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380 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
blight, orange-leaf scab, a disease of orchard grass, and pear blight. 
A report on the powdery mildew of the gooseberry, or ‘‘ gooseberry ~ 
blight,” has been prepared and is nearly ready for publication. Ar- ~~ 
rangements have been made for a report on the ‘smut and rust of — 
Indian corn.” Throughout the season the section has been collect- 
ing toma fora report on the apple-scab fungus, which is so wide- 
spread in this country and often does such damage. i 
DIVISION OF GARDENS AND GROUNDS. 
The introduction, propagation, and distribution of desirable use- 
ful plants is a leading function of this division, in the exercise of © 
which, since the organization of the Department, good results have 
been accomplished. It has distributed many things which have 
been of great and acknowledged value to the country, and the ex-- , 
perience gained in testing the hardiness and other qualities of plants 
previous to their general distribution has been the means of acquir- . 
ing useful preliminary knowledge of their requirements, so that the 
Department could judge with much accuracy the chmatic conditions 
under which they will prosper. 
The conditions necessary to their full utilization, independent of 
climate, are also closely studied, so that the requirements for ultimate 
success and the probabilities of failure are alike ascertained toa degree 
which prevents at least costly failures during the experimental pro- 
cess of testing the practicability of new or untried industries. Tea- 
plants are still propagated and distributed, although there is no 
present prospect of the profitable production of tea as an article of 
commerce. There are many reasons why tea-culture can not be made 
profitable here in competition with other countries where the condi- 
tions for success are more favorable; but the principal drawback is’. 
the want of sufficient rain-fall during summer, which prevents the con- 
tinuous successive growth of succulent leaves. But there is no reason 
~why the culture of a few plants, enough for domestic use, may not 
become general wherever the plant will endure the climate. Itisthe 
object of the Department to encourage tea-culture to this extent, as 
there is no uncertainty about securing a good spring crop of leaves 
wherever the plant flourishes. Lately a large number of plants have 
been distributed throughout the State of Florida, and where the plants 
have been set in moderately rich, moist soil their growth has been 
satisfactory. 
The camphor tree of Japan is being distributed in the Southern 
States, but mostly in Florida, with the view of its employment as a — 
shade and for planting as a protection for fruit orchards and groves. 
Ti is an evergreen tree, of rapid growth, and attains a considerable 
size. Its timber is of special value for certain purposes, such as for 
cabinets, where the presence of insects is not desirable, as they dis- 
