The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-25

Washington Letter in Country Gentlem

Washington Letter in Country Gentleman.
If Secretary Wilson carries out his pur-
pose of turning the Potomac fats of the
Lee-Arlington estate, just across the river
from Washington, and within sight of the
Capitol, into a model farm, the national
capital will have unique and special at
traction for the agriculturists of the coun-
try. These flats which have not been in
cluded in the national cemetery (Arling-
ton) on the ridge just above, formerly con-
stituted the corn lands of the great Custis-
Lee estate, and the portion selected by
Secretary Wilson contains about four hun
dred acres, and will be known as the "Arl-
ington farm
The first step to reclaim this part of the
Arlington estate, which for very many
years had been overgrown with weeds and
brush, and to convert it into an object les
son, was taken in May, 1901. The property
up to that time had been in charge of the
War Department and had received prac-
tically no care. At the suggestion Of Sec
rotary Wilson 1t was transferred, by an
act of Congress, to the Agricultural De-
partment for experimental purposes. l..
c. Corbett the horticulturist of the
plant breeding division of the department,
was chosen to work out the plans, and,
under the direction Of the secretary and of
Prof V. 7. Galloway. he began the work.
peas, soy beans and coarse fodder, which.
when matured, was plowed under again.
This year he put in a crop of rye as an ex-
pertinent, and found that it yielded twen-
ty-five bushels to the acre, which is much
better than the average.
The land has been surveyed and plans
have been drawn just as an architect would
for a house. There will be a model farm
house, model orchard with the finest
American fruit that can be grown, and all
sorts of crops. standard and new. There
will al ho laT nnfln off Of bod
brought together for comparison, and all
marked plainly with both their popular and
scientific names. so that farmer. visiting
he would like to have in his own home, will
be able to make memorandum and order
from it intelligently. There will be foliage
plants and shrubs also arranged in the
most artistic and useful way, furnishing
object lessons in their use and adaptability.
Already the work of building model brick
barn has begun, and many of the trees have
been started
Mr. Corbett says that they intend to make
the orchard the finest and most complete
collection of apple, peach and pear trees
in the country, and the first object will be to
complete the list of American varieties.
This farm is particularly we'll situated for
growing all those fruits in zone where
the flora of the North and the South over
lap; apples can be grown which flourish in
the northern part of Minnesota or the Da-
kotas, and at the same time the varieties
which do we'll in the Carolinas and north
ern Florida grow WELL So ii will be
with peaches pears and to some extent,
possibly oranges. In making this collec-
ton, each tree will be grown under Mr.
Corbetts directions on the farm, grating
the stock on a young tree of known char
acter and health. The cutting will be taken
from a tree which is in fruit, and which is
known to be true to it's name. This will
insure accuracy of nomenclature The trees
will be very valuable for propa CATION and in
the work of breeding and cross breeding
they will be convenient to the experiment.
ers of the department.
The arboretum will be a very practical
thing. There are great many native trees
in Washington now: but they are not as
sembled as they will be here, for purposes
of comparison. The shrubs and perennial
grasses will be grown in such places as will
beautify the landscape and make them OBJ
ject lessons in what may easily be done on
any farm Mr. Corbett says that they will
not go in for the fancy or foreign things
except as they are brought for experiment
tation. The main object will be to show
what can be done by an enterprising farmer
with the material at hand.