26 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



tion already has attained a magnitude of 40 million bushels in a 

 single year. 



Two new pure lines of Kherson oats have been developed in 

 cooperation with the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station and 

 have been widely distributed in Iowa and adjoining corn-belt States. 

 A large number of tests by farmers have shown a 10 per cent increase 

 in yield over the varieties previously grown. Their adoption for 

 the entire oat acreage of Iowa probably would result in an increase 

 in production in that State alone of from 12 to 15 million bushels. 



A systematic study of the soy bean, with a view to determine the 

 relative adaptability of varieties to regions, the best methods of 

 culture, harvesting, and threshing, and the uses to which it can be 

 put, has been under way for several years. This study has thrown 

 much light on its economic possibilities. It not only produces forage 

 for live stock, but oil for various uses can be obtained from the seed, 

 and meal, flour, and other food products can be made from the 

 resulting cake. Through the efforts of the department, cotton-oil 

 mills crushed during the past season over 100,000 bushels of south- 

 em-grown soy beans with satisfactory results from the oil stand- 

 point, while soy-bean flour, or meal, and other food products made 

 from the resulting cake, are being marketed by several manu- 

 facturers. 



As the soy bean can be produced under widely varying climatic and 

 soil conditions, it seems certain in the future to occupy a larger and 

 more important place in our agriculture and in our food supply. 



CALIFORNIA CITRUS INDUSTRY. 



The citrus industry of California, although tracing its beginnings 

 back to individual plantings by early settlers, owes its present magni- 

 tude and commercial importance in large measure to the introduction 

 by this department many years ago of the Washington navel orange 

 from Brazil. The present production of this variety in that State 

 is estimated at approximately 27,000 carloads in a normal year, or 

 about two-thirds of the total orange shipments of the State. It has, 

 in fact, become the most important citrus-fruit variety in the world. 



The results of several years of systematic study of citrus fruits in 

 California show that important bud variations exist, even in standard 

 varieties. This factor must be taken into account in their propaga- 

 tion in order to secure maximum productiveness and quality. In 



