Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-04-11
TO DOUBLE THE WHEAT CROP.
Wonderful Experiments Being Con-
Quoted by the Government.

Correspondence obe-Democrat.
WASHINGTON. April EVERY
one who eats will be interested in
some new and clever wizardry which
the enterprising scientists at the gov
ernment's experiment stations have
recently commenced.
That plants must henceforth work
overtime to keep up with the restless
pace OF this twentieth century race
is now foregone conclusion. The
vegetable creature which suspends ac-
tivity at night. AZ nature intended,
Will soon be branded as useless slug
gard: Will ultimately fall into extinc-
tion. 1hat which lies dormant in
winter and awaits the warm breath OF
spring before sprouting must cease
its lazy habit of Information. Sweet
fruits of the tropics, heretofore stub
Dornly refusing to flourish In cooler
climates, must put on thicker appar-
Ell. Little fruits at which greedy
man smacks his lips must grow big
ger. All thorns and spines which
nature gave uB as a protection to
our sweet fruits and flowers must be
shaken on
One OF these wizards told me seri-
ously that the farmers of the future
Will bridge over their nights and win
ters; that there will be no seasons
for our needed plant life.
That plants can be forced to do
night work is indeed being proven at
several of the experiment stations.
Nature gave the night to plants-as
to animals-as period of sleep.
Light, as well as air. soil and water,
is essential to plant growth. 1t was
discovered a few years ago that the
illumination Of gardens at night by
electric light will keep plants awake
and growing, and 1t seems as though
they are deceived into believing IN
day continues.
Plants thus treated grow much fas-
ter and develop much earlier than 9TH
ers allowed their every night OF.
The government is now commencing
series OF experiments to learn wheth-
er Welsbach gas lamps cannot also
be used as substitutes for the sun.
1t is also growing plants in soil ac-
tually fertilized by electricity, anu
learning that such treatment also has
tens plant growth. What with artifi-
cial suns keeping plants awake all
night and hurrying them from over
head. and what with underground
wires hurrying their roots from under
meath. we may awaken some fine
morning to discover that these i'm
provers on nature have learned to
grow magic bean stalks such as used
by the valiant slaughterer of giants
whom we read about in our nursery
days
That the farmer of the future can
bridge winter over is proven by ex-
periments with vegetables planted in
winter In experimental gardens. be.
tween whose rows are tunnels filed
with steam supplied by boiler on
the premises. Vegetables have thus
been actually grown out OF season.
This idea OF warming Mother Earth
by steam pipes is, of course. new
For early asparagus especially 1t has
begun to be applied with practical
success. The steam is turned on for
iive minutes at time twice in three
days. when 1t heats the soil to tenn.
perature OF 80 degrees.
Breeding oranges which Will grow
north is another enterprise OF these
scientists. They have found a little
orange. one and a half inches In d.
| ameter. grown successfully as far
north as Philadelphia. 1t is very
hard and can live through a frost.
1t. however, is unfit for food when
raw. although valuable for preserv'