BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 57 



tion of disease-resistant strains. Experiments have shown that 

 selected seed from plants which resist the wilt disease transmit their 

 immunity in a wonderful degree, and it thus becomes feasible to con- 

 trol the disease by the easy and inexpensive method of breeding 

 resistant varieties by selection. Our experiments have also shown 

 that certain varieties, such as Jackson and some of the Egyptian 

 cottons, are already largely immune to the wilt. Our work in this 

 line was greatly extended the present season, but unfortunately was 

 seriously checked by the cold, damp weather immediately following 

 the planting. Under favorable conditions, we should have had seed 

 of resistant strains to distribute for next year's planting. 



Certain other diseases of cotton, such as the Texas root rot and 

 anthracnose, may also probably be successfully controlled by breeding 

 resistant strains, and experiments with this end in view have already 

 been started. 



The most important feature of the future work in the breeding of 

 cotton is to fix into stable races some of the fine hybrids already 

 secured. This will necessitate their being cultivated in isolated 

 patches, away from other cotton fields, and selected until they become 

 true to the type desired. Meanwhile the quantity of seed will be 

 increased, so that by the time the race has been bred true to type we 

 will have a sufficient amount of seed for distribution. 



The Egyptian cotton selections which have proved productive will 

 also be grown in isolated patches next year and further selections 

 made. The breeding of strains of cotton resistant to wilt, root rot, 

 etc., is of the greatest importance, and will be vigorously prosecuted 

 on the lines already started. 



Corn. — The breeding work on corn started several years ago has 

 been continued and new lines of improvement have been inaugurated. 

 This work is being carried on mainly at Washington and at Lincoln, 

 Nebr., but patches of special productions are being grown in New 

 York and Michigan. The severe drought in the West this year seri- 

 ously injured our experiment at Lincoln, but it brought out some inter- 

 esting facts as to drought resistance in the hybrids being tested. 



Corn is used very extensively in the preparation of hominy for 

 human food, but the sorts now most generally employed for that pur- 

 pose are not particularly suitable. The flint races, which are the best 

 for hominy, are not sufficiently productive for the farmer to grow 

 them unless a better price could be obtained than for the ordinary 

 dent corn, and this is not commonly the case. It is of the highest 

 importance that sorts be secured which are richer in protein and 

 nitrogen than the ordinary sorts, and it is believed this can be done 

 by breeding, some of the hybrids produced in this way being very 

 promising as special hominy varieties. 



As in the case of cotton, it is believed that valuable results can be 

 obtained by the rigid systematic selection of the best races of corn now 

 grown with a view of securing increased yield and fixity of type. 

 Experiments with this in view have been started in Ohio and will be 

 continued next year. We have already secured from our experiments 

 several hybrids which give promise of being early sorts. These are 

 being grown the present season in New York and Michigan. The 

 Peruvian or Cuzco, which is famous for producing the largest kernels 

 of any variety grown, has been used extensively in our hybridization 

 experiments with standard races of dent corn, but thus far the results 

 have not been promising, the hybrids, though frequently vigorous, 



