REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 107 



the samples are suitable for the growing of blueberries; determination 

 of the nutritive constituents of cereals when grown under different 

 conditions; the determination of changes in composition of a large 

 number of varieties of barley when grown in the same locality for a 

 number of years; the determination of the plant food absorbed by 

 plants grown under different conditions, with a view especially to 

 determining the influence of crop rotation; the composition of cereals, 

 mainly barley and wheat, at different stages of growth, to determine 

 when they can be most advantageously harvested; studies on barley 

 with special reference to its malting qualities; changes in composition 

 of cereals during storage, and the translocation of plant food and the 

 elaboration of plant material during the early stages of the plant's 

 life. 



TuRPENTiXE AND ROSIN INVESTIGATIONS. — The waste in the pro- 

 duction of turpentine and rosin is very large, both in the woods and 

 at the still, and the various problems connected with their production, 

 grading, and adulteration have been made the subject of extended 

 inquiry. The errors in vogue in methods of grading rosin have 

 occasioned great loss to the producer, owing to the fact that he can 

 not know what grade of product he has obtained until the factor 

 through whom it is sold reports the same. An accurate but simple 

 and inexpensive method of grading the product at the still has been 

 devised, and its use will, it is believed, enable the turpentine farmer 

 to check the grading of his product and thus materially increase liis 

 income. The preparation of permanent rosin types, against wliich 

 those actually used in grading may be checked from time to time, is 

 being considered, as well as investigations looking to the improve- 

 ment of the quality of the rosin itself. 



The chemical control of contract supplies. — The efficacy of 

 this control of the quality of materials purchased on contract is 

 attested by the increasing demands made from the various Depart- 

 ments for such work, a total of 2,829 samples having been examined, 

 exclusive of 3,600 pieces of apparatus tested for the Bureau of Chem- 

 istry. The preparation of specifications for miscellaneous supplies 

 constitutes an important feature of the work, and renders examina- 

 tion of competitive samples in many cases unnecessary when the 

 contracts are let on the bases thus established. The distribution 

 of the work includes colors, paints, varnishes, oils, fats and waxes, 

 soaps, and typewriter ribbons among the largest classes of materials 

 examined. 



BUREAU OF SOILS. 

 SOIL SURVEY. 



The Bureau of Soils has vigorously prosecuted the study of the soil 

 resources of the United States during the past year through both field 

 service and laboratories. 



