84 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



muda grass for this section of the country being readily apparent to 

 anyone watching the growth of these grasses on the experimental plats 

 of the grass garden. St. Lncie grass has also made a better showing 

 than Bermuda grass, particularly in the quality of turf afforded. The 

 stock procured from Florida has survived the past two winters. Buf- 

 falo grass has maintained the reputation accorded to it in previous 

 reports and continued to attract much attention from visitors. The 

 possibility of introducing this valuable pasture grass into cultivation 

 is here fully demonstrated. Interesting and valuable results have 

 also been secured from a number of saltbushes, notably the annual 

 saltbush, Australian saltbush, mealy or gray saltbush, spreading salt- 

 bush {Atriplex Umbata), and velvety saltbush {Atriplex veluflnella) 

 among the introduced sorts, and shadscale and SAveetsage of the native 

 varieties. 



A point of great value to farmers desiring a continued series of 

 crops for soiling has been brought out in our stud}' of the soy bean. 

 This crop comes readily from the seed sown at almost any time during 

 the growing season and is not easilj^ injured by frost; thus it is pos- 

 sible to liave soy-bean forage from early summer until the approacli 

 of freezing weather. Japanese barnyard millet has also shown itself 

 admirably adapted for use as a soiling crop. 



The limited space on the Department grounds that can be used as a 

 grass garden has made it impossible to do as mucli as was wished with 

 certain forage crops, more especially the large and coarse-growing 

 annuals. In order to meet this lack of space, a piece of land on the 

 Potomac Flats was prepared and nearly 500 plats of various plants 

 were planted in the spring of 1000. These include an extended list of 

 varieties, many of which were secured in foreign countries through 

 the agricultural exj)lorers of the Section of Seed and Plant Introduc- 

 tion. The results obtained with certain varieties of millets, sorghums, 

 teosinte, velvet bean, soy bean, vetches, and other legumes are espe- 

 cially noteworthy, and Avill be published in detail later. Seed of a 

 number of the varieties has been secured for distribution. 



FIELD WORK. 



During the past j'ear field work lias been carried on both by mem- 

 bers of the regular staff and by special agents appointed for the pur- 

 pose, in Washingtou, Oregon, and California, in Maine and Massa- 

 chusetts, and in Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas. In t*hese field 

 investigations special attention was given to the study of the native 

 grasses and their suitability for use in range improvement, drought- 

 resistant grass and forage jjlants, sand and soil binders, forage crops 

 suital)le for the reclamation of worn-out soils and for winter pastur- 

 age, and those suitable for lawns and pleasure grounds. A large 

 number of specimens have been collected and the seeds of varieties 

 suitable for cultivation or for range imiirovemeut secured. 



COOPERATIVE INVESTIGATIONS. 



As mentioned in my previous report, these investigations are car- 

 ried on chiefly in cooperation with individual farmers and ranchmen 

 and with the authorities of the State experiment stations. The work 

 in ransre improvement and the testing of drought-resisting forage 

 crops at Abilene, Tex., and Ilighmore, S. Dak., has been continued 



