REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT. 



Bykon D. Hai.stei), Sc.I)., B. H. A. Geoth, Ph.D.,* 

 Eakle J. Owen, M.S., N"ahum D. Shore, M.S.f 



It is the endeavor to establish the Botanical Department upon a 

 basis that will be in accord with the spirit of the Adams act, and 

 to this end some of the old lines of experimentation are being 

 merged in new ones and other lines begim. The area of the gardens 

 has been mnch curtailed that a morei intensive study of the grow- 

 ing plants may be pTOsecuted, and the desire of originating new 

 sorts of vegetable fruits is being replaced by a. study of breeding, 

 out of which, the novelties will come as a by-product of the investi- 

 gations. 



The leading kinds of plants that have shared in the work of the 

 Department for the year are: beans, corn (sweet), eggplants, peas, 

 peppers, squashes and tomatoes, A study of the crosses and hy- 

 brids among each of these seven foremost vegetable fruits has been 

 continued, and some of the results of the year are given in the< fol- 

 lowing pages. As this work continues it will lose more and more 

 its popular nature, and the results will naturally take the shape of 

 special or technical bulletins, while the annual reports, beiooming 

 less bulky may assume the form of a statement of thei year's prog- 

 ress, and in terms to serve the general reader. 



In recog-nition of the prime essential to substantial research 

 work of the study of the activities of plants, a plant physiologist, in 

 the person of Dr. B. H. A. Groth, has been added to the staff, who, 

 with a. laboratory provided in the short course building, and within 

 easy access to^ the gardens is taking up some of the problems much 

 in need of solution. It is too soon for a report of finished work, 



*Began April 1st. yDied September 20tli. 



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