66 DEPARTMENTAL REPOETS. 



on coffee and upon the tropical fruits, root crops, and other useful 

 plants of Porto Rico are in prej)aratiou. 



Existing industries of importance demand earliest attention, but 

 the possibilities of rubber and other cultures which supplj^ the trop- 

 ical products now imported from foreign countries receive careful 

 consideration. This work is intended to supplement the detailed and 

 localized investigations of the experiment stations which are being 

 established in the new colonies, to connect them with the Department, 

 and to assist in supplying improved plants and methods which may 

 exist in other parts of the Tropics. 



INVESTIGATIONS OF POISONOUS PLANTS. 



Work on poisonous plants has been carried on in the ofi&ce, the 

 field, and the laboratory. 



One hundred and five cases of plant poisoning, mostly human, have 

 been investigated by correspondence, and more than 800 letters, ask- 

 ing for information about poisonous plants or for the identification of 

 plants supposed to be poisonous, have been answered. The pharma- 

 cological collection and the index of information about poisonous 

 plants and those having useful chemical properties have been greatly 

 enlarged. 



Field and laboratory investigations on the stock-poisoning plants 

 of Montana, begun in the spring of 1900, were continued during the 

 summer and have been extended to Oregon and Washington. These 

 investigations have resulted not only in the determination of the 

 species causing the greatest loss among stock and the seasons during 

 which these species are most dangerous, but also in the demonstration 

 of an effective remedy, permanganate of potash, by the use of which 

 a large proportion of the loss may be averted. The results of these 

 investigations have been published in Bulletin No. 26 of the Division 

 of Botany. 



It is proposed during the coming year to extend the investigations 

 in the field and laboratory and to enlarge the work in the office. 

 There is an urgent demand from many ijarts of the West for special 

 investigations on the loco weeds, which cause heavj'^ losses of stock 

 nearly every year. Work promising good results has been begun on 

 the loco weeds in Montana. As there are several species of this group 

 of plants having different geographical ranges, this work should be 

 extended to Texas, New Mexico, California, and other parts of the 

 West where stock raising is an important industry. It is hoped that 

 more room and better facilities may be secured for office and labora- 

 tory work along these lines. 



TESTING GARDEN. 



Fifteen acres of land have been added to the testing garden, making 

 a total area of 40.6 acres now cleared and fenced. Variety tests have 

 been made with samples- of all seeds for the Congressional distribution 

 suitable for growth in this latitude. Tests have also been made with 

 a large number of the different kinds of seeds imported by the Ofiice 

 of Seed and Plant Introduction, and especially with all plants of the 

 melon family and all soil-renovating leguminous plants. A special 

 study has been made of the varieties of lettuce, seeds of moi-e than 400 

 named varieties being grown for comparison. A careful record of all 

 these varietal tests has been made. l*reliminary experimental work 



