The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-19
WASHINGTON GOSSIP

About 5000 acres Of land will be re-
claimed by the Truckee river irrigation
project, which is the first of the federal
undertakings Of this character to be ac-
tually begun. The reclaimed land will be
just across the California border in Ne
vada. It is tributary" to the thirty-mile
canal upon which the contractors are just
starting to work The land is nearly all
desert waste, and is public domain. It will
remain such until the canal is built, having
been withdrawn from entry when it first
appeared likely that the government would
choose this location for its work. It might
appear, at first glance, that 5000 acres
was not a great amount of land to be re-
claimed, considering the expense Of a ca
nal thirty miles IN length. It is explained
by the experts of the reclamation bureau
that this IS merely the main feeder, and
that the work to be undertaken later will
add many thousands of acres to the irri-
gated district at proportionately small
cost. At present there is water enough
only for s, 200 acres; but when Lake Ia
hoe Is damned up, and subsidiary stor-
age reservoir built. at total cost not to
exceed s5,000,000, the water supply will be
vastly augmented.
Thousands Of letters are coming to the
department of agriculture from farmers
who want to know more about the mi
trogen yeast" which has been described
in these dispatches. For the benefit of
those inquirers it should be stated that
the plant industry bureau is doing its best
to take care Of this correspondence, and
to furnish the information desired. The
| stock of nitrogen yeast has been exhausted
and it will be impossible to supply the de-
mand for it before fall. Applicants should
| understand that the yeast is good only for
growing clover, alfalfa, soy beans and such
luguminous crops as are raised to "rest''
! the land. ia.
H. The horrible pictures about which there
has been such a clutter raised the photo
graphs Of Indians in the agonies of the
sun dance tortures, are in Chicago, In
possession Of the official photographer OF
the Field Museum. Professor George A
Dorsey took pictures Of the dance, and
| If there were any torture pictures among
| them he is the responsible party Ac-
cording to Indian Agent Seeger. who has
been in Washington stirring up the de.
partment, some one hired an Indian tc
stick skewers in his back and to faster
| to them a rope attached to a dried buf.
fa1o head, which was dragged about ir
the dance James Mooney of the govern.
ment bureau Of ethnology has been taking
the blame Of this accusation, and has MOI
replied because his mouth is closed by
orders of his chief. But he has made
some affdavits, and says there will b.
some talking soon, gag or no gag.
| In a little while the government is 60
! ing to have a nice little surprise for the
| farmer. It will take the form Of ii,
on how to make money out Of weeds. A.
present farmers do not think much O.
weeds. Many Of them think If it wer,
not for weeds the agricultural life would
be more salubrious. Few agriculturist.
have thought Of weeds as a money-makins
propositions; still fewer have thought O
growing them as a, regular CROP
But suppose "pussley'' would bring
dollar a bushel, or jmpsum was wortl
SIS ton? If plaintain found a read,
market and ragged robin was in deman,
ait $40 a load; that would be different.
Well, there are some weeds-not tn
ones above n1entioned-which abound II
various parts of the country, and which
have an unsupported value. They contain
certain chemicals and extracts jwhic,
bring a high price in the drug market
Every year thousands of dollars worth o
herbs and weed plants are imported from
abroad for such purposes, which Nigh
lust as well be raised on American farms
Professor r. F. True of the botanical de
partment has communicated with a 10
Of chemical manufacturers who would b
willing to buy these plants, and is makin
a list which will serve to guide the farne
to market for his novel crops At al
early date he will tell what are thes
particular weeds which may be grown a
q profit. Some farmers may get a hin
from 1t which will make them rich
w. w. Jermane.