164 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



of Florida. The leaves and twigs of the camphor tree, utilized in 

 the production of camphor gum, have been successfully harvested 

 from 2,000 acres of trees by means of the camphor-harvesting ma- 

 chine devised by this bureau. The labor cost of transplanting the 

 young trees from seed bed to field has been -materially reduced by the 

 use of suitably modified transplanting machines. Under the usual 

 conditions of planting camphor seed the germination is very poor. 

 It has been determined that seed from which the pulp has been re- 

 moved just before planting will produce approximately 20 times 

 as many plants as an equal quantity of seed planted without having 

 the pulp removed. 



DISTRIBUTION OF NEW AND RARE FIELD SEEDS. 



A distribution of new and rare field seeds w^as made throughout 

 the entire United States, having for its object the dissemination of 

 seed of new and rare field crops, seed of improved strains of staple 

 crops, and high-grade seed of crops new to sections where the data 

 of the department indicate such crops to be of considerable promise. 

 Each package contained a sufficient quantity of seed for a satisfac- 

 tory field trial, and the recipient was urged to use the seed, if feasible, 

 for the production of stocks for future plantings. A report card and 

 a circular giving full directions for the culture of the crop accom- 

 panied each package of seed. 



Only seed of new crops or of improved strains of standard crops 

 were distributed, including the following: Dakota-grown, Grimm, 

 Kansas-grown, and Peruvian alfalfas; yellow and white sweet clo- 

 vers; Brabham, Groit, and Early Buff varieties of cowpeas; feterita; 

 Bangalia, Carleton, and Liberty (Kaiser) field peas; Natal grass 

 and Rhodes grass; Dwarf Blackhull kafir; Kursk millet; Freed, 

 Dakota Amber, Red Amber, and Sumac sorghums; Biloxi, Black 

 Eyebrow, Ito San, Mammoth Yellow, Manchu, Tokio, Virginia, and 

 Wilson-Five varieties of soy beans; Sudan grass; Georgia and 

 Osceola varieties of velvet beans; and Acala, Columbia, Dixie, Du- 

 rango, Holdon, Lone Star, and Trice varieties of cotton. 



During the year 218,918 packages of new and rare field seeds were 

 distributed, including 79,585 packages of cotton seed. Gratifying 

 results were obtained, indicating that by enabling a farmer to secure 

 seed of new and improved crops in sufficient quantity to produce 

 stocks for future seeding the crops of the country are gradually 

 improved. 



CONGRESSIONAL SEED DISTRIBUTION. 



During the fiscal year 1918 there were distributed on congressional 

 and miscellaneous requests 11,165,709 packages of vegetable seed and 

 2,188,818 packages of flower seed, or a total of 13,354,527 packages, 

 each containing 5 packets of different kinds of seed. There were also 

 distributed 12,473 packages of lawn-grass seed and 11,110 packages 

 of improved narcissus and tulip bulbs. The seeds and bulbs were 

 purchased on competitive bids, as heretofore. Each lot of seed pur- 

 chased was thoroughly tested for purity and viability before accept- 

 ance by the department, and tests of each lot were conducted on the 

 department's trial grounds to determine trueness to type. 



