132 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Agricultural Technology N. A. Cobb, Technologist in Charge. 



Biophysical Investigations Lyman J. Briggs, Biophysicist in Charge. 



Seed - Testing Laboratories ; En- 

 forcement of Seed-Importation 

 Act E. Brown, Botanist in Charge. 



Cereal Investigations M. A. Carleton, Cerealist in Charge. 



Corn Investigations C. P. Hartley, Physiologist in Charge. 



Tobacco Investigations W. W. Garner, Physiologist in Charge. 



Paper-Plant Investigations .Directed by C. J. Brand, Chief of Office of 



Markets and Rural Organization. 



Alkali and Drought Resistant 



Plant Investigations T. H. Kearney, Physiologist in Charge. 



Sugar-Plant Investigations C. O. Townseud, Pathologist in Charge. 



Economic and Systematic Botany Frederick V. Coville, Botanist in Charge. 



Dry-Land Agriculture Investigations-E. C. Chilcott, Agriculturist in Charge. 



Western Irrigation Agriculture C. S. Scofield, Agriculturist in Charge. 



Horticultural and Pomological In- 

 vestigations L.'C. Corbett, Horticulturist in Charge. 



Arlington Experimental Farm E. C. Butterfield, Assistant Horticulturist 



in Charge. 



Gardens and Grounds E. M. Byrnes, Assistant in Charge. 



Foreign Seed and Plant Introduc- 

 tion David Fairchild, Agricultural Explorer in 



Charge. 



Forage-Crop Investigations C. V. Piper, Agrostologist in Charge. 



Congressional Seed Distribution R. A. Oakley, Agronomist in Charge. 



Demonstrations on Reclamation 



Projects F. D. Farrell, Agriculturist in Charge. 



From September 1, 1916, to August 31, 1917, the changes in the 

 personnel of the bureau were as iollows : Resignations, 735 ; deaths, 

 7; transfers from bureau, 75; furloughs, 48; terminations of appoint- 

 ments, 575 ; making a total of 1,440 employees dropped from the rolls 

 during that period. There have been made in the same period 1,515 

 appointments, increasing the total force of the bureau by 75. On 

 September 1, 1917, the numerical strength of the bureau was as 

 follows: In Washington, 991; outside of Washington, 1,364; of 

 which 398 were engaged in the cooperative work on the eradication 

 and control of citrus canker and 148 in the cooperative work on the 

 eradication and control of white-pine blister rust ; total, 2,355. The 

 total number of employees in the bureau on the same date a year 

 ago was 2,280. 



The activities of the bureau during the past year are outlined more 

 or less fully in the 30 technical papers appearing in the Journal of 

 Agricultural Research, 6 papers in the Yearbook, 25 Office Circulars, 

 44 Department Bulletins, and 27 Farmers' Bulletins. Certain of the 

 more striking results of the investigational work, however, that have 

 become evident during the year are here summarized. 



PLANT PATHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



COTTON DISEASES. 



The control of cotton wilt has been further extended through the 

 wide cultivation of the wilt-resistant variety Dixie. Detailed reports 

 from 10 cooperative breeders show that their gains last season due 

 to the increased yield of the Dixie over other varieties on wilt- 

 infected land amounted to over $21,000. Sixty other growers reported 

 a total gain of $46,000. Several thousand farmers are now growing 



