XXX REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



tiy and other Bureaus in the Department. With a view to still further 

 increasing the value and efficac}' of this work, investigations have been 

 inaugurated having for their object the securing of information on 

 crops which are cultivated more or less intensively in various parts of 

 the United States. Special attention has been given to the cultivation 

 of plants under glass and the elucidation of problems having a bear- 

 ing on this important industry. The Experimental Garden is one of 

 the oldest branches of the Department, and since this work was inau- 

 gurated a great many valuable plants have been accumulated. These 

 have not been made as available for study as the}" might be, and for 

 this reason plans have been put in operation whereby the various collec- 

 tions on the grounds and in the greenhouses will be brought together, 

 properly labeled, and made useful for visitors and others who wish to 

 study them. 



A special feature of this work will be the development on the grounds 

 of gardens of economic plants. It is planned to bring together a con- 

 siderable number of the various native plants of the Eastern United 

 States for the purpose of showing the possibilities of utilizing these 

 plants in the simple decoration of the home and of schools. It is also 

 planned to develop various collections of economic plants, such as drug 

 and medicinal plants, and plants used in the arts and for numerous other 

 purposes. As a further line of work for this branch of the Depart- 

 ment, plans have been put in operation for securing and distributing 

 seedling trees which have more or less historic interest. There are 

 manj' historic trees in the vicinity of Washington and in the country 

 at large, and it is believed that much good can ])e done toward arousing 

 an interest in tree planting b}" distributing a limited number of these 

 trees under proper direction. The seedlings, when grown, will be sent 

 to schools in various parts of the country, and there will accompany 

 each tree a concise statement setting forth the historic events connected 

 with the tree itself and the growing of the seedling. The primary 

 object is to keep alive patriotism and to encourage a love for nature 

 and a love for home and the habit of tree planting. 



THE ARLINGTON FARM. 



The work on the Arlington Farm during the past j^ear has been 

 greatly increased. A considerable portion of the land has been 

 drained, and during the year a thorough survey was made and the 

 ground was platted, so that it was found practicable to begin the real 

 work of experimentation. This farm, previous to its acquisition by the 

 Department, was used for many years as a grazing area for horses 

 and mules not in service, belonging to the War Department. In gen- 

 eral it was fairly well covered with blue-grass sod, but many shrubs 

 and trees had grown up to interfere with cultivation. The trees and 

 shrubs were removed, the sod plowed and put into condition for the 



