those countries daring the season just past. Lists of the material 

 secured by them may be expected soon. 



The organization, methods, and purposes of this section have been 

 recently explained in a bulletin and a circular, which are available on 

 application. It should be repeated here that our efforts are on a line 

 quite distinct from that of the Congressional seed distribution, whose 

 object is the general and popular distribution of vegetable, field, and 

 flower seeds. 



Although the foreign seeds and plants imported by this section are 

 the best to be found in the various foreign countries visited by our 

 explorers, it is to be expected that relatively few of them will show 

 conspicuous excellence under the new conditions of growth m the 

 United States. Importations are accordingly made, in the great 

 majority of cases, in experimental quantities only, for the use of the 

 experiment stations and private parties having special knowledge and 

 experience in the cultivation of particular crops. This office is inter- 

 ested in knowing that an actual experiment will be undertaken, that 

 the results from the imported seeds will be brought into comparison 

 with those of other varieties grown under similar conditions, and that 

 an honest and intelligible report will be made. Only second in impor- 

 tance to a report of the superiority of a new variety is the establishment 

 of the fact of its inferiority, especially if the reasons for this can be 

 definitely stated. It is only by thorough, conclusive, and systematically 

 recorded experiments that the necessity of reimportation can be avoided. 



It is scarcely necessary to state that the seed of any novelty ot 

 promise should be carefully saved. Indeed, it is desirable, even in cases 

 of apparent failure, that the seed be gathered and a second attempt 

 made, since many crops are known not to show their true character 

 during the first season under new conditions. Moreover, imported seed 

 may not infrequently be weakened by age, by unfavorable conditions 

 in transit, or by the treatment necessary in disinfection against insect 

 pests and fungous parasites. As soon as the success of any imported 

 species or variety is assured, it will be the policy of this Department 

 to secure for wider distribution a larger quantity of vigorous, clean, 

 and reliably selected seed. 



Before being sent out all seeds are carefully inspected for impurities, 

 but it is nevertheless important that new importations be distributed 

 only to agriculturists of sufficient knowledge and experience to recog- 

 nize any new weeds, insects, or fungous diseases, specimens of which 

 should be sent to this office, and the remainder carefully destroyed by 

 fire. 



Experiment- station workers and others who may receive these inven- 

 tories will accordingly confer favors by sending to this office the names 

 and addresses of those who may be qualified by intelligence and expe- 

 rience, and have the interest and material facilities for testing in a 

 satisfactory manner such plants as they may apply for, but our corre- 



