Show Plant Industry Shows Progress I Fight on Diseases Made Ma e by Resistant Resistant Re Re- Selection of Highly Strains Prepared by the tho United States Department or ol Agriculture The years year's work of ot the bur bureau au of ot plant Industry described In the report secretary of ot agriculture agriculture agriculture agri agri- recently lly made to the culture shows much progress In Ia solvIng solving ing lug the problems of at plant production the control of ot diseases the breeding of the Introduction of ot Improved varieties promising seeds and plants from foreign for lor- foreign eign countries and the development of methods for the utilization of ot perishable perishable perish perish- able crops such as fruits and bles bios Much of of- the work done Is of ot the kind which brings Its greatest returns after there has been time for the commercial commercial com corn mercial d development t of discoveries In Ia combating plant diseases a great made deal enl of progress has been through obtaining highly resistant or Immune strains by trial and selection In this way strains of wheat have been secured which promise to be valuable In sections where bunt has damn damaged ed this crop Varieties resistant to flag smut are are being developed and this disease dis dis- dis ease ense Is no longer considered the menace men men- ace nce It was thought to be b a n few years made to ago go Attempts are being grow row strains resistant to to both flag smut and rosette In the study of scab both wheat a n I disease which damages and md corn It has been discovered that wheat seedlings are more resistant when grown at comparatively lo low soil solI temperatures and that corn seedlings are ire more resistant to It when the soilS soil Is Js S warm Barberry eradication was carr carried ed on extensively In operation co-operation with a n number of states for the control of ot f black stem rust and up to the present present pres pres- ent nt time nearly bushes have been een- een eradicated Chemicals are being used med successfully to destroy the bushes In a places where digging Is not cable able New Crops Developed New varieties of oats have been soured secured se so- cured in operation co n with state experiment experiment ex ex- ex- ex stations ns and a number of them hem are being distributed The root and stalk rots of corn have been found to 0 require special soil management for their heir control In some cases proper fertilization and amendments are all that hat Is required while to control the parasitic types crop rotation Is needed I In n addition Some new forage crops are re being developed and Improved varieties va va- va of common crops have been developed and new methods are being tried ned for handling them New and andrare rare field held seeds are being brought Into the country tried out Increased and distributed dis dIs- dis- dis to growers Lack of sp space In a brief article puts a limit on on the details which can be given on the various lines of work carried carrIed car car- ried ned on with the many Important crops Valuable resul results have been obtained Inthe Inthe In Inthe the treatment of ot tobacco sick soils solIs and means have been found for th the prevention of at a condition known as sand drown by the use of magnesia Various phases of cotton production have received attention In Including cultural cultural cultural cul cul- cul- cul tural methods and special varieties to help In the control of ot the boll weevil trials of dr f cotton classing In the field and breeding to maintain the purity of Egyptian cotton grown In the Southwest South South- west Extensive e work has been done with fruits and nuts studies have been made of o the possibilities of growing binder twine fiber In Porto Rico the Virgin Islands and the Philippines The Improvement of citrus fruits Is Isnow isnow Isnow now being greatly Increased through the use of bud selection from trees with performance records a method developed by the department and means have ha been found for the control of stem stem end end rot of at citrus fruits Through work being carried on In the Southwest the Infant date Industry Is being greatly stimulated and there Is Isa Isa Isa a new new Interest in the production of figs The fruit and nut Industries are being helped not only through the introduction Introduction Introduction In In- and development of ot better varieties and methods of growing but also through studies of handling and shipping the products It was shown that berries produced In the Northwest I I can be shipped greater grenter distances successfully suc If handled more carefully and A series of at tests have shown that nuts of various kinds can cnn be kept from two to three years If held at nt a temperature as low as 32 82 degrees Plant Diseases Combated The principal vegetables reported on were potatoes sweet potatoes antI and peas Improvements have been obtained obtained ob ob- ob- ob tamed through the selection of seed stocks the development of Improved varieties and In the control of ot diseases In the field of forest trees work has been carried on with white pine blister rust which Is now spreading In the Northwest and In the East with chestnut chestnut chestnut chest chest- nut blight The CI chestnut has been fou found d quite resistant to the disease dis- dis dis dIs- ease In addition to these two Important Important important tant trees which are menaced it Is reported reported reported re re- re- re ported that another valuable tree the Douglas fir i Is In danger of canker which occurs on these trees In La Scotland and which already may be In this country Among the many other problems given attention In the report are wood conservation the effects of ot length of day on plant responses soil soli bacteriology bacteriology bacterial bacterial- ogy the prevention of alkali Injury on irrigated lands sources of crude rubber rubber rubber rub rub- ber explorations in many parts of the tho world for new plants and seeds Among the promising new fruits given I special mention are olives Fuyu persimmons and several new I avocados Another new plant Is Mentha Men- Men Lila tha citrate of at the mint family |