The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-19
Prof. David G. FairchiId Scores
a Success.
Makes Tour of the World In
Search of Seeds.
FORMERLY OF KANSAS.
He Lived at Manhattan Will
His Parents.
Gossip From Washington of In
terest to Kansas.


Kansas man has won fame in a trip
around the world 1t is Prof. David c.
Tairchild formerly Of Manhattan, whose
father was president of the Agrlcuilufai
college for nineteen years
Prof. Fairchild has for the past seN +
eral wears been connected with the
botany division cf the department oI
griculture here His absence ana
whereabouts has been secret OF ths
government for some time past anu
now he has just returned to Washing
ton and the object of his mission abroad
made public today.
During the summer of 1888 Prot talr-
child was compelled to give up his
duties in Office temporarily on account
of poor health, so he sought recreatfoIl
at the seaside While there ne met ana
formed a close acquaintance with Mt
Barbour LathrOp, a wealthy man of
Chicago. The latter became very much
interested in MI Fairchild's sclentinc
work and forthwith proposed to the
young botanist a tour of the world IN
search Of rare seeds and plants MI
Fairchild had had some experience IN
this line of work abroad for the govern
ment, and wishing 10 expand ms knoWI-
edge in the work. accepted of the offer
made him.
AS a result of their expedition the de-
partment Of agriculture has now most
remarkable collection of rare economic
plants and seeds. Their tour covered a
period of over two years and embraced
travels which amounted to explorations
Mr.. Lathrop, and the resulting good OF
the trip is given in a philanthrOpic man
ner to the farmers Of the United States
through the medium Of the section Of
seed and plant Introduction of the de-
partment
Mr. Lathrop ana Prof. FairchiId start
ed on their exploration from New York
city on December p, 1898 They visited
In the order named the following cOun-
tries and sent in from each living eco
nomic plants and seeds for cultivation
by American farmers and hOrticui-
turists- Jamaica, Grenada, Barbados,
Trinidad in the West Indies: Venezuela,
Colombia. Ecuador. Peru, Chile. Argen-
tine. Brazil, in South America Portugal,
Tyrol and Bohemia in AustrO-Hungary
Italy Egypt, AmbOina. Banda A4ombok
Bali. Moluccas. Aru and Kei Islands,
Tenimber archipelago. and New Guinea
in the Dutch East Indies; Hong Kong,
Canton. in South China: the Philippine
Islands. Bankok, Siam. Sweden and Fin
land in northern Europe
Many thousands of dollars have been
spent BY Mr.. LOthrOp upon this expedi-
tion. and he has put into il some of the
best thought of practical man who
j. alive to the general wants of his
countrymen- He entrusted the technical
part Of the work to Prof. Fairchild. who
was detailed from the agricultural de
partment. where he had charge of the
section Of foreign plants and seeds.
Prof balrchild was laid I'D with ma
laria in the 11oluccas. and with typhoid
in Siam and Ceylon. and Mr. L.athrOp
had to go twice to Carlsbad. but the ex-
peditlOn has been brought to a success Y
full conclusion, and the farms or this
country are the beneficiaries
The trip was primarily planned by
Mr. Lathrop to be one Of reconnaissance. \
The object in the first place was to find
out what each country offered in in
cucements for exploration work how it
should be entered and studied whom of
It's Inhabitants could be relied upOn as
correspondents. and what could be the
probable expense of an exhaustive study
from the standpoint of plant introduc-
ton This object has been attained and
is embodied in mass of notes and piles
OF publications and notebooks
The secondary aim was to purchase
and import for trial such promising
seeds and plants as were suited for c1lI-
ture in various parts of the United
States The material thus purchased
has not all come in yet but the main
part has been distributed. or will short
~ De sent out by the department to
the various experiment stations i'm the
states and private experimenters for
trial and report
over $50 different purchases were cant
IN from the various countries. each pur-
chase accompanied by careful notes on
its culture and the climate soil condi-
uons TO which the plant or seed was
best adapted The annoted list has beer
IN part published by the seed and plant
section 1t covers a wide range of hor-
2lculturai and agricultural plants suited
70 variety OF conditions from the frODf-
cal surroundings Of Porto Rico ana
Hawaii to the Arctic clfmateof Aiastla
The Kansas delegation met Tuesday
AFTERNOON FOR the purpose of making a
Recommendation to the Kansas legisla-
lure regarding the erection OF a rnonu-
ment Tor the Kansas soldiers buried at
Arlngton cemetery near this cifv
! nrouSh a citizen residing in Mr. Read-
eT district this proposition was made
and the delegation asked to assist in its
construction Plans and sDecifcations
of suitable shaft to be- erected III the
memory or our heroes were laid before
the congressman. and it was decided fo
recommend the erection OF. one a+ a seoet
of $2S 600
IN speaking Of his bill to construct ar
tesian wells in Kansas. Mr.. .Reefler saS,s
he thinks it very likely the measure viii
pass az TINS session His bin authorizes
49, - alisess sh5 government geological
survey to make e. thorough examination
Of the great plains region Of Kansas NJ
determine the amount of the ay7flal l,1.
supply Of water. and to sink or cause Ia
be constructed one or more deep wells of
such location and depth as to ascertain
the quality and quantity of the under
ground waters. For this burmese +ba
sum OF sz9'OoV Is to be appropriated
Senator Lucien Baker has introduced
bill IN the senate to apportion +he
lands and funds of the Usage tribe m
Indians in Oklahoma Territory. and fog
other purposes
Congressman BoWersock is WORKING
hard to get an act passed to give the
Kansas state university $4,000 DANA eAs
due the owners Of the old Free state |
hotel at Lawrence. which institution is !
now rs beneficiary BY virtue of an as