The times., 1899-10-09

I
trees of the best sorts from Algeria and
Italy. As soon as possible the best sorts
of earobs from other regions will also be
obtained and tried in America. Owing TO
the absence of nurseries in the countries
where carobs are principally grown, it is
matter of great difficulty 10 get such small
trees.
Another forage plant of promise for the
warmer regions, and especially for the arid
section, is the thornless cactus. This is an
opuntia or prickly pear which yields enor-
nous amounts of the so-called leaves or
pads, which are in reality fattened
{ branches some ten 10 fifteen tons per acre
being often reported. The pads contain
! only from 5 to 10 per cent of dry matter.
but, being very watery food, it is adapted
to stock in dry regions especially where
more concentrated food seed, as cotton
1 seed, can be given as well. The best sorts
are thornless, and can be cut for fodder
if desired, though if this be done no fruit
| is produced. Messrs. Lathrop and Fair
child sent the section of seed and plant
introduction an entirely smooth cactus used
for fodder in Argentine, and Mr.. Swingle,
while studying the agriculture of the Medi-
! terranean countries, sent the pricl<ly pear
of Sicily. This latter is thornless, but has
minute prickles. Cattle, however, eat il
readily. and it has the advantage of pro-
ducing delicious fruits.
Fine Table Grapes.
The fine table and wine grapes of Eu-
rope belong to a species Wits vinifera)
less hardy than the American forms from
which were derived the varieties now in
general cultivation in the eastern United
States. But, notwithstanding the great
progress made in the improvement of the
]
preaching in quality or market value the
fancy European article. Our imports of
wines, currants, raisins, and fresh grapes
aggregate over sS.S50,000, a year. For the
purpose of making thorough study of all
those branches of viticulture, with view
TO their development in the United States,
Mr.. Swingle visited the principal table and
wine grape regions in Germany, France,
Algeria. Tunis, and Italy, also the currant
and raisin producing regions in Greece
and Turkey.
'-The great enemy of the European grapes
in eastern United States has been the
dreaded phylloxera- The French vine
yards were ravaged by this scourge some
twenty years ago, but a remedy was found
in grating the European vine on selected
American sorts. which are almost proof
against the attack of this insect. In this
way the resistance of the American sorts
I
Vinifera grapes. The French yiticulturists
have found that not only is the injury sue
cessfully prevented, bui the vines actually
yield more than they did before the phyl-
loxera appeared-the American roots prov
ing TO be better and more vigorous stocks
than the European.
In cooperation with the Division of Po-
mology, the section of seed and plant intro
duction mas secured 2.000 plants of 119 of
the best varieties, all grated on American
stocks especially selected for vigor and
disease-resisting qualities. The grated
vines are being given thorough trial in
various localities in North Carolina, Flor
ida Alabama, and Kansas, under the
direction of the Division of PomoIogy, in
order TO ascertain which varieties are best
suited to the local conditions of the differ
ent regions. Is it confidently hoped that
the European grape can be established in
many parts of the South and that table
grape culture can be greatly extended by
the culture of the superior European sorts.
The West and Southwest viii be inter
ested in the studies made as to methods
of currant culture in Greece, and the i'm
portation proposed for next winter of the
best sorts OF currants and of seedless rails
ins. as well as Of the fine table grapes of
Algeria Turkey in Asia, and Bulgaria. In
addition to securing the best European
varieties grated on American roots, Mr..
Swingle also secured considerable number
OF the varieties of American grapes select
ed in France with especial reference to
their resistance OF phylloxera- These re-
sistant stocks can be multiplied here, and
shortly we can produce our own grated
vines.
Then, too. many new hybrids of the Eu-
ropean and American grapes, the so-called
France erican were obtained as they
have the greatest advantage of not requir-
ing grating, since the resistance of the
American parent is, to a certain extent
combined with the quality Of the European
parent in their hybrids.
New Kind of Hay
: a promising new winter forage plant
is the scarlet veteh tvicia fnlgens) found
, by DR.. Trabut, director of the Algerian
! Experiment Station. 1t is grown with
winter oats or rye to serve as a support
and yields in Algeria five tons of good hay
per acre. This species is a near relative
/. OF the hairy veteh which has proven to b.
a most valuable forage plant in the South
and deserves a careful trial since it i.
likely TO be found even more vigorous anC
resistant to drought. America and Hun.
gary are the only countries which expor
flour in large quantities. The Hungarian
3 nOlE owes llS reputation largely 10 The
: high quality of the hard winter wheat:
. grown in the great plains between III,
: Thesis and Danube rivers. Other coun-
! tries, especially Russia and our owl
Northwest, have superb hard sprinl
wheats but authorities agree that 1t is il
: Hungary that hard winter wheats of th
: best quality are to be found When ii Il
remembered that winter wheat yields NOR
than spring wheat and often suffer les
from drought, the desirability OF thes
cereals becomes evident.
u MIR Swingle arranged In Budapest t
5 secure FIVE of the best sorts in small guam
g titles as soon as the 1899 crop is dr.
l. enough TO ship. These wheats cannot b
4 expected 10 stand the severe winters O
: the extreme Northwest, but il is hope
e that for the middle Western States, espe
! cially in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, the
e will prove of great value.
: The opuntia, grown in Sicily, produc
y delicious fruits in great abundance. ofte
q ten tons per acre. In Almeria. Spain, a
e high as fifteen tons OF fruits are sometime
e produced. In Sicily the well-ripene
y prickly pears are really delicious, an
d these improved varieties should be trie
t, in all the Southern and Southwestern
b States. Some of these best sorts have bee
e obtained and viii be distributed TO tn
: experiment stations for trial.
"A nut likely to prove OF great value 70
California and Arizona is the pistacht
y The UnderMC