REPORT OF THE BOTANIST. 



BYRON D. HALSTED, SC.D. 

 EAELE J. OWEX, B.S., AND JACOB K. SHAW, B.S.,* ASSISTANTS. 



The work in tho Botanical Department for the year ending Novem- 

 ber 30th, 1905, has Ix^n in large part a continuation of the experi- 

 ments in plant breeding as outlined in the report for the last few 

 years. 



The work with sweet corn has consisted in the development of the 

 cross of the "Black Mexican" with the "Country Gentleman," four 

 plots of the home grounds being devoted to this, namely, one planted 

 with dark grains and another with white grains of the reciprocal 

 crosses. Four blocks of ground were also assigned to crosses of the 

 'Olexican" upon "Banana," "Garwood," "Malakhov" and "Striped 

 Evergreen," respectively. Upon two other plots the "]\Ialakhov" was 

 bred upon "Crosby" .and "Premo," respectively. 



Outside of the Experiment area and upon land obtained from the 

 Farm Department a full list of the white sorts of sweet corn was bred 

 to three other kinds of corn, namely (1) a Black Pop, (2) a white 

 flint ("Adam's Extra Early") and (3) a yellow sweet corn ("Golden 

 Bantam"). 



A new feature of the year was the growing of a set of popcorns 

 for a study of the varieties and some preliminary crossing with the 

 hope of improvements. 



The additional ground, nearly an acre, in wideh'-separated strips, 

 permitted of a block of "Stowell's Evergreen" sweet corn for the 

 Bureau of Chemistry of the United States Department of Agriculture, 

 and also of some crossing work with squashes of both the summer and 

 M'inter sorts. 



Upon the Gardens proper were grown a set of thirty-five crosses of 

 the summer squashes and several of the winter sorts. Three kinds 

 were from seeds freshly imported from Japan, crosses of which with 

 the American sorts were obtained in considerable numlx-rs. 



A full list of the eggplants was grown and several crosses obtained 

 in addition to tlie block of "Jersey Belle" variety, wliich gave a supply 

 of seed for distril)utinn. Two other crosses of special wortli were 



* Resigned in August. 



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