The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-23
THE MODEL FARM
OF UNCLE SAM
Some 400 Acres of Virginia Land
Which Will Be Mecca
for Farmers.
What Scientific Farming Can Do
When You Have Plenty Of
Money and Time.

From, The journal Bureau, Room Is, Post
Building, Warrington.
Washington, Oct. %. - The, United
States model farm run by the agricul-
tural department, and situated just across
the Potomac river, is beginning to attract
attention. 1t embraces that part of the
Arlington estate not used for the national
military academy, about 400 acres of good
Virginia land to the south Of the cemetery
and bordering the river. 1t Is to be-
known as the darlington Farms" and it
is the purpose of Secretary Wilson to
make it the Mecca for farmers not only
of the United States, but of all the world.
With scientific farming, and under the
care of experts, 1t will be shown what ma
ture will do.
I'VE are doing great things over there
said the secretary of agriculture, "and it
is time now that the farmers Of the coun-
try know something about it. I predict
that 1t will not be long now when that
farm will be model which will be studied
by thousands of farmers, and from which
they will carry away Ideas which will
beautify the whole country
A year ago last May the first move was
made toward retaining this part of the
Arlington estate. The property was, up
to that time, under the care Of the war
department, but it was not used and had
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stigation of Secretary Wilson 1t was
turned over to the department Of agricul-
ture, for experimental purposes. The
horticulturist of the plant breeding div
ision was chosen to work out the secre-
tary's plans, under the direction Of the
secretary. and of Professor B. T. Gal
loway horticultural L. G. Corbett found
that the land had been used for a mule
pasture, and that otherwise it had been
permitted to grow wild things ever since
the property was confiscated from the
Lee estate some forty years ago. So for
two years the only thing he could do was
to reclaim the soil and render 1t fit FOR
the application Of fertilizers. So MIR. Cor
bett had it plowed up and sown to cow
peas, soy beans and such coarse fodder,
which when it 1natured, was promptly
plowed under again. This year he put In
a crop Of rye just for an experiment, and
found that 1t yielded twenty-five bushels
to the acre, which is much better than
the average. So he has pronounced the
land suitable for operations.
Mr.. Corbett has had the land carefully
surveyed, and has drawn plans just as
an architect would for a house. There
will be a model farm house, model orch
ard with the finest American fruit that
can be grown, and all sorts OF crops
standard and new. There will also be a
large collection of shade trees brought to-
gether for comparison, and all marked
plainly with their popular and scientific
names, so that a farmer visiting the farm.
and seeing a tree or q shrub which he
would like on his own place, will be able
to make memorandum. and order In
diligently. Already the work OF building
q model barn has begun. and many OF the
trees have Been started. u -
1--WE intend said Mr. Corbett, Ito make
it the finest and most complete collec-
+,or ~ opnIo neach and near trees In the
country, and the first object will be to
complete the list Of American varieties
We are particularly well situated here for
the growing of all these fruits. We are
situated In zone where the fora of the
north and south overlap; so that we can
grow apples which flourish In Minnesota
and at the same time can grow the vari-
eties which do we'll In the Carolinas and
the northern part of Florida. So It will
be with peaches and pears. and. to some
extent possibly, oranges. In making this
collection we shall grow each and every
tree ourselves, grating the stock on a
Young tree of known character and health
The cutting will be taken from a tree
which is in fruit and which we know to
be true to name. This will insure accu-
racy of nomenclature, and freedom from
the diseases which attack these fruits.
The trees will be very valuable for propa-
cation purposes, and In the work OF
breeding and cross breeding they will be
convenient to the experimenters of the
department.
1.-THE arboretum will be very practical
thing There are a great many native
trees in Washington now, but they are not
assembled as they will be here, for the
purpose of comparison. Every native
tree which will grow in this climate will
be grown on the four acres which have
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