Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-02
RHEUMATISM /,
DESERTS TO BLOOM
Seed from the Orient to Be Tried in
Americas Arid Regions.

Washington, March Secretary
Wilson, of the Agricultural Depart
ment, in pursuance OF his determlna-
ton, as far as practicable to utilize the
agricultural seed appropriation in Sc
curing new, rare and valuable" seed,
dispatched Prof. Niels E. Hansen, pro-
fessor of horticulture at Brookings, S.
d., to Eastern Europe and Asia to Sc
cure new seeds and plants, and to as
certain what the people at the original
cradle of mankind had been doing to
adapt plants to their conditions Prof.
Hansen is now preparing his report
for publication after a trip involving
many thousands miles OF travel in
Eastern Russia, Trans-Caucasia, Rus
sian Turkestan, Western China and
Siberia. The trip was a successful
one, and many promising varieties
were obtained. About three car loads
of seed will be distributed to State
experiment stations and others. These
seeds, it is expected, will be chiefly of
value in tile arid regions, the purpose
Of Prof Hansen's trip being to obtain
such as were distinguished for resist
ance to drouth and heat. The follow
ing is digest of his findings:
In Central Asia a marked feature Of
the agriculture was found to be the
native alfalfa, which is a distinct sub
species Of the common alfalfa and
greatly superior to it in extent of root
system and capacity for resisting
drouth and heat The muskmelons Of
Russian TuTkestan, Bokhara, Khiva
and Trans aucausia were deemed
worthy OF introduction. Many yarie-
ties run from % to 30 pounds in
weight, oval in shape, flesh snow
white, melting and superior in quality
to any American variety. Some vari-
cites keep all winter and form one of
the principal articles Of food OF the
natives. A large quantity of pits of
the choicest varieties Of the Vladimir
race Of cherries of East Russia was
obtained from carefully selected fruit.
These bear fruit of large size and ex-
cellent quality, and endure forty de-
grees below zero Fahrenheit One
thousand plants, the entire obtainable
stock, was secured of a new species Of
raspberry of semi-recumbent habit re-
Gently discovered by explorers in the
mountains Of extreme Northern China
The fruit is orange yellow in color, Of
ldl 81 ClAS anu VI PCNdA4cA btS 'Ni'
pleasant flavor.
From Turkestan. West China and
Trans aucasia native varieties of APP
ricot, plum. peach, cherry, apple, pear,
ounce, grape, oleaster and other
fruits and a collection of vegetables
were obtained A collection of new
ornamental trees. shrubs and plants
from Siberia, Turkestan and the eau
casus Seeds Of plants used in Rus
sian forestry experiments to bind the
sand dunes, or moving sands OF the
deserts of Southeast Russia and Tur-
kestan. Small lots of a large number
Of new legumes, cereals. grasses, trees,
fruits. shrubs and ornamental plants,
recently discovered by Russian sc1en-
tific expeditions The Siberian hairy
or sand vetch (vicia villosa), as grown
in the Volga region of East Russia,
was obtained in large quantity for
general distribution This plant has
been widely tested at the American
agricultural experiment stations, and
is now considered to be one Of the best
fodder plants for all parts OF the
United States. Select seed Of Russia
red clover was also obtained for linn
tied trial. as Russian experimenters
have found their alive clover TO pc
harder than that >.immonly grown III
America.