FIFTY—EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. III. Ch. 1405. 1905. 867 messengers (now laborers), at six hundred dollars each, one thousand eight hundred dollars; one messenger (now laborer), four hundred and eighty dollars; two watchmen (now laborers), at seven hundred and. twenty dollars each, one thousand four hundred and forty dollars; three watchmen (now laborers), at six hundred dollars each, one thousand eight hundred dollars; two skilled laborers, or messen ers, at four hundred and eighty dollars each, nine hundred and sixty hollars; two messertger boys, at three hundred and sixty dollars each, seven hundred an twenty dollars; three messenger boys, at three hundred dollars each, nine hundred dollars; in all, one hundred and fifty-seven thousand eight hundred and sixty dollars. GENERAL EXPENSES, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. G°¤°”~l°*P°¤¤¤· VEGETABLE PATHOLOGICAL AND rmrsroLOG1cAL 1Nvns·r1oA·r10Ns: Vesmhlcivntbclce Investigating the nature of diseases injurious to fruits, fruit trees, l$§,L}.,_°t°" nvmm grain, cotton, vegetable, and other useful plants; experiments in the treatment of the same; the study of plant physiology in relation to crop production and the improvement of crops by breeding and selection; to investigate the diseases atfecting citrus fruits, pineapples, and truck crops grown during the winter in the Southern States; to investigate canaigre and other tannin—bearing plants; to investigate and report upon the diseases affecting plants on the Pacific coast; to originate or introduce improved varieties of fruits and vegetables in cooperation with the section of seed and plant introduction; to study _the relation of soil and climatic conditions to diseases of lants, particularly with reference to the California vine diseases andp diseases of the sugar beet, in cooperation with the Bureau of Soils, and for other purposes connected with the discovery and practical application of improved methods of cro(p production; to continue the work of originating, by breeding an selection, in cooperation with the other divisions of the Department and the experiment stations, new varieties of oranges. lemons, and other tropical and subtropical fruits more resistant to cold and disease and of better quality; varieties of wheat and other cereals more resistant to rust and smut and better suited to the various sections of this country; varieties of rice more resistant to " rice blight," and for experiments for the substitution of other products on rice lands; varieties of cotton more resistant to disease and of longer and better staple; varieties of pears and apples more resistant to blight and better adapted for export, and varieties of tobacco of uniform type and of better quality; to investigate the causes of decay in forest timber and timber used for construction purposes, and to devise means for preventing the decaty of the same; to investigate the practical application in agriculture o the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen by bacteria and other microorganisms in soils and in the root tubercles of leguminous and other plants; to cultivate and distribute these nitrogen tixers and to determine the conditions most favorable to their development; to study and iind methods for ireventing algal and other contaminations of water supplies; the employment of investigators, local and sgecial agents, clerks, assistants, students or scientific aids, and other abor re uired in conducting experiments in the city of W/ashington and elsewliiere; and collating, digesting, reporting, and illustrating the results of such experiments; for tele raph and tele(phone service; for gas and electric current; purchase og chemicals an apparatus required in the field and laboratory; actual and necessary traveling expenses; for express and freight charges; the preparation of reports and illustrations; the rent and repairs of a buil in ., not to exceed six thousand dollars per annum; all necessary office iigctures and supplies and for other expenses con-
