The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-13
BIG CROPS ARE ALIEN
NOT ONE OF OUR GREAT STAPLE
PLANTS IS INDIGENOUS.

take more pride than that Of the in
PRODUCTION OF new plants into the
United States. and the improvement
Of those which are already grown in
this country. writes the Washington
correspondent Of the New York Com
merclal Advertiser. II may be seid
that not one OF the plants producing
the great staple crops Of the United
States Is indigenous 10 the soil A
few varieties Of grapes, plums and ber-
ries are improvements upon those
which were found growing wild by the
settlers Of two centuries ago, but none
Of the grains. sugar canes. rice or any
other well-known staples We're known
to Americans III the early DAYS Of
white settlement. The Indians had a
little corn. but even this. II is believed
was brought from Central America.
and the grain itself Is SO old that its or
igin has never been discovered. The
same may be said Of wheat. though IL
is probable that the latter originated
IN the Eastern Mediterranean regions.
Since this work of the Department Of
Agriculture commenced the character
OF nearly all Of the grains practically
all OF the rice. much Of the cotton and
many Of the grasses has been entirely
changed from that produced for mar
ket twenty years ago. Hardy and
spring wheats have been brought from
Russia for use In an the Northern
States. date palms have been brought
from Algeria to grow - Arizona, Egyp
tian cotton and Egyptian clover are
now being planted In many OF the Gulf
states. and a seedless raisin grape has
come to us from italy. Up in Michi
gan. along the sandy lake shores.
German clover is being planted to hold
the sand dunes in piace against the
prevailing winds. Japan has sent MS
a clover which IS used extensively In
the South for a winter crop. and
score OF improved vegetables have sue
ceeded those which formerly grew In
American gardens.
1t was not many years ago that all
Of the rice grown IN the United States
was Of the Honduran variety. This
was found to be Improbable. and the
rice industry langulshed perceptbly
The Department Of Agriculture took
the matter up aud introduced the Ja-
nan or Krushu rice. which has created
such a revolution in rice growing as
TO eliminate all other varieties II IS
claimed that at least S20.000.000 has
been invested in rice fields In Texas
and Louisiana since the Introduction
Of the japanese grain. 1t yields twen-
ty-ave per cent. more an acre and mills
at least twenty-five per cent. more un-
broken rice than did the Honduran
variety. and has. therefore, increased
the rice production per acre over htty
Der cent. The department has long
since given up the rice business %
legitimate business enterprise. for i
is a principle governing the lntrodue'
tion Of a new plant that as soon as
variety Is found desirable, and Il rec
oenized by the seedsmen. the depart
ment with lraws from the field and
leaves to private enterprise the oppor-
tunlty OF handling the business.
Growing just short distance from
the agricultural bnildlng IN Washing
ton Is a thick. thorny hedge Of orange
trees. Citrus Trifoliata they are called
The fruit is inedible. being small and
bitter. but thu orange Is hardy. grow
inc to maturity as Ear north as Phila-
delphia. The great frost of 1913 I'D
Florida. which destroyed 50 many or
ange groves. suggested to Secretary
Wilson the great advantages which
would follow the discovery Of ahardier
variety OF this fruit than Is now grown
In this country. Il was decided 20 pro
duce a hybrid orange crossing the
Florida plant with a Trifoliat 10 the
endeavor to get q sweet orange which
should be likewise hardy. The de-
partment has succeeded in getting 5000
OF these hybrid plants. Il Is TOO soon
yet to say what the result VIII be with
the fruit. II is not believed. however.
that a sweet orange viii result though
there ls sull some hope of that lt is
though. however. that By again cross
ing this hybrid with the sweet orange
that in time a marketable fruit may De
produced from a tree which WIN grow
very much further north than the one
now known TO the orange groves Of tne
country.
In the meantime however this ny
brld orange IS new and remarkably
valuable hedge plant with an ever
green foliage and long fhorns. making
it an impcnerable thickeL This in ii-
SELF. in the opinion Of Secretary WI
son. IS 4 sufficiently valuable discovery
TO Justify the work already done. but
the experiment vnl Be pushed TO
conclusion In the ondeayor % secure
hardy sweet orange As She Secretary
SAYS. zone Of the marve.s ol the new
century may be an orange tree bear
ing marketable fruit which WIZ thrive
In the temperate zone"
The importation Of Egyptian cotton
has been watched with great deal Of
interest by the Secretary. owing 10 iis
adautabllity % the arid belt Of the
r4r. r. $780,. u. ff...rH fff4 rnffnu IA