22 a EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



controlled. Because it is apparent that there are unknown 

 factors in the problem, investigational work must start with a 

 careful and detailed study of causal organisms and the relation 

 of environmental conditions to their development. Without 

 this fundamental knowledge the problem of control cannot be 

 attacked with any degree of intelligence. The need of institut- 

 ing work along this line was pointed out in our last annual 

 report. The experience of the past year has made the need 

 even more urgent. The department is ready to undertake the 

 work whenever financial provisions can be made. This, how- 

 ever, is but one of many lines of investigational work pressing 

 for attention by the Department of Botany. Some of these 

 were referred to in our last report. 



Seed Work. 



There has been the usual amount of seed work, including 

 germination tests of a variety of vegetable, cereal and grass 

 seeds, and many samples of tobacco and onion seeds; examina- 

 tion of grass seeds to determine purity and the presence of weed 

 seeds; and cleaning and separation of tobacco, onion, lettuce, 

 parsnip and celery seeds. 



Extension Work. 



Plant disease diagnosis, with the prescribing of remedial 

 measures, demanded more time and attention than in any 

 previous year. The constantly increasing burden of this work 

 tends more and more to interfere with the efficient prosecution 

 of research, and emphasizes the need of an Extension specialist 

 in plant diseases, which has been frequently urged. It is most 

 desirable that this need be met in the near future by the ap- 

 pointment of an Extension plant pathologist to be a member 

 of the staff of the department. The necessity of keeping this 

 type of work within the Department of Botany cannot be 

 pressed too strongly, as it is essential that the department, 

 through the close cc-operation of all members of its staff, be 

 constantly and intimately in touch with all the ])lant disease 

 problems of the State. 



