LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Plant Industry, 



Office of the Chief, 



Washington, B.C., September 26, 1910. 

 Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith and to recommend for 

 publication as Bulletin No. 204 of the series of this Bureau a manu- 

 script entitled "Agricultural Explorations in the Fruit and Nut 

 Orchards of China," by Mr. Frank N. Meyer, Agricultural Explorer. 

 This manuscript has been submitted for publication by Mr. David 

 Fairchild, Agricultural Explorer in Charge of the Office of Foreign 

 Seed and Plant Introduction. 



Mr. Meyer's explorations in China, Manchuria, and Korea have 

 brought to the attention of the Department many plants which prom- 

 ise to be of value to our agriculturists, either as forming the basis for 

 new industries or as providing new and valuable strains of plants 

 already known to us. Especially in fruits and nuts the Chinese 

 Empire proves to be very rich, and as the similarity in soil and cli- 

 mate between the native habitat of these products and certain areas 

 of the United States is close the possibility of introducing these new 

 forms for direct cultivation and for breeding work is most promising. 

 Respectfully, 



Wm. A. Taylor, 

 Acting Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. James Wilson, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



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