The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-07
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
m secretary Including Operations Texas Blight Tobacco and Boil wee


~SNSos0oSoaae I
lately in Southern and Pacific Coast state.
This disease. also known as Are blight ar
apple blight, is the cause OF heavy losses
1t has been especially severe for
the past two years in the Southern and /
racine TOAST states The department sew. /
eral years ago discovered improved methods I
OF treating this disease, and during the mast
year large field demonstration az 'tbc /
method was made IN Texas In a place yheI,
the disease was so severe as TO thoronrbI,-
test the treatment, This experiment on n !
commercial scale, was entirely successfui
-Four TO five thousand bushels Of fruit rvere |
saved IN the treated orchard, while In the
nhtreated adjacent orchard the fruit was
destroyed by the disease and the trees
greatly injured. Similar demonstrations viii
ne carried out next year Ia other parts Of
the United States.
One Of the greatest needs IN improvinp
the cotton Industry IN the United states
mas been TO secure 4 long staple upland va.
riety OF good quality and productiyeneys.
Several varieties Of the ideal tyne have been
produced, aud the past years experilnents
snow conclusiyely that these varieties can
be made permanent. Egypt aud south IN.
Ilca are waxing up TO their possibilities in
cotton production, and we must develop mud
grow better and more productive varieties
tnan VIII be grown by our competitors AZ
forts to develop frost-resistant orange are
lnaugurated. Hybrids between Japanese
and Russian varieties Of wheat have been
obtained, giving the good qualities OF both
hardness and early ripening
Reports are In preparation advising the
extensive Planting of he best varieties Of
mangoes and alligator pears in Porto Rico.
| 1his Island offers natural conditions favor
able for their culture, and It is believed
| a regular supply OF these fruits Of good
| quality will Increase the demand OF the
markets Of our Eastern States The study
/ Of the coffee industry IN Guatemala has
| led 20 the belief that the industry IN Porto
| Rico has beer Injured by the presence Of
too many shade trees In the coffee planta.
| tions, the belief of the planters being that
heavy shade Is necessary.
Work on the Arlington farm has beer
greatly Increased the past year and Will
the facilities now available, the secretary
believes 1t will be possible next seasol
to tnaugurate quite extensive work
tea was continued during the year at Pine
hurst, near summerville. $. c., In cooper
alton with Or. shepard There are nov
; about 100 acres In tea gardens. The ylelS
OF tea In these gardens last year was abou
400 pounds and this year will he 900
pounds OF marketable tea. During the yea
careful attention was given 10 reducini
the cost OF production OF tes, with YER
established In Texas, II suitable land an
cooperation can be secured.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRIBUTION OIL
SEEDS
The secretary declares his wish has beei
: W NdEAg Uul tllt Will pL COuEEtoS IN III
distribution OF seeds, SO as to result In tn
most good to the country. The congress
sional distribution last year was the larges
: in the history Of tho department. and pa;
tlcular attention was given 10 forage GRO
q seed, cotton seed. tobacco seed and see
:, Of other special crops. To stun further il
! crease the efficiency OF the seed work, ser
3 eral new plans have been put into ope
r alton. Under the present system, the d
a pnrtment secures its OWL seed IN the ope
a market contracting only Cor the mechai
y teal work Of packing and mailing the see
n Seedgmen are now cooperating with II
n department IN furnishing lspeGiaues on
~ novelties. These will he distributed on
= so long as to make them thoroughly know.
n leaving the demand then TO be met py II
"a regular trade
% PRODUCTION Of foreign secds and giants h
- heeu pushed forward as rapidly as q
II means avail bic would permit. The az
- cultural explorers Of the department ma
n visited many countries aud secured MAJ
70 valuable iutroductiCns In the way OF see
m and plants. Hon. Barbour L3throp as
e. rled On extensive agricultural expo at'e
Il Mt his own expense, and the Gep4rtAe
le has given him the assistance OF one Of
Ia most experienced 1ploIers The muodl
(. ton aud establishment Of macaron! whe
in the United states may be rogarded
n acccmp ishcd- About 100000 bushels
S lNtb MueNL IldNG httu a. AFNrh "a N'AN D..
or season, but the demand is stii in eTces,
IN rho supply. The winter wheats intr0duc
I'd and tested promise great value, Nafl'
SC obtained from East and nth Russia !
NJ much more hardy than our own ana W
O. extend the winter wheat sever miles nor
~ and considerably farther west than Il"
The secretary anticipates pose!Dle
crease Of five 10 ten bushels per acre o,
fbe STANDARD spring wheats, + rtlcular ]
&c provement has been m de IN t,c rice gro
% ing regions OF Texas aud Loulsian re
30 through the forts ot the department
he the introduction Of new fo'ms. as y fe5u
Of rice production In this country DOW an
equals the demand, The Jordan almond
no another successful Introduction during
- year. This is the best Imported hinl a
- If Is certain that In few years IhilLoln
grown ] rdau almonds VIII DC on Ine w
ket. Seeds Of number OF aikaiiir 81 elst,
cottons and other plants have been
tanned. .or.,o,,
Its possibilities as greet Na.lon 'S III
have developed so swiftly IN the III
States that the discrepancy oelN,cH ,
cgnocitv for government service OF
branch Of the department And US "pp'I''
q Ties was never SO great as now. .,
,rbIrty-seveu applications were recel
during the year, asking advice TOT thg ~
agement Of 100000 acres. Inc tot = I, =
Il now under management, In accoroau NC ~ "
the working plans OF InD pstIon FOR II
IN Southeastern Tex s. comprising an y
Of 10000 acres the largest p5iys tste p
ing OF timber land in the United % NE
i{v the request Of the secretary OF t hp
70 Tor, the bureau Of forestry mas os ,c
res his official adviser 10 matters , " ~
1od noltcy for the National forest reserves
i'm srinc over 60,oOO00O acres =, ..,,-
ms Extensive tx studies were made Of ,, e3nr
1by cioi trees during the year and slul i :,
IDS nc forest and its industrial relat iouS ~ /,
Gus made In Michigan, Kentucky, ono no, iv
les. Wsvy Mexico, Arizona, south Dd ~
'ers Wyoulins Montana, Calfornla a1u ~
,ws H4ong the questions involved WeIC,
present. and future timber =. su l9rcsr Z
iIirrITotion and grazing. The bureau 9a .,S
,eR' covered less Injurious method 3d t,''
res tine orcbardlns than that D''n'''
vel, ployed.
eIe SOIL, SURVEY II TEXAS
red rhe soil survey has been greatly eAl l
J OF Cd and the division Of soil manas ,i
started during the year gives pfoH .a,
'on- bigbIv important results. The ou. req
sS,- 1o,v employs force Of over ~