92 DEPARTMENTAL RErORTS. 



cultivation by the Division of Botany was devoted chiefly to the cul- 

 tivation of a largo series of plants introduced from foreign countries 

 through the Section of Seed and Plant Introduction, to field tests in 

 connection with pure seed investigations, and to the experimental cul- 

 tivation of a series of native and imported hemps. The results of 

 these experiments will be duly prepared for publication later. For 

 the present, it may be said that these grounds have enabled our force 

 of investigators to check their laboratory exiDcriments in a manner 

 which was impossible without a field for outdoor experimentation. 

 Several of the experiments have been so successful that any one of 

 them would have more than paid for the entire expense of the main- 

 tenance of the garden. Even these early ]-esults clearly Indicate that 

 the Department should maintain somewhere, convenientlj' accessible 

 to the main buildings, a permanent experimental garden. 



POISONOUS PLANTS. 



During the winter of 1899-1900 the State board of sheep commis- 

 sioners of Montana made representation to the Department of the 

 large losses of live stock on the great unfenced ranges of that State, 

 which were supposed to be due to poisonous plants, and these repre- 

 sentations were accompanied by an appeal to the Department to send 

 its exjjerts on this subject to Montana to investigate the matter and 

 prepare reports which would enable the stockmen to control their 

 losses. So great Avas the loss and so urgent, was the necessity for an 

 investigation that the stockmen of the State voluntarily agreed to 

 advance the entire cost. Fortunatelj', the Department was enabled to 

 assume these expenses, owing to the fact that a portion of the api^ro- 

 priation for botanical work for the fiscal year 1901 had been made 

 immediately available. Mr. V. K. Chesnut and Dr. E. V. Wilcox, 

 the latter temporarily transferred to the Division of Botany from the 

 Office of Experiment Stations, through the courtesy of Dr. A. C. True, 

 Director of that Office, were detailed to field work on the first of May 

 and remained in the field for two and three mouths, respectively', 

 making a thorough investigation of the plants on the open ranges and 

 detei-mining by physiological tests the nature and action of the poi- 

 sonous principles. They also ascertained a remedj^ which, for some 

 of the most important of the poisonous plants, is effective and easy 

 of application. The report of these investigations, which it is 

 expected will be read}' for publication early in the coming winter, will 

 enable the stockmen of Montana, first of all, to know and avoid the 

 poisonous species, and, secondlj^, if stock have accidentally been poi- 

 soned, to apply in some cases an effective remedy. The satisfactory^ 

 results of this investigation are due in large part to the cooperation 

 of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, the State veterina- 

 rian, and the State board of sheep commissioners. Especially do I 

 wish to acknowledge the active cooperation, assistance, and courtesy 

 of Hon. T. C. Power, chairman of that board. 



SECTION OP SEED AND PLANT INTRODUCTION. 



The office facilities for receiving and distributing foreign importa- 

 tions have been materially improved during the year. The ware- 

 house has been equipped with suitable cases easy of access and so 

 constructed as to amply protect the contents, while at the same time 

 permitting their proper classification. The records of receipt and dis- 



