BUKEATJ OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 91 



Fiber plants, especially cotton, will be introduced in cooperation 

 with the office of the Pathologist and Physiologist and the office of 

 the Botanist. 



Besides the above-mentioned lines of work it is the intention of 

 this office, as far as possible, to import seeds and plants in direct 

 cooperation with the experiment stations, where the latter are making 

 special studies of certain lines of work. 



The increased interest in plant breeding all over the country has 

 led to the need of obtaining small quantities of a great many varieties 

 in the attempt to obtain desirable qualities which can be bred into 

 the new varieties. The Office of Seed and Plant Introduction is 

 especially favorably equipped for making snch importations, and will 

 endeavor to keep in close touch with plant breeding throughout the 

 whole country. 



The changes in the general plan of handling all the work connected 

 with seed and plant introduction have already been discussed, and 

 need not be entered upon in detail here. Suffice it to say that the 

 division of labor effected by the change, and the opportunities afforded 

 for concentration of efforts on special crops, have already produced 

 good results. 



CONGRESSIONAL SEED DISTRIBUTION. 



In accordance with an order issued by you on April 24, 1901, all 

 matters pertaining to the final settlement of the Congressional seed 

 distribution for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1901, were placed in 

 the hands of the chief of the Bureau. At that time the work of dis- 

 tributing the seeds was practically finished, but steps were at once 

 taken to carry out your instructions in regard to closing up the work. 

 It was found that the appropriation for the purchase and distribution 

 of valuable seeds and plants for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1901, 

 waS"$170,000, and that the following allotments had been made of this 

 sum : 



For the purchase and distribution of vegetable, flower, cotton, 

 tobacco, and lawn-grass seed, through the New York Market Gar- 

 deners' Association . . . ... $108, 874. 12 



For the purchase and distribution of valuable foreign seeds and 

 plants, through the Office of Seed and Plant Introduction 20, 000. 00 



For the purchase and distribution of grapevines, strawberry plants, 

 and bulbs, through the Office of Experimental Gardens and Grounds. 5,000.00 



For the purchase and distribution of sugar-beet, sorghum, and other 

 miscellaneous Congressional seed ... 3,125.88 



For miscellaneous labor and material, to be expended in the city of 

 Washington 33,000.00 



Total. 170,000.00 



The details of the work connected with the distribution of valuable 

 foreign seeds and plants, and the purchase of grapevines, strawberry 

 plants, bulbs, etc., have already been given under the reports on the 

 work of the Office of Seed and Plant Introduction and the Office of 

 Experimental Gardens and Grounds, respectively. As already noted, 

 the distribution of the vegetable, flower, cotton, tobacco, and lawn- 

 grass seed was made under a contract with the New York Market Gar- 

 deners' Association. Owing to various circumstances, the work car- 

 ried on under this contract was not entirely satisfactory, and for 

 this reason a full settlement has not as yet been effected. When 

 matters now pending are definitely settled a full and complete report 

 will be made on the entire work. 



