BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 61 



HERBARIUM. 



In the examination of diseased plants sent in from all parts of the 

 world it is necessary to identify the parasitic fungi associated with 

 the various diseases, and in this work the herbarium is indispensable. 

 Our collections of economic fungi have been largely increased during 

 the past year, as have also our facilities in the way of card catalogues, 

 etc. The amount of work involved in connection with the herbarium 

 lias made it necessary to appoint another assistant. The demand for 

 the identification of edible and poisonous fungi is so great that this 

 work occupies almost the entire time of one expert, at least during 

 the season for such fungi. Sets of duplicate specimens have been 

 carefully named and have been prepared for distribution to the exper- 

 iment stations, but owing to lack of assistance we have been unable 

 so far to send them out. It is hoped that this work can be attended 

 to during the current fiscal year, as we have many requests for sets 

 on file. 



ADMINISTRATIVE WORK. 



The correspondence of the office is rather heavy, amounting during 

 the year past to probably not less than 10,000 letters, exclusive of 

 circulars. We believe this to be one of the best channels through 

 which to impart the information and assistance that should be fur- 

 nished to those for whose interests the work is being carried on, and 

 careful attention is given to all communications. The number of 

 diseased plants sent to us for examination and report is very large, 

 and requires much of the time of two expert pathologists. 



During the year we have issued 7 bulletins, 1 report, 1 circular, and 

 3 Yearbook papers. The subjects discussed in these publications 

 are, respectively, zenia, or the immediate effect of pollen in maize; 

 spot disease of the violet; the basis for the improvement of American 

 wheats; some diseases of New England conifers; Wakker's hyacinth 

 germ ; the wilt disease of cotton and its control ; the cultural characters 

 of Pseudomonas hyacinthii, P. campestris, P. phaseoli, and P. steiv- 

 arti; catalase, a new enzym of general occurrence; a new wheat for 

 the semiarid West; fungous diseases of forest trees; commercial pear 

 culture; and successful wheat growing in semiarid districts. In addi- 

 tion to these, we have prepared and have now in press 3 bulletins, 1 

 report, and 2 Farmers' Bulletins, which treat, respectively, of plant 

 breeding; the relation of lime and magnesia to plant growth; sperma- 

 togenesis and fecundation of Zamia; some mutual relations between 

 alkali soils and vegetation; emmer, a grain for the semiarid regions; 

 and pineapple growing. 



As stated under different headings, we have on hand a large collec- 

 tion of data on different subjects, and during the year we hope to 

 issue publications on macaroni wheat ; bitter rot of the apple ; diseases of 

 the peach; cotton; the mosaic disease of tobacco; diseases of the sugar 

 beet; black canker of the apple; corn breeding; corn selection, etc. 



As heretofore, a number of lectures have been delivered by mem- 

 bers of the force before scientific societies, horticultural associations, 

 farmers' clubs, etc. Although this requires considerable of the time 

 of the experts, it brings our men into close touch with the practical 

 men outside and affords the best opportunities for bringing together 

 the practical and the scientific. Our workers have been much bene- 

 fited by such experience, and the appreciation of such lectures by 

 organizations has been repeatedly expressed. 



