BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTEY. 393 



Tobacco investigations. — In connection with the tobacco work 

 wliich is being carried on in all important tobacco-growing sections, 

 insistent demands for enlarging the work are being received from 

 several sections, including the Carolinas, as well as Kentucky and 

 Tennessee. In order to partly comply with these demands during 

 the coming year an increase of at least $5,000 will be required. 



FoRAGE-CROP INVESTIGATIONS. — Growiug out of the regular seed- 

 distribution work and now equal in importance to many of the other 

 lines of scientific research are the forage-crop investigations. The 

 present appropriation is entirely inadequate to effectively carry on 

 or J organized field work, and for this reason an increase of $15,000 

 has been estimated for. The question of suitable forage crops for 

 various sections of the country, especially in the South and in the 

 drier sections of the Northwest, is an important one. 



Investigations in economic and systematic botany. — In the esti- 

 mates submitted for the coming year an entire change in the phrase- 

 ology of this item has been recommended, as well as an increase of 

 $5,000 to enable the office to undertake important cooperative work 

 in connection with the identification and utilization of plants on the 

 forest reserves. 



Alkali and drought resistant plant breeding. — The breeding of 

 crops for the dry sections of the West has become an important factor 

 in connection with the investigations which are under way in the 

 Great Plains area, and some very promising results are being secured. 

 Studies are also being made of the relation of alkali and drought to 

 the malnutrition of irrigated orchards, which are being carried on in 

 cooperation with other offices of the bureau. A small increase has 

 been recommended for this work. 



Sugar-plant investigations. — Investigations of the diseases af- 

 fecting the sugar beet, as well as the securing of higher yielding 

 strains of sugar beets, are proving successful. During the coming 

 year it is desired to extend this work to new sections. The work 

 with sugar cane in the South is also being pushed. 



Western irrigation agriculture. — The demands for help from 

 the settlers on the new irrigation projects are very pressing, and nu- 

 merous problems have arisen which will require extensive study. In 

 order to be in position to furnish the advice and assistance which is 

 needed, additional funds will be required. One important feature of 

 the work has been the development of the growing of Eg}'ptian cot- 

 ton in the Southwest, and during the coming year it is proposed to 

 establish the industry upon a sound commercial basis if possible. 



Pomological investigations. — Little attention has heretofore been 

 given to a study of the factors affecting the shipment of fruit abroad, 

 our attention having been largely confined to a study of the domestic 

 marketing, transportation, and storage of fruit, the demand for defi- 

 nite scientific information alon^ these lines being very great. During 

 the coming year it is proposed to devote particular attention to the 

 problems affecting the exportation of fruit. With the increasing 

 production of apples and other fruits in this country, the value of 

 such investigations will be apparent. To carry on this work a sub- 

 stantial increase will be necessary. 



