852 SCIENCE. 
temperature, pressure and humidity, secured 
at 17 stations where 1200 ascensions of 
kites were made, have been collated, giving 
for the first time in the history of meteor- 
ology a large number of facts as to the 
average gradient of temperature up to six 
or eight thousand feet “ freé from all injuri- 
ous influences and for so many days and 
over such a large region of country that it 
has a broad significance.”’ 
The Division of Chemistry has made im- 
portant additions to its investigations of 
soils, including methods of analysis, foods 
and sugar beets. A special line of work 
the past year has been the study of preser- 
vatives of all kinds which may be used on 
meats. 
The Division of Entomology reports the 
successful importation of Blastophaga gros- 
sorum for the fertilization of the flowers of 
the Smyrna fig trees which are largely grown 
in California. The study of injurious in- 
sects that may invade our territory from 
contiguous countries has been continued. 
Investigations are being made regarding 
the transmission of disease by house flies 
and mosquitoes. The San José scale, 
Mexican boll-weevil and insects injurious 
to growing crops, grasses and tobacco are 
among the other subjects of investigation 
in this Division on which considerable prog- 
ress has been made recently. 
The Biological Survey has extended its 
work on life zones, specially on the Pacific 
Coast. Several life zones have been run 
from the bottom of the Sacramento and San 
Joaquin valleys to the summit of the 
Sierras. The collection of bird stomachs 
which this division has accumulated during 
the past 14 years, numbers 31,300 speci- 
mens, about 2000 of which were examined 
in the laboratory the past year. Consider- 
able work has been done to determine 
whether birds show marked preferences in 
selecting food or simply eat what is most 
abundant. 
[N. S. Von. X. No. 258. 
The Division of Vegetable Physiology 
and Pathology has been studying diseases 
affecting timber, the ‘ little-peach ’ disease, 
pear blight, diseases of white and sweet 
potatoes, a fungus disease attacking sea- 
island cotton, peach leaf curl, and diseases 
of lemon, orange and walnut trees. This 
Division is doing much more work than 
formerly on the hybridization and breeding 
of plants, including oranges and other cit- 
rous fruits, raisin grapes, corn and wheat. 
It has also undertaken elaborate investiga- 
tions in cooperation with the Division of 
Soils on curing and ermentation of tobacco. 
“Tt has been found that the flavor and 
aroma are due not to bacteria, as was for- 
merly supposed, but to enzymes or oxidizing 
agents in the leaf itself. The formation of 
these oxidizing agents and the conditions of 
their greatest activity are being studied.” 
The Division of Pomology has continued 
experiments with a view to the successful 
production of the finer table grapes of 
Europe, and has also made investigations 
in root grafting. 
The work of the Division of Forestry has 
been reorganized during the year. A large 
amount of practical advice and assistance 
is being given to farmers, lumbermen and 
others in handling their forest lands, in a 
number of different States. The rate of 
growth of the loblolly pine in North Caro- 
lina, and the red or Douglass fir in Wash- 
ington, has been studied, as well as their 
special qualities in forestry. Forest fires 
have been studied historically, and in the 
field, and the records of more than 5000 
fires have been compiled and classified. 
The Secretary urges that this division be 
given a largely increased appropriation “‘ to 
take advantage of the unprecedented op- 
portunities created by the rapid public 
awakening to the meaning and value of 
practical forestry.” 
The Divisions of Soils has considerably 
extended the investigation and mapping of 
