BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 67 



in soil heating for forcing lettuce and other vegetables gives promise 

 of important results along these lines. 



The work proposed for the coming year will include further tests in 

 growing vegetables in artificially heated soil, experiments in celery 

 culture, and the usual variety tests of seeds for Congressional distri- 

 bution. 



MISCELLANEOUS WORK. 



During the year three circulars containing popular information, two 

 illustrated bulletins, partly technical in character, and two numbers of 

 Contributions from the United States National Herbarium have been 

 issued. Arrangements have also been made for the publication of other 

 bulletins and numbers of the Contributions, some of which were nearly 

 completed at the close of the fiscal year. An investigation was made, 

 in cooperation with the Division of Forestry, in regard to the botanical 

 resources in northern Arizona and for the purpose of securing data to 

 be used in determining the management of certain forest reserves in 

 that region. The seed laboratory prepared the botanical exhibit at 

 the Pan-American Exposition. The central thought in the exhibit 

 was to show the actual cost of the pure and good seed in the different 

 samples of commercial seed. The apparatus and equipment for a seed- 

 testing laboratory were also shown, as well as a collection of weed seeds 

 and live weeds. The exhibit attracted considerable attention, and it is 

 hoped the popular interest in good seeds will be advanced by it. 



The correspondence of the office has necessitated the writing of 

 nearly 4,000 letters. The miscellaneous correspondence now takes a 

 large proportion of the time of the assistant botanist. But while this 

 increased demand for information indicates to some extent an increased 

 interest in botanical subjects and a growing interest in the work of 

 this Department, it takes time that should be given to the work of 

 conducting investigations. It is expected that more satisfactory 

 arrangements may be made for this work during the coming year. 



REPORT OF THE AGROSTOLOGIST, F. LAMSON-SCRIBNER, ON WORK OF THE YEAR. 



The investigations of grasses and forage plants have been carried 

 on through this office in accordance with plans outlined in the last 

 annual report, particular attention being given to the field work, the 

 collection of seeds of promising grasses and forage plants, the study 

 of the distribution of these plants and their value, and the planning 

 and carrying on of cooperative experiments along various lines with 

 a number of the State experiment stations. 



FIELD WORK. 



The field work and collection of seeds was placed in the immediate 

 charge of Mr. C. L. Shear, an assistant in the office, who, with a num- 

 ber of agents specially appointed, carried on the work in Colorado, 

 Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Arizona. Efforts 

 were made to secure as large quantities as possible of seeds of grasses 

 and forage plants of known value in arid and alkaline soils. Two 

 agents worked in the northwestern part of Montana, where they 

 secured a large quantity of seeds and roots, as well as specimens of 

 many valuable native species ; they also obtained important informa- 

 tion regarding the forage conditions and needs of that region. It 

 was found that the stockmen and ranchers were taking an active and 

 increasing interest in the problems connected with grasses and forage 



