Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-27

agency OF the experts in the department
ana In the experiment stations, and the
new industry transplanted to the place
where 1t lie most likely to succeed. A sue
eessful Importation of this character will
well repay much purely experimental
work. both because Of the added wealth to
OF the resultant diyersidcation OF American
farming Every new industry established
on substantial and paying basis may
mean Incidentally diminished imports OF
that product. but the more important re-
suit Is that II gives employment to people
and increases the potential wealth of the
country. Seeds and plants from foreign
countries are not necessarily valuable Just
because they are foreign. The value OF
such tntroductions lies In a proper under
standing of the local conditions under
which the plants are grown or marketed.
These conditions cannot be thoroughly
learned from books or by correspondence.
They must be Investigated personally In all
their phases and every cause predetermined
that viii lead to a successful result.
Introducing Improved strains.
Besides securing new crops for new re-
gions. an extremely valuable line of work.
and that which appears most profitable, is
the Introduction of improved strains of
crops which have long been cultivated In
a given region. The area devoted to wheat
amounts to about 44.0000O0 acres In the
United States and the average yield per
acre is only thirteen bushels. IL. by the in
PRODUCTION OF new varieties of wheat from
other wheat growing regions. the average
could be raised to the extent OF only one
bushel per acre it would mean an increased
production of 44000.0W bushels yearly. No
one VIII deny that such an Improvement is
possible. Varieties have already been OH
talned, especially in the line Of soft white
wheats, hard winter wheats and hard
spring wheats. that yield as much as ten
bushels above the average. The Mfllers'
Association OF Kansas and Oklahoma has
taken steps to import for distribution
among the wheat growers OF the states
named 1900 bushels Of a variety OF A red
winter wheat, originally imported by this
department. from the Crimea. In Russia
This wheat is not only superior In yield TO
varieties previously grown In that region.
but to more hardy to winter cold and shows
greater resistance to rust.
Improving q Crop.
Another commercial importation of this
character-that is. the Improvement OF a
crop already well establishments that of
the kfushu rice, which was secured
through the section of seed and plant intro
ouction by DIR. s. A. Knapp In Japan This
rice has now been grown three seasons in
southwestern Louisiana and southeastern
Iehas. The best experts say that IL does
not deterlorate under cultivation Hondu-
ras rice the variety previously grown. de-
tefiorates within three years, so that II
Is hardly worth sowing The percentage az
head rice quickly decreases. because the
grams become more starchy and break la
mllllng- The Japan rice, on the contrary
mas short and very hard grain. which
breaks very little in the milling process
80 that greater quantity OF head rice
Nlce with uubroken grainsl Is producrd
MOI only is there more head rice but the
yield per acre averages fully 25 per cent
more than that Of Honduras rice