270 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Quite a number of seedling figs, dates, and other plants have been 

 grown for distribution among the Indians. As in the case of other 

 cooperators. these Indians are expected to grow a certain number 

 of seedlings for every named variety given them. This means that 

 they will be breeding new varieties at the same time that they are 

 testing the old and well-known varieties. 



Date culture. — Cooperative date orchards are now maintained 

 in Texas, Arizona, and California. The first offshoots were sent to 

 these gardens in 1899 and the first large planting made in 1900. 

 The success of date culture is now assured in all three States, and 

 hundreds of private growers are cooperating with the bureau in test- 

 ing imported varieties and in breeding new types. 



The larger cooperative gardens at Tempe, Ariz., and Mecca, Cal., 

 have both produced large quantities of choice dates. Several tons 

 were produced last year, and a good crop is expected this year. 



The investigations of the University of Arizona have brought to 

 light a new method of ripening dates, and this has been modified and 

 in some ways improved for use under Californian conditions. This 

 discovery enables certain late varieties to be ripened artificially and 

 to be marketed with great success. 



The artificial ripening of dates places the culture. of this fruit on 

 an entirely new plane in a State like Texas, where the ordinary va- 

 rieties are subject to injury by the early rains in autumn. Late- 

 ripening sorts which can not pass through this rainy season can now 

 be grown with the assurance that the fruit when once it attains full 

 size can be ripened artifically within 24 hours. 



Inasmuch as plantings of dates are now being made on a con- 

 siderable scale, it becomes necessary to test all obtainable sorts 

 which have an established reputation in European or American 

 markets. Arrangements have been made with the Office of Foreign 

 Seed and Plant Introduction to secure the varieties which have not 

 yet been introduced into this country. 



The introduction of varieties of laiown value is a matter of the 

 greatest importance, since the date palm, unlike ordinary fruit trees, 

 can not be grafted, and if by any chance the wrong varieties should 

 be planted "the orchard is likely to prove a total loss. With most 

 growers this would prove a financial disaster, since the cost of im- 

 ported offshoots is high, and it involves considerable expense to bring 

 them into bearing. 



ACCLIMATIZATION AND ADAPTATION OF COTTON, CORN, AND 



OTHER CROPS. 



The investigations directed toward the acclimatization and adap- 

 tation of varieties of cotton, corn, and other crop plants that have 

 originated in tropical countries have continued under the general 

 supervision of Mr. O. F. Cook, assisted by Mr. G. N. Collins. Dif- 

 ferent branches of the field investigations are conducted by J. H. 

 Kinsler, F. L. Lewton, A. McLachlan, H. Pittier, and D. A. Saun- 

 ders. Particular attention is being given to the adaptive characters, 

 environmental reactions, and methods of breeding and local adjust- 

 ment of varieties of cultivated plants in order to determine the best 

 methods of improving the crops, securing increased resistance to un- 

 favorable conditions, diseases, and insect enemies, and extending the 

 range of cultivation in the United States. 



