DIVISION OF POMOLOGY. 63 



increase in the appropriation for pomologieal investigations to render 

 this possible early in the calendar year 1901. 



Some of the most serions i)rol3lems that confront the fruit grower 

 are those connected with the questions of harvesting, packing, and 

 marketing the product. This has been found especially true in i-ela- 

 tion to the export trade in fresh fruits. In numerous instances efforts 

 to increase the sale and use of American fresh fruits in foreign mar- 

 kets have failed through the imperfect understanding that exists 

 among growers, packers, and shippers, as well as transportation com- 

 panies and their employees, in regard to the requirements of the 

 markets to be supplied and the methods of harvesting, packing, 

 storing, and shipping necessary to meet those requirements. The 

 development of that steady demand which is necessary to build up 

 trade is in many cases retarded bj' the variability in condition of con- 

 signments on arrival. A shipment which arrives perfectly sound and 

 in every respect satisfactory is f requentl}^ followed by one or more 

 that arrive in bad condition. The result is loss of confidence in the 

 reliability of American fruit as a staple article of trade and a disas- 

 trous lowering of prices. For these reasons it seems highly important 

 that provision be made for a careful study of methods of harvesting, 

 packing, storing, and transporting fresh fruits, both at home and 

 abroad, with special reference to the development of the exi^ort trade 

 in them. Authority to make experimental. shipments should also be 

 provided for in this connection. In addition to the immediate bene- 

 ficial effect resulting from such an investigation, it would have a direct 

 bearing on the selection of varieties for the commercial orchards now 

 beiiig planted in many sections of the country, and thus exercise 

 an important influence on the character of the commercial fruit suj)- 

 ply of the next tAvo decades. It is therefore stronglj^ urged that pro- 

 vision be made for the prosecution of this work during the coming 

 fiscal year. 



What is in some respects the most important work of this Division, 

 namelj', the accurate mapping of the districts adapted to the com- 

 mercially profitable culture of the important fruits, still remains 

 practicall}' untouched, and can not be undertaken until a larger ap- 

 propriation is available. Thousands of acres of trees and vines are 

 annually planted on soils and sites manifestly unsuital)le because of 

 adverse conditions of soil or climate or of the prevalence of disastrous 

 diseases. The data obtainable at the present time bearing upon this 

 question consist chiefly of disconnected reports from growers more or 

 less isolated, and until systematic field work can be undertaken accu- 

 rate outlining of fruit districts is impossible. On the other hand, a 

 rapid personal survey of doubtful areas by skilled observers, in con- 

 nection with the accumulated data, and such incidental investigations 

 of soils, prevailing i^lant diseases, and perhaj)s of injurious in. ects as 

 may be found necessary, would yield results of immediate and great 

 value to fruit growers. This work should be undertaken at an early 

 date by this Division, in cooperation with the Divisions of Soils and 

 Vegetable Physiology and Pathology and the State experiment sta- 

 tions, and I would respectfully recommend that a sufiicient increase 

 in appropriation be included in the estimates to make a beginning 

 of such work possible during the coming fiscal year. 



