454 ANNUAL REPORTS OP DEPARTMENT OF AflRICULTURE. 



EXPERIMENTAL GARDENS AND GROUNDS. 



The work of caring for tlie greenhouses and grounds of the depart- 

 ment has been continued in charge of Mr. E. M. Byrnes. 



Grkenhousr OPERATIONS. — Such repairs were made to the older 

 range of greenhouses as was necessary to keep them in first-class 

 condition. 



The 27 greenhouses are devoted to the following work: The propa- 

 gation of trees, plants, and fruits collected by the Office of Foreign 

 Seed and Plant Introduction; general hybridization work; seed test- 

 ing; experimental Avork with collections of citrus and other tropical 

 fruits; propagation of plants for ornamenting the grounds of the 

 department and those ot the Weather Bureau, for miscellaneous ex- 

 perimental work, and for special congressional distribution; experi- 

 mental work with vegetables; experimental work with florists' crops, 

 including 2,71G roses (9 varieties), 4,895 cainations (G varieties), 

 1,805 hj'brid seedling plants, 3,1G3 chrysanthemums (180 varieties) ; 

 and plant breeding work. 



The chrysanthemums were grown for our annual exhibition, the 

 interest in which increases year by year. At the close of each show 

 the flowers are cut and distributed to the hospitals in the city. 



Propagation and uistribution. — During the year 5G,000 plants (47 

 species and varieties) were propagated and distributed. In addition, 

 95,000 straAvberry plants and 27,850 grape vines were packed and 

 forwarded from our packing room. 



General improvements and caretaking. — A structure of concrete 

 for storing ice was built in the terrace slope at the west end of 

 Laboratory B; 12G square yards of concrete walks and 98 square 

 yards of concrete roads were laid in the grounds; 132-^- square yards 

 of concrete floor were laid in the boiler house; asphalt roads were 

 repaired and the macadam roads resurfaced ; lawns were treated with 

 stable manure and commercial fertilizer; the lawns were mowed and 

 their edges trimmed, replantings were made, and such other work was 

 done on the grounds as was required to maintain them in good 

 condition. 



Ornamental plantings. — Collections of 15,G00 standard sorts of 

 hyacinth, tulip, and narcissus bulbs and G,800 pansy plants were 

 planted in the beds in the autumn for display in the early spring. 

 Collections of 15,700 bedding plants (29 species and varieties) and 

 1,072 tropical plants (34 species and varieties) were planted in beds 

 in the spring. 



Plans for future work. — It is proposed (1) to construct a green- 

 house in the northeast corner of the grounds for use in drug-plant 

 investigations; (2) to remove two small greenhouses used for ex- 

 perimental work with vegetables and rebuild them as one house for 

 experimental work with alfalfa; (3) to give a coat of paint to six 

 greenhouses and to the iron picket fence on the north front of the 

 grounds; and (4) to remove the worn-out asphalt and other walks 

 from the north front of Laboratory B, fill in with topsoil, grade, and 

 seed to grass. 



The work of hybridization, experimental work with florists' crops, 

 together with the propagation of trees, plants, and shrubs, and the 



