LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 
DIVISION OF VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY, 
Washington, D. C., July 12, 1895. 
Str: I have the honor to transmit herewith a bulletin on the princi- 
pal diseases affecting citrous fruits in. Florida and to recommend its 
publication as Bulletin No. 8 of this division. The bulletin embodies 
the results of investigations carried on during the past three years by 
Mr. Walter T. Swingle and Mr. Herbert J. Webber, and is intended to 
present in a brief way the main facts so far discovered in regard to the 
principal diseases. Investigations of some of the diseases are still 
under way, and it is hoped to publish the results of this work more in 
detail at some future time. 
The orange industry in Florida is of prime importance, and the crop 
is one of great value also to the States of Louisiana and California. 
In Florida there is probably no less than $50,000,000 invested in the 
business, fully twenty thousand people being dependent upon it for 
support. So far the annual crop has been almost five million boxes, 
valued at as many million dollars. The annual losses in Florida alone 
from all the diseases here described will probably amount to half a 
million dollars. 
Respectfully, B. T. GALLOWAY, 
Chief of Division. 
Hon. J. STERLING MORTON, 
Secretary of Agriculture. 
