Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1901-01-24
PLAN TO AID FARMERS.
Rare Economic Plants and Seeds
For Our Agriculturists.
VALUABLE GIFT OF A CHICAGO MAN

l
eign Lands by rho Lathrop.
Thousands of Dollars Spent on the
Expedition Department OF Agri-
culture to distribute the CO11ec-
ton.
One of the most remarkable collec-
lions of rare economic plants and seeds
is now being worked up by the depart
ment of agriculture, says the Wash
ington correspondent of the Chicago
Times-Herald. Barbour Lathrop of
Chicago, with David G. Fairchild as as
sistant, recently completed a o of
the world covering a period of two
years and embracing travels which
amounted to explorations. Mr.. Lathrop
has given the results of the expedition,
undertaken at his own expense, to the
farmers of the United States through
the medium of the section of seed and
plant introduction of the department
of agriculture.
The. expedition left New York Dec.
81, 1898, and returned last fall, having
visited in order the following countries
and sent in from each living economic
plants n seeds for cultivation by
American farmers and horticulturists:
Jamaica, Grenada, Barbados, Trinidad,
in the West Indies: Venezuela, Colon
bia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina,
Brazil, in South America; Portugal;
Tyrol and Bohemia, in AUstria-Hun-
gary; Italy, Egypt, Ceylon and Straits
Settlements, in farther India; Java, Ce-
1ebes, Amboina, Banda. Lombok, Bali,
Moluccas. Aru and Kei islands, Tenim-
Der archipelago u New Guinea, in
the Dutch East Indies; Hongkong, Can
ton, in south China; the Philippine Is
lands. Bangkok, Siam; Sweden and Fin
hand. in northern Europe.
Many thousands of dollars have been
spent by Mr.. Lathrop upon this expedi-
ton, and he put into it some of the
best thoughts of a practical man who
is alive to the general wants of his
cbuntrymen. He is not an agriculture
dst and intrusted the technical part of
the work to his assistant, Mr.. Fair
child. who was detailed by Secretary
Wilson from his position in charge Of
the section of seed and plant introduc-
Hon.
The trip vas primarily planned by
= M 4athrop to be one of reconnois-
sanceA The object in the first place
was TO find out what each country Of
ferad IN inducements for exploration
work Row it should be entered and
studied wwnom of it's Inhabitants could
be relied ,,4oon as correspondents and
what Womb be the probable expense
OF an exba nStive study from the stand
pofnt of Mo INT Introduction. This OBJ
fleet has hoo,h attained and is imbedded
in a mass of notes and piles of publica-
lions and Notebooks, etc.
The secondary aim of the expedition
was to purchase and import for trial
such prbmising seeds and plants as
Were s1ited for culture in various parts
of the J United States. The material
thu purchased has not all come in yet,
but the, main part has been distributed
or Will shortly be sent out by the de-
partDhent to h. various experiment
stations and private experimenters for
trial and report.
Over 40 different purchases were
sent in from the various countries, each
purchase accompanied by careful notes
on it's culture and the climatic soil con-
ditions to which the plant or seed was
best adapted. The annotated list a
been in part published or is in process
of publication by the section of seed
and plant introduction and covers a
wide range OF horticultural and agri-
cultural plants suited to a variety of
conditions from the tropical surround
angs of Porto Rico and Hawaii to the
arctic climate of Alaska 1t will be of
interest to point out some of the pros
poets OF these introduced plants and
the reasons for their trial:
A spineless succulent cactus Of the
Argentine suitable for fodder purposes
in the desert regions of Arizona
A series Of West Indian yams, one
of which at least is superior in flavor
to the Irish potato; suitable for Gull
ture in Florida and Louisiana, but
demanding special care and a special
market.
The A~lexandrian clover from Egypt,
a late fodder crop for irrigated lands
In southern California and Arizona.
Some OF the finest varieties of b.
hemian hops to replace the culture of
inferior sorts now almost exclusively
grown in America.
Varieties of "pedigreed" barleys,
originated in Sweden and Of superior
value for brewing purposes.
Fin West Indian mangoes and SUI
perior sorts of East Indian bananas
for culture in Porto Rico.
An evergreen poplar from Chile, for
the Pacific slope.
A frost hardy alligator pear. for the
coming industry of this fruit growing
in Florida aud California.
The Lapland six rowed barley and
the early ripening Finnish black Dat fol
experiments in Alaska and short sea.
son regions.
Chilean alfalfa varieties for breeding
experiments.