68 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUi^TUKE. 



CORN INVESTIGATIONS. 



The corn work has been of greater value and of greater interest 

 than in any other year. It has brought out the possibihties of the 

 crop, which is already by far the most valuable one of the country, 

 but which, when better understood and better cared for, will more 

 than double its value. 



The breeding of early maturing varieties of corn for the Northern 

 States and the greater interest in corn growing in the Southern States 

 are rai)idly increasing the acreage planted to this crop. The acreage 

 in 1909, greater than that of any previous year, was 5 per cent less 

 than that of 1910. The tests of the last two years show that the rich 

 delta lands of the Mississippi River are well adapted to corn gro\ving, 

 and conditions there are such that the crop can be harvested and 

 shipped advantageously and in a drier condition than northern-grown 

 corn. 



The production last year of 100 bushels of corn per acre on large 

 tracts and over 200 bushels on contest acres in States that aA'crage 

 25 bushels or less to the acre is sufficient argument in favor of more 

 intensive corn culture. 



The past year has marked a great improvement in regard to corn 

 contests. Competitors generally have come to realize that he is the 

 most successful who produces good corn most profitably without 

 injury to his land. It is gratifying to note that awards for highest 

 and most profitable 3delds are taking the place of awards for most 

 uniform and most beautiful ears. 



TOBACCO INVESTIGATIONS. 



The tobacco investigations have included work with most of the 

 principal cigar, manufacturing, and export types, covering ten of the 

 leading tobacco-growing States. In addition to special problems in 

 harvesting, curing, fermentation, and the control of diseases, there 

 are three broad problems in tobacco culture wliich have received 

 special attention, namely, the production of improved types by 

 breeding and selection, the determination of the best use of fertilizers, 

 and the development of systems of crop rotation best adapted to the 

 production of tobacco from the standpoint of both quality and yield. 



In the Broadleaf belt of the Connecticut Valley it has been shown 

 that the use of phosphates more readily available than those ordinarily 

 appHed by growers gives a marked increase in the yield of tobacco. 

 Further experiments in the steam sterilization- of seed beds indicate 

 that in addition to destroying weed seeds and fungous diseases tliis 

 treatment reduces the injury from the mosaic or calico disease, one of 

 the most widespread troubles affecting any crop plant. The value 

 of the system devised by the Department of introducing artificial 



