The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-29
TO MAKE MACAR0NI
NEEDED CAN BE GROWN IN
NORTHWEST
THRIvEs WHEN OTHERS FAIL
Secretary of Agriculture Presents
Some New Propositions on For
age Crops and Concern:
ing Irrigation.
FROM THE GLOBE BUREAU,

FROM THE GLOBE BUREAU,
Washington, ID. C.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 2S.-In his annual
report the secretary of agriculture tells
of the work done toward introducing the
macaroni wheat into tha Northwest. He
discusses forage crops, irrigation and
other matters. The sections calculated to
interest readers in Minnesota, the Da-
kotas and adjacent states are as follows:
The United States imports over 16,Oe0,-
900 pounds, nearly $S00OO0 worth, of naca-
rCni annually. This product is made from
a special class Of wheats, which, until re-
Gently, had never been given a thorough
trial in this country. The department Sc
cured quantity of the wheats. and it
has been found that they are we'll
adapted to a wide extent of territory in
the West and Northwest. During the
last two years they yielded one-third to
one-half more per acre than any other
wheats grown side by side with them,
and in 1900, when other wheats were al
most complete failure in the Dakotas,
the macaroni varieties produced a very
good yield, and the grain was of excel
lent quality. They have also been very
successfully grown in Kansas and Ne
braska
'"The department has made every effort
to bring the producers and buyers of this
class of wheat together, with the result
that the demand for it now more than
equals the supply. Moreover, certain
companies are now for the first time Of
fering for macaroni Wheats which IN
clude the we'll known Wild Goose, that
was heretofore invariably rejected in the
markets, about the same price as is paid
for No. 2 northern. There Is a demand
for carload lots of macaroni wheat for
seed as well as for milling. Our own
factories for making nlaearoni are awaK-
ening to the Importance of using these
special wheats instead OF the ordinary
bread wheats, and the demand for maca-
roni -four for this purpose is already
greatly in excess of the supply. Besides
the home demand for these wheats there
is q good market abroad
New Forage Crops.
"For many years there has been an ~.
gent demand for some good grasses and
forage plants for the states of the great
plains, especially for the Northern states,
where the winters are so cold and dry
that ordinary forage plants are killed
out. This demand has been met to q
great extent by the importation of the
smooth bronze grass, as stated In last
years report. This grass comes from
Russia and Hungary, and has proved to
be most excellent for pasture and nay,
being perfectly hardy as far north as
North Dakota. A hardy alfalfa imported
from Turkestan has also proved valua-
BILE, being far more resistant to cold and
drought than those ordinarily grown and
which came originally from much less
rigorous climates
I'm response to persistent complaints
and urgent requests for remedies the
biological survey has prepared and dis
tributed a circular of directions for the
destruction of prairie dogs, and is now
conducting field experiments in the Da-
kotas, Nebraska, Kansas and Texas with
a view to the discovery of remedial meas.
ures cheap enough for general use on the
ranch lands of the plains.
National Aid for Irrigation.
There is every reason to believe that
irrigation will, in the near future, be-
come subject for legislation by con-
gress, and there are important reasons
/ why it should have the attention of that
| body. Hereafter the seekers for homes
on the public domain must look for them
in that part of the country where culti-
waited crops cannot be grown by the aid
Of rainfall alone, and where the extent
of irrigation is the measure of settle
ment.
eff the outlay for these is to be added
to the expenditure Wnlcn eac0 SelIler
must make in building his lateral ditcnes,
putting his land in condition for cultiva-
ton, and supporting himself and fam
lily during the period of this preparatory
labor, the expenditure viii be prohibitive
for all except men of considerable means.
Because of this, agricultural development
in the West has for several years been
slow, and the period of rapid progress
has probably passed, even under the
most favorable conditions which can be
| provided.
During the past summer and pre-
ceding summers 1 have given much time
| to a personal investigation and study
| of the land and water problems of the
| West, and have reached. the following
| conclusions regarding them:
First-That private enterprise will have
| to be supplemented by public aid in the
| cation works if we are to secure the
! largest development Of Western agricul-
ture.
Second-That reservoirs located in the
| channels of running streams should be
| public works.
Third-That the first step toward ma
tionsl aid for irrigation should be the
! passage of enlightened codes of water
laws by the states to be. benefited.
Fourth-That the, lands laws should
| be modified by repeating the desert act
| and by requiring cultivation as well as
I residence on a homestead
Fifth-That the nonirrigabl grazing
| lands should be leased in small tracts
SO as to unite the irrigable and the pas
| ture lands
Texas Oil Drops a Bit.
CoRsIEAN.A, Tex, Nov. 2s.-Local oil
| producers have been notified Of a reduce