BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTEY. 101 



Tn the distribution of all seed a special efEort was put forth to meet 

 the needs of different localities. To this end the country was divided 

 into districts for each class of seed, and only such seeds were sent 

 into each district as seemed likely to succeed and improve the agri- 

 cultural conditions therein. Owing to the fact that the contract for 

 the miscellaneous vegetable and flower seed was awarded before the 

 work was assigned to this Bureau, very little change could be made 

 in the matter of adapting the varieties to particular localities. A 

 general plan with this object in view, however, was carried out, and 

 enabled us to expedite the work in a number of ways. In the distri- 

 bution of the tobacco, cotton, sugar-beet, sorghum, and forage-crop 

 seed, special arrangements were made with a view to securing new 

 and valuable types, and these were sent out under the care of an 

 officer of the Bureau familiar with the crop in question. Thus the 

 securing and distributing of the cotton seed were placed in charge of 

 Dr. H. J. Webber, who selected the varieties, determined where these 

 varieties should be sent, and prepared the necessary instructions for 

 the planting and care of the crop. Instead of sending small packages 

 of this seed to growers, a suflBcient quantity was forwarded to enable 

 them to make a test, and arrangements were made for making records 

 on the growth of the crop and the forwarding of these records to the 

 Department. In the distribution of forage-crop seed the country was 

 districted to meet the requirements of each case. Thus brome grass 

 was sent into the Northwestern States, alfalfa to the Southwest, the 

 velvet bean into the extreme South, and the other crops after the same 

 general plan. This work proved very satisfactory, and the results 

 show that the crops distributed have been serviceable in a number of 

 ways. As a part of this general plan, special arrangements were made 

 for testing certain kinds of seed on a more extensive scale. Thus, in 

 order to encourage the growing of alfalfa, arrangements were made 

 through the Representatives of certain States to furnish the names of 

 several reliable men in each Congressional district who would plant 

 and care for an acre or more of the crop under the direction of the 

 Department. The seed was furnished, directions were given for 

 planting, and a system of records devised which would enable us to 

 follow the work. These demonstration experiments are proving val- 

 uable in showing the practicability of extending the cultivation of 

 crops whose value, so far as known, is confined to comparatively 

 limited areas. 



FOREIGN SEED AND PLANT INTRODUCTION. 



During the past jear the Department has pushed forward the lines 

 of work already begun, especiall}' the rice, wheat, and date introduc- 

 tions, which were mentioned in our last report. The efforts spent on 

 the introduction of Japanese rice and macaroni wheat have been 

 more than justified by the splendid results attained thus far, but it is 

 necessar}- to press these lines forward to completion at every point, 

 so as to leave these industries in a position where they may take care 

 of themselves and hold the ground that has been gained. 



THE INTRODUCTION OF VALUABLE CEREALS. 



The work of establishing new varieties of cereals through introduc- 

 tion from foreign countries has been carried on in close cooperation 

 with the office of Vegetable Pathological and Physiological Investiga- 



