Department of Plant-Breeding. 53 



recommendations. 



The work of this department has entirely outgrown its quarters and 

 it is necessary that room be provided or else the work must be very much 

 contracted. As stated in a previous report, this department was organ- 

 ized after the rooms in the present building were all assigned and tem- 

 porary quarters were found on the top floor of the Agronomy building, 

 but these have proven far too small. The department as originally 

 organized consisted of one professor and one assistant professor, while 

 now it essentially represents two departments, namely the teaching and 

 the experimental divisions, and is composed of one professor, two assist- 

 ant professors, and three assistants. 



A large number of graduate students have applied for work each 

 year, and some of the most important investigations are being conducted 

 by such students. It is very important that all such students should be 

 accommodated, but it is impossible at present to give room to all of the 

 advanced students taking work in this department. Some are obliged to 

 obtain their material from the laboratory and do their work somewhere 

 outside, which is a great hindrance to their work as well as to the depart- 

 ment conducting the work. 



Another important need is a suitable room for storing the seeds 

 which are accumulated in plant-breeding work. At the present time no 

 suitable place is available for such storage. The department should 

 have at its disposal a fire-proof room where all material of this nature 

 can be housed. There is always a possibility of fire, which in a very 

 short time could destroy all of the seed and hence all of the results of 

 many of our most important investigations. After an experiment has 

 been conducted for several years it would be very disastrous should such 

 a misfortune take place. In addition to the above, it is also very neces- 

 sary that a fire-proof vault or safe be placed at the disposal of the 

 department for the safe-keeping of the vast amount of data that are 

 constantly accumulating. 



In addition to a fire-proof seed room, there should be a suitable mouse- 

 proof, cold-storage cellar suitable for storing root crops during the winter. 

 At present there is nothing of the sort available for the storing of our 

 potatoes and like crops, and it is with great difficulty that we are able to 

 save seed over winter. 



In making a survey of the situation, it seems advisable at this time 

 to propose that certain departments in the Agronomy building, which 

 can move easily, be given temporary quarters in some of the new build- 

 ings, appropriations for which have already been received. The Agronomy 

 building seems to be the most congested part of the agricultural group. 



HARRY H. LOVE, 

 Assistant Professor of Plant-Breeding Investigations, 



