Since North American colleagues probably are not familiar with the working possibilities in the relatively new Department of Genetics and Cytology at Piracicaba, a few words will be said about it. Our College is situated in relatively flat country at 500 m. altitude and with a subtropical climate. There is a difference between summer and winter, more due to the difference of rain than of temperature. The total rainfall is of about 1 m. per year, but from June to September there is hardly any rain; but morning fogs from the river and heavy dew give still much moisture. Tropical crops grow well in the hot and rainy season (December to March) while cabbages, carrots, sweet peas, snapdragons, etc. grow in the winter and dry season (April to September). The main crops of the region are sugar cane and oranges.

With irrigation corn may be grown practically the whole year around but we prefer to get good ears, consecutive sowings from October to early February. There are only a few fungus diseases, and none of them serious. Insect attacks are generally only of small scale, though the sugar cane-borer has recently become rather dangerous. The only really serious problem is the large scale attack by the grain weevils and moth, especially now with the difficulties of obtaining naphthaline.