The Minneapolis journal., 1903-10-07
RUSSIA Our RIVAL
She Is Threatening Our Flour and
Lumber Market in the Far
Orient.

Successful Experiments in New
Crops for the Philippine
Islands.
From The Journal Bureau, Room 49, Post Build
| ing, Washington.
washington, Oct. 7.-Russia is
threatening the American market for
flour and lumber in the orient. ac-
cording to advices Of our representa-
tives in that country. In economic
lconditions Russia has every advantage
in being able to furnish these two
| staples Of the northwest, and the day
| is not far distant when she will be our
most active competitor. In fact, she
is now making headway in China, and
! in time the Russian trade will be ex-
| tended to other Asiatic countries. and
| the lumber and flour shippers Of the
middle and far west will have to thus-
tie to keep themselves from being
barred out altogether.
This danger is painted out in
special report by Henry B. Miller
consul at Niu chuang, on commercial
conditions in Niu chuang and Manchu-
hia. In regard to lumber he says that
| most of the timber coming into Man
churia is for the Russian government.
! Considerable has come to Dalny, Port
Arthur and Niu chuang from America
during the first half of the year, but
| competition from Siberia and the Yalu
! is likely to drive out most Of the
American lumber. The lumber from
these places lis fairly good for build
Ing purposes, but it is not the equal
/ Of Pacific coast pine, especially for
! bridge timbers.
AS to flour, the report says that the
/ imports of that staple were less than
4 in any year since the importation be-
| gan, and the Russian occupation is
likely to result in a great extension
of the cultivated area and a conse-
| quent large increase in the production
| of wheat which will in time meet all
| the demands in that section. In Man
churia the Chinese government did not
permit the export of wheat, nillet or
| grain of any kind to foreign country,
/ but the Russian administration re-
| moved that embargo and as result
large quantities of grain have been
! exported to Japan and Korea in the
/ past three years. This shows the pos
sibilities of the country in the way Of
! grain production and it is, in the opin-.
ion of our representative, bound to
result in a loss of trade to America.
! New Crop for Philippines.
1 The Philippine bureau Of agricul-
ture has forwarded to the bureau of
insular affairs, war department, a re-
port on the Introduction and distribu-
ton of seeds and plants in the islands
which shows that much has been done
in the way of introducing new food
and forage plants, as we'll as new
fruits and other growths Of economic
value.
The experiments already conducted
demonstrate that many garden
vegetables of northern origin may be
in ~,
Philippines.
, Experiments have been tried with
artlchokes, asparagus, beans, peas,
beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, car
:, rots, caulifower, celery, sweet corn,
cucumbers, egg plant, endives, garlic,
: melons, okra, parsnips, peppers, rad
ishes, rhubarb, satisfy, spinach,
squash, tomatoes and turnips. 4.
The results show both success and
fa!lures AS was anticipated, the re-
suits secured by the bureau were bet
: who had secured seed for evperi-
mental purposes. Beans grow well in
many Places while peas gave less
) satisfactory results. Experiments
z with pumpkins, cucumbers and
melons show long record of disaster,
az practically confined to the ravages
OF insects or fungus diseases, but it is
$ dry season and b <yirrigating better
l results may be secured.
2 Egg plants, tomatoes and peppers
all of unrivaled size and excellence
were generally reported both by
natives and by the government agro-
): nomic stations and by irrigation bet
: ter results may be secured.
Egg plants, tomatoes and peppers
all of unriValed size and excellence
were generally reported both by
n natives and by the government agro-
= nomsc stations Okra, of tropical
$ Asiatic origin, has given universally
s good results. The profitable produc-
: ton of beets, turnips, lettuce, endives
e spinach and radishes has been demon
e strated and is assured. by an intense
:. hlgh-forc1ng system pursued from the
DAY the seed is sown until the crop is
secured. " = : =
II II Among oil-bearing seeds. sesaman
is rape, peanuts and sunf1ower have done
"a well and there seems to be a valuable
'e ,'ee future for them in the islands.
= In the bureaus trial grounds a,
Manila a limited number Of Jananes,
plums, loquats, persimmons, chestnut
and grapes have been tried, togethe,
with japanese types of citrous fruit
te te and few pomegranates. The grape
,e and perslmmons have made a goot
4 start and the progress of the citrou
1T fruits and pommegranates has been o
t. the best.
rs Experiments with textile plants hay,
~ been confined to cotton and lutte
i While the former has given good re
suits, 1t is a question whether the&na
& i tive grower. has an adequate concen
- ton Of the standard crop requirement
- Of cotton-groWing countries inf
promises to give. excellent returns ant
1T is the opinion of the bureau that tn,
export trade of British India, in thi
fiber, amounting to $15,O0O.OOO an
nually, could be largely diverted t,
Z. the Philippines.
j A number of varieties of coffee ha1r
been imported from Java and dis
tributed to planters interested in tn,
attemt to rehabilitate the coffee in
dustry, and the bureau has raise,
many thousands of young plant
s which will be set out under its ouy,
direction. Fine. varieties of tohacc
seed have been distributed in II
famous Isabella and Cagayan tobacc
districts. - =
With the experience gained fron
these first trials as to the best soil. III
best time for planting and methods q
cultivation, there is no doubt h,,t tba
vegetable. fruit, forage and othe
crops will be materially increased an
add to the agricultural wealth of til
archipelago. - -
H. c.. Stevens.
POSSIBLE ExPLANAr1oN.