36 Department of Plant Physiology, 



Investigation. 



This department receives no federal funds, but it is hoped to make 

 investigations, both fundamental and practical, an important phase 

 of the work. The experimental work thus far undertaken has been 

 in the main preliminary, and many of the lines of work proposed 

 can be made to bear fruitful results only by being continued through 

 several years. Some special lines of work receiving attention may be 

 enumerated as follows : 



(a) Observations on environmental factors in relation to the growth 

 of field crops. This line of work involves careful measurements of 

 conditions, both climatological and edaphic, and will include the 

 physiological aspect of certain problems in soil fertility. 



(b) A fundamental study of the efifects on plants of environmental 

 factors by isolation methods. In this work, experiments have thus 

 far been confined to the laboratory, but special greenhouse condi- 

 tions will be required in order that the work may have proper scope, 

 and that it may be properly controlled with respect to the factors of 

 growth. 



(c) Shade-tent investigations to determine the efifects of shading 

 on the minute structure and composition of plants, as well as to de- 

 termine the practicability of the shade tent in home garden work in 

 the State. The results of the past season have been notably sug- 

 gestive and material has been secured for careful histological and 

 chemical study. 



(d) Stimulation experiments by the use of nonnutrient salts have 

 been conducted on the sweet-pea, the sugar-beet and the radish. 

 Requisite garden space and funds for adequate field experiments were 

 not available during the season just closed, but the experiments were 

 conducted on a scale sufficiently large to give important results which 

 now require only repetition on a more extensive field scale. The 

 experiments have thus far included the effects of metallic salts and 

 halogen compounds. Some positive results have been obtained. 



(e) As a phase of the preceding, parallel laboratory experiments 

 have been made to determine exactly the toxic relations of certain 

 crop plants to substances which in dilute form are known to possess 

 stimulating efifects with respect to growth processes. This work has 

 awakened considerable interest among some of the advanced students 

 who will now assist by undertaking a special study of some phases 

 of the problem suggested. 



(f) Nitrogen fixation by fungi. The study of nitrogen fixation by 

 fungi and its bearing on practical agriculture have been begun, and 



