Mr 



3 



The difficulty of securing and maintaining a green turf has long 

 been felt as a serious obstacle in the work of beautifying public 

 grounds or domestic surroundings in the Southern States. Under 

 No. 4263 Mr. Fairchild describes what appears to be an admirable 

 substitute for a grass lawn, and one that will endure several years 

 where no grass has been found at all successful. 



It will, of course, be readily understood by all who examine these 

 inventories that the values of the various importations are extremely 

 unequal. Some may prove of technical interest merely, while others 

 will have far-reaching commercial importance. 



It is not to be expected that all the species or varieties secured by 

 our agricultural explorers will prove to be entirely new to specialists 

 or dealers. Many plants have been imported and tested heretofore 

 without any permanent record as to results. We are intentionally 

 securing small quantities of the seeds of many such species, either to 

 permit tests by some improved methods of culture, or for distribution 

 to parts of the country where experiments have not been made. 

 Furthermore, specialists in various crops often apply for imported 

 seed of well-known plants, in order to ascertain by careful compara- 

 tive tests the existence of differences in vigor or other qualities, some 

 of which, though inconspicuous, are economically of great impor- 

 tance. It should be remembered, for instance, that many plants 

 cultivated only in an unimproved form in this country have been 

 subjected in Europe to long and careful selection, by which improved 

 strains have been developed. 



Some applicants have sent in requests for long lists of seeds. 

 While there is no desire to limit the number which properly equipped 

 experimenters may receive, correspondents are requested to bear in 

 mind that the seeds and plants listed in these inventories are not a 

 part of the Congressional seed distribution. As a rule they are not 

 secured in amounts sufficient for general distribution, the intention 

 being to place them in the hands of the State experiment stations 

 and of private experimenters known to be fully capable of growing 

 them with the best possible results. 



It is requested that in all cases our numbers be recorded by the 

 experimenter for use in reporting the results, and also for permanent 

 reference. The report blanks will bear numbers corresponding to 

 those of the inventory, so that the reports will enable us to bring 

 together for later transmission to our correspondents the results 

 secured in all parts of the country. 



O. F. Cook, 



Special Agent in Charge of Seed and Plant Introduction. 



Washington, D. C, January SO, 1900, 



