REPORT OF THE ACTING CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF 



PLANT INDUSTRY. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 Washington^ D. 6*., September 24-, 1918. 

 Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the work 

 of the Bureau of Plant Industry for the fiscal year ended June 30, 

 1918. 



Respectfully, 



K. F. Kellerman, 

 Acting Chief of Bureau, 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture, 



WORK AND ORGANIZATION OF THE BUREAU. 



The Bureau of Plant Industry undertakes the study and economic 

 solution of plant problems, especially in relation to crop production 

 and utilization. These activities include the improvement of useful 

 plants by breeding and cultural methods, the investigation of de- 

 structive plant diseases and the development of methods for their 

 control, the introduction and acclimatization of new plants from 

 other parts of the world, the extension of the use of valuable crops 

 and the development of improved methods for their utilization, the 

 determination of both agronomic and economic crop relationships, 

 and the meeting of emergencies incident to crop production as they 

 arise from time to time throughout the country. 



Since the questions of maintenance or increase of production of 

 staple food and feed crops assume unusual importance under war 

 conditions, a considerable expansion in the field activities of the 

 bureau has been necessary. In developing this work different divi- 

 sions of the bureau have cooperated actively with other Federal and 

 State agencies. The work of the bureau during the year has been 

 carried on with the following organization : 



Laboratory of Plant Pathology Erwin F. Smitli, Pathologist in Charge. 



Pathological Collections Flora W. Patterson, Mycologist in Charge. 



Fruit-Disease Investigations M. B. Waite, Pathologist in Charge. 



Investigations in Forest Pathology Haven Metcalf, Pathologist in Charge. 



Citrus-Canker Eradication Directed by K. F. Kellerman, Associate Chief 



of Bureau. 



Cotton, Truck, and Forage Crop Dis- 

 ease Investigations W. A. Orton, Pathologist in Charge. 



Crop Physiology and Breeding Inves- 

 tigations \V. T. Swingle, Physiologist in Charge. 



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