BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 157 



New York. The total area, about 5,000 acres, is slightly in excess 

 of that of 1918. 



Hemp. — The plats of pedigree seed hemp at the Arlington Farm 

 made a record growth in 1918. two of tlie best varieties averaging 

 13 feet 5 inches and 12 feet 5 inches, respectively. More than 600 

 pounds of seed of these pedigree plants were sent out to commercial 

 growers. Some of this was sown broadcast for fiber in order to com- 

 pare it with commercial crops, but more than 300 acres were planted 

 with this seed in checks for seed production, and this should yield 

 enough for more than 4,000 acres of fiber hemp next year. 



The second-generation hybrid Ferramington, combining the height 

 and long internodes of Kymington with the earliness and heavy seed 

 j^ield of Ferrara, gives promise of a good fiber type of hemp that may 

 ripen seed as far north as Wisconsin. 



A foreign market for American hemp is being developed, and for 

 the first time in more than half a century commercial shipments of 

 hemp grown in the United States are being sent to Europe. 



Two important needs of the hemp industry in this country at the 

 present time are an efficient system of water retting which will pro- 

 duce high-grade fiber like that imported from Italy and a satisfactory 

 system of grading, so that both the producer and the manufacturer 

 may know the quality of each bale of fiber. 



FORAGE CROPS. 



RHODE ISLAND BENT. 



The preliminary tests of a new stripping machine to harvest the 

 seed of Ehode Island bent were very satisfactory. Extensive tests 

 will be conducted, and it is confidently believed that this machine 

 will insure adequate market supplies of this seed, for which there is 

 a large demand. 



NAPIER GRASS. 



Napier grass has created great enthusiasm ecpally in the extreme 

 South and in California. In Florida it is more productive on sandy 

 soils than any other grass yet found. The possibility of utilizing 

 it as a pasture crop by grazing separate fields when the grass is 18 to 

 24 inches high is being tested; also the practicability of ensiling it 

 when 6 to 8 feet high, two such crops being produced in a season. The 

 mature stems are too fibrous to be satisfactory as feed. 



SEEKING NEW CROP PLANTS ABROAD. 



The search for new crops in foreign countries was continued dur- 

 ing the year. This work was necessarily curtailed on account of war 

 conditions. Explorations in Ecuador resulted in securing something 

 like 50 new plant immigrants, among which are two avocados from 

 a high altitude which may prove cold resistant. Through foreign 

 correspondence something like 1,000 new plant immigrants were in- 

 troduced. The search for new and promising crop plants was con- 

 tinued in a limited way in China and Japan. 



NEW AVOCADOS FROM GUATEMALA. 



Twenty-three new and promising avocados have been secured from 

 Guatemala. More than 4,000 of these have been propagated, freed 



