve- 

 ment of methods is to be able to show conclusively that such recom- 

 mendations really mean an inci'ease in i)rofits. To be able to discuss 

 the question of profits intelligently a knowledge of the important con- 

 ditions controlling the same must be at hand. This is the main object 

 of the work in collecting information as to the yield of crops, the area 

 of glass, and other questions of a similar nature. 



The work on tlie diseases of forest trees will be carried on during 

 the year on the same plan of cooperation between the Division of 

 Forestr}^ and the Sliaw School of Botany as has heretofore existed. 

 The special agent has been detailed to visit the Pacific coast and to 

 make as thorough studies of the important diseases affecting the tim- 

 ber trees of the region as time will permit. He will also continue the 

 work on the root rot of fruit and other trees. The experiments in the 

 breeding of resistant stocks will be continued, and laboratory investi- 

 gations will be inaugurated for the purpose of obtaining further 

 information on the cause of the trouble. 



The work on cotton will be continued, principally in the field, and 

 the same is true of the little peach disease and a number of other 

 serious troubles affecting pomaceous fruits. 



