LETTER OF TRAXSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Plant Industry, 



Office of the Chief, 



WasMngto7i, D. C, April 19, 1907. 



Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a technical paper enti- 

 tled "American Varieties of Garden Beans," preparetl by W. W. 

 Tracy, jr., Assistant Botanist, Vegetable Testing Gardens, and to 

 recommend that it be published as Bulletin No. 109 of the series of 

 this Bureau. 



In Bulletins Nos. 21 and 69 of the Bureau of Plant Industry refer- 

 ence is made to the increasing number of vegetable varieties and to the 

 need of some established standard of excellence for vegetable types. 

 The present publication, which is a continuation of the line of work 

 followed in the bulletins mentioned, is largely the outgrowth of variety 

 tests carried on at Washington, D. C, and in various places in the 

 States of Connecticut, New York, Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri, 

 California, and Wasliington. Considerable assistance was obtained 

 by Mr. Tracy from the publications of the State agricultural experi- 

 ment stations, and many valuable suggestions were offered by seeds- 

 men and seed growers, several of whom have reviewed the manuscript 

 of this monograph. 



Varieties of garden vegetables are now in such a confused condition 

 and reports of vegetable trials generall}' are so meager and contradic- 

 tory that it is usually quite impossible for any but the experienced 

 seedsman to determine whether a vegetable type, unknown to a par- 

 ticular community, is really a new type or a sort already cultivated 

 in some part of the country. Many varieties are probably uninten- 

 tionally renamed, and much unnecessary experimentation and com- 

 parison are carried on every year with sorts which are thought to be 

 distinct, but are really identical. 



It is hoped that the illustrations and descriptions included in tliis 

 bulletin will prove adequate to serve as a standard for the different 

 bean varieties and that the notes on the practical value and usefulness 

 of the different sorts, although not yet sufficient to make that part of 

 the bulletin authoritative, will at least be full enough to make a begin- 

 ning tow^ard establishing the horicultural status of our bean varieties. 

 Respectfully, 



B. T. Galloway, 



Chief of Bureau. 



Hon. James Wilson, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



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