undertaken and require a detailed statement of work conducted at 
oa : ne. YARN ty, Rg a Ay Aree tees ir go CRS Fen, rere 
26 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURT, 
and wal be continued, and it is hope that Patiala data will Pe ae 
cumulated for future publication. atte 
(f) Baking phwders: srt bashers: Chane’ —An investigation ine 
found in our markets 2a pea commenced, but the work is not yet. 
sufficiently advanced to warrant any conclusions, 4 
Sugar experiments, as in former years, have been extankiyclaee : val “ 
Fort Scott, Rio Grande, and Magnolia Plantation by the Departs 
i, 
a 
ment. ' 8 ’ y 
This statement will be published as a special bulletin. - SNe ae 
The number of miscellaneous samples submitted during the past ; 
year has been exceptionally large, comprising waters, nrnerals, fertil- — a 
izers, ores, lignites, analyses of plants and parts of plants, and many ~ 
other articles of general or particular interest. aa 
DIVISION OF BOTANY. (pee 
The work of the division of botany has been vigorously prosecuted — 
during the year. Its correspondence is constantly increasing, relat- ~ 
ing to grasses, fibers and fibrous plants, medicinal plants and pro- 
ducts, new species for cultivation, weeds and means of eradicating 
them. <A bulletin concerning Southern grasses has been issued and © 
widely distributed among Southern farmers and stock-growers. An. 
investigation of the grasses and forage plants of the arid districts of. 
Texas has been conducted by an agent, and a large amount of infor-— vis 
mation has been obtained. ) ap 
Another agent has performed a similar work in Arizona, Nevada, _ 
and Utah, making a collection of about two hundred species of grasses — 
and forage plants having more or less agricultural value. Through 
these investigations our knowledge of the vegetation of the arid 
regions has been much increased, particularly m regard to those. 
plants which have been found useful among stock-growers, ek 
A question of the greatest importance for the arid districts of the 
West and Southwest is that of securing an increase in the grazing 
capacity of the lands through the introduction of new grasses and 
through cultivation. I desire first to obtain a thorough knowledge 
of the natural grasses and plants which are utilized by horses, cattle, 
and sheep, as to their abundance, choice of soils and locations, their — 
size and vigor, and their comparative nutrition. Then there should 
be instituted in suitable localities a thoroughly conducted series of 
experiments with all the promising species of the region itself, and 
of such other kinds as have been found useful in similar locations in 
other countries. To this end I shall invoke the aid of the experi- 
ment stations connected with the agricultural colleges of the region 
interested. It is, however, a question whether more good would not 
> 
