REPORT OF THE BOTANIST. 



BYROX D. HALSTED, D.SC. 

 JAMES A. KELSEY, M.SC, FIELD ASSISTANT. 



For the year ending November 30th, 1902, the work in the Bo- 

 tanical Department has been chiefly confined to experiments in the 

 greenhouse for the winter and upon the Experiment Area during the 

 growing season. 



Owing to an enforced absence by the head of the department on 

 account of personal illness, the field work has been in charge of Mr. 

 J. A. Kelsey, field assistant for several years past. 



Attention has been given chiefly to the breeding of truck crops, witli 

 some supplemental line,s, extending into variety testing and the de- 

 velopment of new sorts of ornamental plants. 



The cross between the "^Henderson" and "Burpee" dwarf lima beans 

 has occupied considerable space, and the work of fixing the variety by 

 selection has been in progress. Some of the reversions to the pole 

 tyjx^ liave been grown and the results indicate something of value. 



The cross between the "Long Purple" and "Xew York Improved" 

 eggplant has been propagated largely, showing for the second year, 

 as anticipated, considerable variation from the first type, with a 

 tendency to go toward the "New York Improved" parent. Here se- 

 lection is needed to fix the characteristics and develop a sort that is 

 truly spineless. 



The work in crossing tomatoes has gone on, and there is substan- 

 tial hope of obtaining a sort that will be comparatively seedless, with 

 remarkable vigor and uprightness of vines. 



Several plots have been in crossed sweet corn, and, after four years. 

 a combination of the "Black Mexican" and "Egyptian" is becoming 

 established, combining the qualities of the parents in a pink variety. 

 Some points in plant breeding have appeared in connection with the 

 work with the com, notably a weakness shown in albinism in connec- 

 tion with the in-an-in breeding. 



(877) 



