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Search for Soybean Seeds 

 IN Japan is Successful 



W. J. Morse, forage-crop specialist, Bureau of Plant Indus- 

 try, U. S. Department of Agriculture, who has been in Japan 

 for several months collecting new varietes of soybeans, reports 

 that to date he has collected more than 5,000 lots, representing 

 every type of soybeans grown in Japan. 



A large number of soybean introductions have been sent 

 into the United States by the Foreign Plant Introduction 

 Office of the department in the last 20 years. Now the crop has 

 established itself as one of major importance in this country, 

 with a value of $70,000,000 for 1929. Due to increased utiliza- 

 tion as a forage crop, for production of soybean oil and meal, 

 and as a human food, it seems likely that the soybean will con- 

 tinue to grow in importance in the United States. 



Soybean oil is becoming an important item in the manufact- 

 ure of soap, paints, linoleum, rubber substitutes, and glycerin in 

 this country. When properly refined, the oil may be used in 

 almost any foodstuff in which a vegetable oil is used. 



With increase in the demand for soybean oil from American 

 industries, efforts are being made by the Department of Agri- 

 culture to develop varieties with a high oil content. Where the 

 beans are grown as a forage crop, especially for hogs, there is a 

 demand for varieties with a low oil content, as the oil has a 

 tendency to cause the meat to be soft, especially where large 

 quantities of the beans are fed. 



The Boyce Thompson Institute has begun the construction 

 of a new unit of laboratories which will a little more than 

 double the present laboratory space. The new unit will be 

 put up at a cost of about $400,000. It is expected that it will be 

 ready for occupancy by January 1, 1931. 



Dr. R. A. Harper will retire from the Torrey Professorship 

 of Botany at Columbia University at the end of this term. This 

 position was established in 1904 and has been held by Dr. Har- 

 per since 1911. Dr. Harper expects to remain in New York 

 City. 



Dr. H. K. Svenson, Assistant Curator of Plants of the 

 Brooklyn Botanic Garden, left the last of March to accompany 

 the Vincent Astor expedition to the Galapagos Islands. The 



