New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-11-22
AMERICAN AGRICULTURE.
PRACTICAL DISPLAY TO BIZ MADE OF PRODUCTS
IN WHICH AMERICA EXCETs-THE TEA PLANT IN
THIS COUNTRY.
tBr IELLGRAPH TO THR TPlBrNEl


THIS COUNTRY
tBr lELLGRAPH TO THR TRtBrSE.l
WASHINGTON. Nov. 21.-General lie Due, Commits
soncr of Agriculture, finds the wording of the Paris
Exposition Bill relating to the display to be made
by tine Agricultural Bureau so indefinite that he is
unable to say at present, just what the character
or extent OF our agricultural exhibit will be. That
some provision of this nature would be made i'm the
bill has long been anticipated by the Commissioner
who has been giving the general subject more or less
consideration. His ideas as to what we should and
what we should not, attempt To show, are conse-
quently well defined and if the appropriation, when
the bill becomes law, shall prove sufficient his de
partment will be able TO prepare its contribution to
the Exposition with very little delay.
All phenomenal productions of whatever charac-
ter, should, he believes be excluded and no attempt
will he made to amuse astonish the beholder but
a comprehensive display Of those articles which
America produces in excess or Of which the quality
is superior TO that Of similar articles produced
abroad, may be made he thinks productive Of direct
and great profit TO farmers and planters OF
cotton for instance, in the production Of which,
both a. to quantity aud quality, our country
far exceeds all others, he wishes 10 exhibit the
living plant in all stages of its development
from the tiny sprout just peepipg into daylight to
the full-opeued boil, ready for the g3therer. He
would also show the different processes through
which the commodity passes, the driving, ginning
and balIng, until it is prepared for the market. In
cereals. beside the customary display Of the raw ma
terial IN all varieties the Commissioned proposes to
show the American process Of converting wheat into
-four, which he asserts is superior to that IN use in
any other part Of the world except, perhaps. in
Hungary; and III this connection he would arrange
to have the product of the mill converted into
bread and biscuit. and placed on sale in the Paris
restaurants. In all other departments of the pro-
posed agricultural exhibit the ideas Of the Commits
soncr equally practical; aud should the election
of the persons who to be sent 20 Paris in charge
of this exhibit bc left to him, those only who cx-
pcrienccd in this line of industry will be permitted
to co.
General lie Due says he is now in correspondence
with leading agtculturst5 in all parts Of the land.
The views OF practical men upon many points Of
great interest 20 the farmer are being classified, and
the results will from time to time, be summed up
and published for distribution. sides this he has
made several excursions to different parts of the
South for personal observation. lie believes that
Southern planters have fairly started the road to
prosperity. Hands that in other times were soft
and delicate, he found calousad and horny, bctray-
ing . familiar acquaintance with the handles OF the
piow; and tue frank ay0wai, We have been
obliged tO come 20 It, gave gratifying evidence
that plhiic opinion the labor question was adapt
ing it5aif 10 the Now order of things.
One subject which has been ~ ing large share
of the Commissioners attention, and upon which he
has been collecting data will doubtless, be q sur-
PRISE to most people. The cultivation OF the tea
piant in the United States has not often been al
tempted or thought of; yet General Le Due nnds
that in strip Of country lying in the latitude of the
northern part az S0uth Carolina, and running from
the Atlantic coast westward 70 the Mississippi and
also IN certain valley in the southern part of Cali
fornIa the climatic conditions are very favorable,
aud the results Of the few attempts that have been
made in the cultivation of the tea plant IN these
regions have been so encouraging, "a he thinks, TO
remove ali doubt as 10 the success OF future Efforts
TO produce il here.