REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 67 



of new varieties exceeds that of any former undertaking. There 

 are in this collection over 25,000 distinct specimens or varieties. 



The peanut investigations have caused rapid extension of the 

 industry. From a beginning of a few hundred acres in 1908 the 

 crop this year will require more than 300,000 acres in the Gulf States 

 alone, where prior to the time mentioned no commercial industry 

 existed. 



GREENHOUSES, GARDENS, AND GROUNDS. 



Two additional greenhouses of a temporary nature were added 

 during the year, one being used to care for the citrus-fruit collection 

 and another for physical investigations. A number of the worn-out 

 asphalt walks in the grounds were replaced and worn portions of the 

 macadam roads repaired. In order to avoid any possibility of dan- 

 ger from frost should there be a break in the underground heating 

 main from the central power plant, two large second-hand boilers 

 were installed adjacent to the greenhouses. Much attention was 

 given to the lawns adjoining the department buildings in order to 

 maintain them in good condition. A number of additions were made 

 to the ornamental plantings upon the grounds. 



OFFICIAL COTTON GRADES. 



The preparation and distribution of the nine official grades of 

 white American cotton, as provided by law, has been an important 

 feature of the work of the Office of Plant Technology. These grades 

 have been officially adopted as the basis of their operations by nine 

 cotton exchanges, while the New England Cotton Buyers' Associa- 

 tion and the Arkwright Club have agreed to make them the basis 

 of all their purchases. 



A meeting of the Southern Cotton Buyers' Association was held, 

 in Memphis, Tenn., at which it was unanimously agreed that the 

 official grades would be made the basis of all quotations to these 

 New England organizations. The representatives of several ex- 

 changes which have not formally adopted the official grades partici- 

 pated in this action. 



The official grades have now been on sale for a little more than one 

 year, and the number of orders received in the last half of this period 

 is one-third greater than in the first half. Because of the increased 

 demand and the perfection of facilities for the preparation of the 

 grades, it has been found practicable to reduce the price of a full 

 set to $30. 



The work of placing 50 sets of these grades in vacuum storage for 

 use as working duplicates in future years is being actively prose- 

 cuted. It is believed that by this means it will be possible to preserve 

 indefinitely the exact standard which was originally adopted. Tliis 



