62 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



nectecl with the growth of crops in the alkaline soils which form so 

 considerable a proportion of the irrigated area of the Western United 

 States. This work is being carried on jointly by the plant-breeding 

 laboratory and the physiological laboratory, under the direction of 

 Mr. T. H. Kearney. The work has two principal objects in view: 

 First, the securing by breeding and selection of alkali-j-esistant plants, 

 and, second, physiological experiments for the pvirpose of obtaining 

 facts of a scientific nature which Avill throw light on many problems 

 connected with the effect of alkali on plant growth. At i^resent the 

 work is confined mainly to efforts in the matter of securing alkali- 

 resistant crops of particular value to arid and semiarid regions. 

 Alfalfa is receiving special attention. After a long search in different 

 alfalfa-growing regions a small quantity of seed was obtained last 

 summer from i)lants which showed themselves to be exceptionally 

 resistant to alkaline soil. This seed is being used as a basis for further 

 selections, although it is yet too soon to repoi-t on tlie outcome of the 

 experiment. Experiments are also under way in the matter of secur- 

 ing resistant cottons, resistant cereals, and other resistant crops. In 

 the case of the crops mentioned, the probable existence in other coun- 

 tries of varieties in which the quality of resistance has become fixed 

 by cultivation in alkaline soils during many generations must be taken 

 into consideration. The procuring of such varieties wherever they 

 can be found and their adaptation to conditions here by selection, and 

 possibly by crossing with varieties already growing in this country, is 

 an important subject for investigation. 



CEREAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



This work falls chiefly in three lines: First, the establishment of 

 introduced varieties of grain in cooperation with Congressional seed 

 and plant introduction; second, the development of new varieties of 

 wheat through breeding, cooperating with tlie plant-breeding labora- 

 tory; third, cooperative work with State experiment stations in field 

 experiments with cereals. The investigations are in charge of Mr. 

 M. A. Carleton, who has given special attention during the year to 

 the following crops : 



Macaroni wheat. — The continuation during the past year of the 

 work already undertaken with macaroni wheats has now practically 

 resulted in establishing the macaroni wheat industry in the Great 

 Plains i-egion of this country. In so far as the matter of ijroduction 

 is concerned the problem is now prettj^ well settled. From tlie manu- 

 facturers' standpoint it will be necessary, however, to interest a few 

 more millers in taking up the work of preparing this wheat for the 

 macaroni factories. Encouraging results have been obtained in this 

 direction, and a number of large mills in the Northwest have signified 

 a desire to take up the woi-k. The use of macaroni wheat will extend 

 the wheat area much farther westward than before, over districts of 

 great extent, even beyond the one hundredth meridian, where it was 

 not considered possible to grow any wheat at all. On the basis of this 

 great increase of yield per acre and of area devoted to wheat, it is a 

 conservative statement to say that the entire average wheat production 

 of the country is likely to be increased in the course of four or five 

 years to from oO,000,o6(i to 50,000,000 bushels per annum, which, at 

 average prices, would make an increase in money value to the wheat 



