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INVENTORY OF SEEDS AND PLANTS IMl'OHTED 

 BY THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN SEED AND PLANT 

 INTRODUCTION DURING THE PERIOD FROM JAN- 

 UARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1918 (NO. 54; NOS. 4.-.7(l5 

 TO 45971). 



INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. 



This fiftj^-fourth inventory represents a war-time period and i.s 

 small in numbers, but some very interesting and it is hoped valual)le 

 introductions are included in its pages. 



Perhaps the most notable collections included are those made by 

 Prof. F. C. Reimer, whose studies of pear-blight and whose search 

 after a resistant species of Pj^rus are among the most interesting oc- 

 currences in the field of plant pathology. Prof. Eeimer, at consider- 

 able financial sacrifice and personal risk, made a thorough canvass of 

 the pear situation in China and collected as a result of his work what 

 is certainly the most comprehensive assortment of oriental forms and 

 species of the genus Pj^rus (Nos. 45821 to 45850) which has ever been 

 introduced. He believes it includes the material from which in all 

 probability will be produced, by selection and breeding with the Euro- 

 pean pears, the varieties resistant to fire-blight which are adapted for 

 stocks because of their freedom from this disease. He thinks from it 

 will come the hardy varieties of pears which in time will be grown 

 in the northern Great Plains region, where pear growing is now 

 impossible, and he finds that a few varieties of these oriental pears 

 are sufficiently good in quality to warrant their use without improve- 

 ment in those regions where the fire-blight has hitherto made pear 

 growing unprofitable. 



Pyrus hetulaefolia X phaeocarpa he found growing on dry hill- 

 sides, on the plains, and even in ponds where for a large part of the 

 year water covered its roots a foot deep. This hybrid is found from 

 extreme northern China to the Yangtze Kiver. This may be useful 

 in America as a stock, since it is used in this way in China. It is 

 unfortunately not blight resistant, however, but since tliis disease does 

 not exist, so far as known, in Europe it may be more valuable there. 



Pyrus calleryana Prof. Reimer gathered from its northernmost 

 limit, central Chosen (Korea). Pyi^s pJuieocarpa becomes a tree 



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