140 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



report and to determine its range of adaptability. Early-maturing 

 strains have been isolated for the northern part of the region 

 infested by the earworm. 



FRUIT IMPROVEMENT THROUGH BUD SELECTION. 



The improvement of fruits through bud selection has made excel- 

 lent progress the past year, especially along certain lines. Notable 

 among these features is the establishment the past spring of two 

 experimental lemon groves. One of these is located on a ranch 

 at Corona, Cal., in fulfillment of a plan which was developed 

 several years ago, and the other is located on the property of the 

 citrus experiment station of the University of California at Elver- 

 side, The planting at Corona consists of 11^ acres; that at the citrus 

 experiment station of 5 acres. Both of these experimental orchards 

 are planted with progeny trees propagated from selected parent 

 trees having the best production records in the performance-record 

 blocks. For comparison with trees so propagated certain trees have 

 been planted that were propagated from parent trees having inferior 

 performance records. The trees planted in these two orchards are 

 different strains of the Eureka. Lisbon, and Villafranca lemon varie- 

 ties. The plan is to keep accurate performance records of these 

 progeny trees for a series of years after they come into bearing. 



From a commercial standpoint the bud-selection w^ork has made 

 great progress in California. As a result of this work the California 

 Fruit Growers' Exchange established a bud-selection department, the 

 object of this move being the supplying of reliable buds of superior 

 strains of citrus varieties grown in California to citrus growers and 

 nurserymen. 



NEW HYBRID COWPEAS. 



Extensive breeding work with cow^peas is being continued. This 

 work, involving several hundred hybrid selections and introduc- 

 tions, has given several new sorts, viz, the Potomac, Arlington, Colum- 

 bia, White Hybrid, and Buff, which are being grown in quantity for 

 distribution. Hybridization work with varieties especially suited 

 for food purposes has been increased to a very considerable extent. 

 Extensive field work is being continued w^ith hybrids, especially on the 

 wilt and nematode lands of the Southern States. Two hj^brid selec- 

 tions, unnamed as yet, and crosses between the Groit and Brabham 

 varieties have been found highly resistant to both nematodes and 

 wilt and are superior to other sorts for the production of seed and 

 forage. These two selections are being grown in quantity for more 

 extensive field tests in 1919. 



NEW STRAINS OF TIMOTHY. 



The work in timothy breeding is conducted in cooperation with 

 the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, at Elyria, Ohio. Pure 

 strains of timothies which give promise of being more valuable than 

 ordinary timothy have been developed, and of some of these sufficient 

 seed has been obtained for distribution. 



IMPROVED VARIETIES OF SOY BEANS. 



The increasing utilization of the soy bean as food and in numerous 

 manufactured products has resulted in an increased public interest 



