National and Educational Interests. 



diseases of the citrus fruits, rot of sweet-potatoes, and a bacterial disease of 

 oats, is in progress, as well as that on a number of diseases affecting green- 

 house plants and some fungous diseases affecting insects. The investigation 

 of peach-yellows has been actively continued, and as a result of three years' 

 work with every fertilizer likely to have the desired effect, no instance has 

 been found either of prevention or cure of yellows in the peach by fertilizers. 

 This has been a disputed point among the investigators of the subject, and 

 its settlement narrows the field and indicates the line of research for future ' 

 work. A more virulent disease than yellows has been discovered on the 

 peach in Georgia, and the fact that it is readily communicable, by bud-in- 

 oculation, has been established. 



' ' The division of gardens and grounds has charge of the grounds and 

 greenhouses of the department. Formerly much experimenting was done, 

 particularly with fruits, but the gradual encroachment of buildings and per- 

 manent ornamental planting has so reduced the available ground that but 

 little experimental work is attempted. The attention of the superintendent 

 of gardens and grounds is now largely devoted to the propagation and distri- 

 bution of plants and trees likely to be of economic importance. Over 

 100,000 specimens have thus been sent out during the past year to different 

 parts of the country. Judgment is exercised as to the probable adaptation of 

 species and varieties to the region where they are sent, and to the economic 

 importance of the plants distributed. The success of the Russian apples, 

 the Japanese persimmon, the Washington Navel orange, and numerous 

 other fruits introduced mainly or entirely through the efforts of the division, 

 are indications of the good it has accomplished. A catalogue of economic 

 plants has recently been issued, and a bulletin on horticulture and kindred 

 subjects, which has been very favorably received by the horticultural public. 

 It contains a number of articles prepared by the superintendent of gardens 

 and grounds, and previously published in the annual reports, but now 

 brought together in convenient form for reading and reference. 



"The work of the division of pomology naturally divides itself into 

 three lines : 



"First, the Scientific: This includes such investigations in economic 

 botany as seem necessary at times to establish a foundation for experimental 

 work in the improvement of fruits. An instance of this is the work done 

 by T. V. Munson, of the division, on the wild grapes of North America. 

 A preliminary bulletin has been published on this subject, giving a revised 

 classification of the genus vitis, with suggestions to experimenters on the 

 grape, based on cultural as well as botanical characteristics of species. 

 Colored plates showing fruit, wood and leaves of the more important spe- 

 cies are in preparation, and will be ready as soon as funds for publication of 

 the complete monograph are available. A similar investigation of the genus 

 prunus, which contains our native plums and cherries, is badly needed, and 

 promises rich returns for the labor spent on it, but the fund now at the com- 

 mand of the division is not sufficient to justify the undertaking until other 

 work already begun is nearer completion. The same cause prevents a 

 thorough and systematic investigation of other wild fruits, as the working 

 force of the division is kept fully occupied by office-work, and only a very 

 limited sum is available for the work of field agents. 



"Second, the Economic : Under this head come investigations of foreign 

 fruits likely to succeed in this country, and importations of promising va- 



Depart- 

 ment of 

 Agricul- 

 ture. 



Division of 

 Pomology. 



