8 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



dune in the way of getting State aid to rarry on experiments and give grape 

 growers instruc-tion in the way of preventing grape rot nnd controlling injurious 

 insects, etc. 



"We drew up petition to Legislature and secured names of five hundred 

 or so people directly interested in the matter. We had bill drawn up and intro- 

 duced by our Senator, Mr. Sisson, appropriating ?8, 000.00 for the work. This 

 passed the Senate without opposition. Mr. Pierce and I-made trip to Harrisburg 

 and appeared before Committee on Appropriations with Senator Sisson and 

 Dr. F. N. Thorpe (a largo grower here), and Prof. Jno. F. Hicks, who has had 

 charge of this work in Ohio for some years past. The committee * * * gave 

 a negative recommendation. We are utterly at loss to understand why this 

 was done, as this is a thing of great importance to thousands of people in this 

 section. 



"I enclose a copy of statistics that we got together to use before committee 

 and others who might be interested. We can give you our assurance that 

 every statement made tlierein is true to our personal knowledge. Cannot you 

 with your Department do the work for our growers that Ohio does for their 

 growers? Send an expert here. I have only from 10 to 12 acres. I do not need 

 any instruction or example as to what to do, neither does Mr. Pierce, although 

 he has about one hundred and fifty acres in grapes. There are, however, hun- 

 dreds of others who do need a practical illustration, growers who have 10 to 

 50 acres each, to whom the loss of two or three crops will mean loss of their 

 farms, homes and savings of a lifetime. Rot has appeared in every vineyard 

 in the county the 'past season and in v.-est end of county it has m.ade total 

 loss of crops. You of course know if anything is to be done, work mu.st be 

 begun in three weeks or so. 



"I hope your Department is in a position to take it up. Others will probably 

 write you. Prof. Hicks will, I know, bo glad to give you pointers that his 

 experience with the trouble in Ohio has brought him; his address is Wooster. 



"Very respectfully, 



"A I. LOOP." 



'!Vi this letter I responded as follows: 



"Harrisburg, Pa., April 2S, 1903. 

 "A. I. Loop, Esq., North East, Penna.: 



"Dear Sir: Your letter of the 21st instant is before me. I think I shall be 

 able to arrange to come to North East in company with Prof. Surface of this 

 Department, and one or more specialists in the line of Horticulture about 

 Tuesday of next week (May 5th), to meet some of your people and see what 

 can be done to help you. Can you arrange for a place of meeting, and have 

 as many of your grape growers as convenient meet us? If you can, let me know 

 at once, and I will wire you about calling meeting. 



"Very truly yours, 



"N. B. CRITCHFIELD, 

 "Secretary of Agriculture." 



I ;ii oiicc wrote to Trof. (Jt-o. ( ". Iiiitz, hotaiiist of the Pciinsvl- 

 vaiiia lv\|)crimeiit Slalion. and to Trof. -Folni F. llicics, assistant 

 botanist of the Ohio KxiMiinicnt Station. lo whom Mr. Looji referred 

 in liis Idler, asking,' tlu'in to meet me nl North East, Pa., on May 

 r>lh, at the same time direct iii;,^ that a meetlui,' of g;rape growers 



