The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-09-27
UNCLE SANS AGRICULTURAL EXPL

Mr. D. c. Fsirchid, agricultural ex-
pIorer Of the Department of Agriculture,
is at present in the city Nr Fairchild
is assistant 10 M Barbour Lathrop,
who has been for some time conducting
an expedition at his own expense in
search of valuable seeds and plants for
introduction into the United States Mr..
Lathrop works in cooperation with the
Department Of Agriculture and makes =
gift Of his discoveries to the country.
de has Just finished an extended trip
through the Orient, and his assistant
Mr.. FairchiId, has returned 10 the de-
partmenJ 10 write up his report regard
ing seeds and plants secured, after
which he will leave. in company with
Mr.. Lathrop. to continue the work q
fuTthering the Investigations Of plant
introduction.
DIR Fairchild is not prepared at pres
ent to give a statement to the public as
to what plants have been secured OF
what Investigations have been cor
pleted; but his reports, II is hoped, VIII
come out shortly and the American
farmers will have the benefit of the in
formation secured in foreign countries
Upon the arrival of the seed and plants
they Will be judtciously distributed by
the Agricultural Department TO the va
Tious State experiment stations and 70
other experimenters whose qualifications
and means recommend them to the Off
Ger who has charge OF the plant intro
duction in the department Mr. Fair
child is willing 10 say, however. that the
expedition has been very successful
one.
The public is becoming mere appre-
ciative OF this work OF plant introduc-
ton; and foreign countries are following
the lead which the United States has
taken. Mr.. Fairchild is OF the opinion
that the work Of plant introduction is
in its infancy and that there are few
more potent factors in the development
OF the resources Of a country than the
judicious selection OF new crops and
their quick appreciation by the farming
classes.
Mr.. Fairchild does not wish at present
TO make public the objective point OF
Mr. Lathrop's next expedition. Mr. La
throp viii probably leave New York
some time during October.
DR.. Richard Rathbun, assistant sec
rotary of the Smithsonian Institution.
has returned from EastpOr1, Maine.
where he spent the summer. Dr. Rath-
bun is a man with q very interesting
record in scientific research. He is a
person OF high attachments and pro-
hcient in his chosen work
He is a native OF Buffalo, \. Y, where
he was bora in 1852. He received his
early education in the public schools
and later attended Cornell University
In 1s74-75 he was assistant in zoology Of
the Boston Society OF Natural History.
Subsequently he spent three years in
Brazil where he held the position Of as
sistant geologist in the geological com
mission Of Brazil. In 1880 he was
assistant in zoology at Yale.
In 1873 Dr.. Rathbun began his service
with the Government. being al that time
assistant on the Fish Commission. He
had charge OF the division Of scientific
inquiry On this commission subsequent
to the year 1887. From 1892 10 1895 he
was United States representative On the
Joint commission with Great Britain re
Iativa to the preservation Of fisheries IN
waters contiguous 10 the United States
and Canada In 1897 he accepted the po-
sition which he occupies today.
Dr.. RathbuD has written extensively
on paleontology and marine inverte-
brate zoology and fisheries IN Govern
melt and other publications.