valuable seeds, bulbs, trees, shrubs, vines, cuttings, and plants for experiments in coöperation with state agricultural experiment stations, with a view to the introduction of promising varieties in this country."

18

Tea culture experiments were resumed in 1899 (Act of March 1, 1899; 30 Stat. L., 947, 956), and continued for ten years, but the project was unsuccessful chiefly for economic reasons.

By act of March 3, 1899 (30 Stat. L., 1377, 1378), the Secretary of War was authorized to grant from year to year, permission to the Department of Agriculture to use temporarily as testing grounds, a maximum area of seventy-five acres in Potomac Park. As early as 1890 (Act of July 14, 1890; 26 Stat. L., 282, 288), an appropriation had been granted for the preparation of such tract of not over eighty acres in the Arlington estate in Virginia as might be turned over by the Secretary of War for use as an experiment station. By act of April 18, 1900 (31 Stat. L., 135), Congress transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture about four hundred acres of this estate for use as "a general experimental farm in its broadest sense, where all that pertains to agriculture in its several and different branches, including animal husbandry and horticulture, may be fostered and encouraged, and the practice and science of farming in the United States advanced, promoted, and practically illustrated." In 1900 also (Act of May 25, 1900; 31 Stat. L., 191, 198), an appropriation was made to enable the Division of Agrostology to obtain seeds, roots, and specimens of grasses and forage plants for distribution among state agricultural experiment stations to ascertain their adaptability to the various soils and climates of the country. About the end of the year the Office of Seed and Plant Introduction was separated from the Division of Botany and made an independent office.

18" I have been repeatedly requested to recommend the establishment of stations or farms at different localities throughout the country, for the purpose, among other objects, of acclimating seeds and plants of tropical and semi-tropical kinds; to which I have always replied that I cannot acquiesce in the propriety of such a proposition, for, apart from the vast immediate expense which such establishments would require, and the host of officers and employees that it would necessitate, I have great doubt whether any practicable result would be attained. Whilst the human system may, to some extent be acclimated to the endurance of heat and cold, and perhaps to resist causes of disease, it is very questionable whether any plant can be acclimated to any useful purpose out of its native environment."-Commissioner Frederick Watts, Annual Report, 1873, pp. 8-9.

Period of Development, Since 1901. In his report for the fiscal year 1900 the Secretary of Agriculture stated that "four Divisions of the Department, closely allied by the nature of their work, have become affiliated and have perfected arrangements for a close coöperation and union along the lines set forth. To this association I have given the name of the Office of Plant Industry."" This change received legislative sanction the following year, when in the agricultural appropriation act for 1902 (Act of March 2, 1901; 31 Stat. L., 922, 926), the Bureau of Plant Industry was created to centralize and develop the work which had been done by the Divisions of Botany, Pomology, Vegetable Physiology and Pathology, Agrostology, Gardens and Grounds, and Seeds. By executive order the Arlington experimental farm, the investigations in the production of domestic tea, the work on foreign seed and plant introduction, and the congressional seed distribution were incorporated in the new Bureau. The years that have followed have been characterized by development, both intensive and extensive, generally along lines already established. Thus, in 1901 (Act of March 2, 1901; 31 Stat. L., 922, 928), the first of a series of five annual appropriations was made for an investigation of the commercial fruit districts of the United States for the purpose of determining the relative adaptability of the several important fruits thereto, by study of the condition of soil and climate and of the prevalence of plant diseases therein as related to commercial fruit production, and for the mapping of such districts. From 1902 (Act of June 3, 1902; 32 Stat. L., 286, 291) to 1909 attention was given to the causes of decay in forest timbers and timber used for construction and to the devising of appropriate remedies. In 1902, also, investigations were first authorized in soil bacteriology and plant nutrition; and, in 1915 (Act of March 4, 1915; 38 Stat. L., 1086, 1092), provision was made for the testing of cultures for inoculating legumes and for the publication of the names of manufactures and dealers responsible for any samples found to be below standard. These activities, except those concerned with plant nutrition, were transferred in 1927 to the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils.

Farm demonstration work, begun in 1906 as a part of the campaign against the cotton boll weevil (Act of June 30, 1906; 34 Stat.

L., 669, 695) and later extended outside the cotton belt (Act of June 30, 1914; 38 Stat. L., 418, 422), was transferred in 1915 to the States Relations Service (Act of March 4, 1915; 38 Stat. L., 1086, 1108).

In 1908 (Act of May 23, 1908; 35 Stat. L., 251, 267) the Secretary of Agriculture was authorized to test plants suitable for paper-making, and the following year, plants and woods. From 1910 (Act of March 4, 1909; 35 Stat. L., 1039, 1045) to 1919 the Bureau of Plant Industry conducted experiments with fibrous plants, including flax, straw and hemp, to determine their availability for paper-making.

A number of projects outside the original scope of activities have been undertaken. Thus, in 1906 (Act of June 30, 1906; 34 Stat. L., 669, 680) the Bureau of Plant Industry was authorized "to investigate and encourage the adoption of improved methods of farm management and farm practice "; and out of this service grew the Office of Farm Management in 1915 (Act of March 4, 1915; 38 Stat. L., 1086, 1087). With it went the study of the methods of clearing logged-off lands, with a view to their utilization for agricultural and grazing purposes and to the utilization of by-products. This was a coöperative project, first specifically authorized in 1912 (Act of August 10, 1912; 37 Stat. L., 269, 277), taken up jointly with individual states. It was transferred to the Office of Farm Management upon the establishment of that service. Other similar instances are: The inauguration of the movement for grain standardization (Act of March 2, 1901; 31 Stat. L., 922, 928), taken over by the Bureau of Markets in 1917 (Act of March 4, 1917; 39 Stat. L., 1134, 1163), and of the movement for cotton standardization (Act of May 23, 1908; 35 Stat. L., 251, 256), taken over by the same service in 1915 (Act of March 4, 1915; 38 Stat. L., 1086, IIII); and the administration of the Seed Importation Act of August 24, 1912 (37 Stat. L., 506) as amended April 26, 1926 (44 Stat. L., 325). Under the act of August 20, 1912 (37 Stat. L., 315, 319), the Bureau of Plant Industry has representation upon the Federal Horticultural Board, created to govern the importation of nursery stock. From 1914 (Act of June 30, 1914; 38 Stat. L., 415, 440) until 1924 it conducted demonstrations upon reclamation projects in the West-work now being done by the Extension Service. From 1915 (Act of March 4, 1915; 38 Stat. L., 1086,

1092) to 1927 it continued the soil-fertility investigations formerly conducted by the Bureau of Soils and now carried on by the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils. Since 1915 the Chief of the Bureau has served as chairman of a departmental committee charged with coöperative investigations in the development of livestock production in Louisiana (Act of June 30, 1914; 38 Stat. L., 415, 441). This committee is made up of representatives of the Bureaus of Plant Industry and Animal Industry. Another departmental committee, representing these two bureaus and under the chairmanship of an agriculturist in the Bureau of Plant Industry, since 1917 has been in charge of experiments in dairying and livestock production in the arid and semi-arid regions of the West (Act of August II, 1916; 39 Stat. L., 446, 491).

Duties of an administrative nature have been imposed upon the Bureau of Plant Industry since 1917 (Act of March 4, 1917; 39 Stat. L., 1134, 1141), by acts of appropriation which have provided that a part of the amount granted therein shall be available for the stated purposes-eradication of citrus canker and of white pine blister rust and destruction of the common barberry-only when an equal amount shall have been provided from sources other than the national treasury.

In 1916 and 1917, in coöperation with the States Relations Service, the Bureau distributed seeds for the relief of flood sufferers in the Southeastern States, the funds being provided through an allotment of $80,000 by the War Department.

20

During the World War the Bureau, through a committee on seed stocks, undertook to deal with the emergency due to inadequate supplies of seeds, acting as a clearing house for information as to needs and available supplies, and inspecting samples of seeds distributed by the Grain Corporation of the United States Food Administration. Under authority of the National Security Act of August 10, 1917 (40 Stat. L., 273, 274), and supplemental legislation (Act of March 28, 1918; 40 Stat. L., 459, 494 and act of November 21, 1918; 40 Stat. L., 1045, 1048), it received $6,500,000 for use as a revolving fund for the purchase, storage, and sale of seeds to farmers.

Under the deficiency act of March 4, 1923 (42 Stat. L., 1527, 1536), an allotment for the fiscal year 1924 was made to the De

20 Joint Resolution of August 3, 1916; 39 Stat. L., 434.

partment of Agriculture " for such exploration of rubber-producing regions and such studies and experiments with rubber-producing plants in the United States, the Philippine Islands, and elsewhere, as may be found advisable." This was made available to the Bureau of Plant Industry, which in succeeding years has received regular appropriations for the continuation of the project.

The most notable recent event in the history of the Bureau of Plant Industry is the suspension of the general distribution of seeds at the end of the fiscal year 1923. This had been foreshadowed by the action of the Department of Agriculture, omitting from its estimates for 1922, 1923, and 1924, a request for an appropriation for that purpose. Thus, after eighty-four years this activity, suitable and justifiable in the early period of agricultural development, gave place to activities better calculated to serve the interests of agriculture in the spirit of modern science.