The Washington times., 1903-12-16
AMERICA MAY BECOME
TEA-RAISING COUNTRY
Success Attends Expert
mentS in the South.
PRODUCT WAS 5000 POUNDS
Work of Agricultural Department on
Demonstration Farms in Methods
of Fruit Raising.


great reproducing countries Of the
world has long been the opinion of ex-
perts. and the Agricultural Department
Is making efforts to determine whether
there is any basis for the belief The
report of Prof b. T. Galloway, chief
OF the Bureau of Plant Industry. lust
Issued. says arrangements have been
made for putting fifty additional acres
Into tea on the farm of A. p Borden,
aackay. Wharton county. Tex. and it is
expected to increase this to $50 acres in
the near future.
The Pinehurst tea farm. in South Car
olina. produced 1900 pounds of tea last
year. some of it Of the finest quality.
Black. green, and Oolong teas were pro-
duced. and considerable advancement
was made in learning the secret of
aromas.
Much work was done on demonstra-
ton farms In giving farmers practical
instruction upon the latest methods OF
obtaining the best results from their
labors. Agents were sent to Asia, AZ
RIGA. and Mexico to obtain new seeds
and plants promising to be OF value to
the United States.
Spraying Fruits.
According TO the report highly sue
cessful results were obtained in spray
ing orchard fruits, it being shown that
fruits so sprayed were more resistant
to 'scald' while in cold storage. Sue
cessful results were secured in the treat
ment of peach and plum diseases by
spraying. The fact that the little
peach disease, like ''yellows." is trans
Missile by budding was demonstrated
and extensive experiments in It's eradi-
cation by the destruction of diseased
trees were inaugurated In Michigan.
I'm the plant-breeding work the most
striking results secured were the fruit
Ing OF the new hardy oranges and the
kid-glove' pomelo the latter being an
Introduction by the crossing of the kid
glove or Tangerine. orange with the
pomelo. Both these productions are
highly promising Small quantities OF
alfalfa seed from plants resistant to al
kali were secured by the agents of the
department This and other aIkali-re-
sistant crops have been distributed ex-
tensively throughout the West, where
alkali soil conditions prevail. In the
cereal work important results were OBJ
tanned from the distribution OF Crimean
and other hardy wheats. Hybrids. So
cured a result of the crossing OF
Crimean wheat with other sorts, have
proved valuable.
Swedish Oats.
THE Swedish oats distributed through
out the Northwest, also oats from Rus
sia, have proved very successful As
result Of the departments efforts I'm the
matter of growing macaroni wheats.
about two million bushels were pro-
duced in the season. Experiments have
demonstrated the value of this wheat
for bread making and other purposes
Successful results have been secured
In the ctilffya flor, ~ fta,sv,~~
organisms. and the department is now
prepared TO distribute, in any reasonable
quantity, to any part Of the country
organisms for all the principal legI-
minous crops, guaranteed to be good for
one year. The practicability of produc-
ing an organism capable of inoculating
various species of legumes has been
demonstrated, but the results obtained
indicate that organisms ror different
hosts give more satisfactory results
than universal form.
Highly successful results were OBJ
tanned in treating reservoirs and ponds
for the removal of algae. The fact that
large reservoirs can be quickly and
cheaply cleaned has been thoroughly
demonstrated.
Tropical Agriculture.
The work in tropical agriculture has
dry regions Of Porto Rico may prove
valuable for coffee under improved
methods of culture. The discovery has
been made that several distinct species
OF Central American rubber trees are
cultivated, and that I'm Mexico and Cen
trail America continuous humidity is not
necessary for the highest success of this
crop This discovery encourages the
Dehef that rubber culture may prove
profitable in some Of our recently ac-
CURED territory where ii has hitherto
been considered too dry for the crop.
Encouraging results were secured in
growing crude drugs in this country.
From s12,000.O0O to S15.OOO.OOO worth OF
crude drugs are imported annually. and
il is believed large part of this amount
can be kept at home If the proper places
and methods for growing the plants can
be found. Drug plants are now being
grown experimentally in Vermont, the
District Of Columbia. Texas. Washing
ten. and other States
The essential Clements in the grading
or corn have been learned. and appara-
tus for measuring them were deveIouCd
ana put into operation. The necessity
Tor a uniform system OF grading corn
mas long been felt, and the apparattls
devised will. IL is believed. be of great
value TO the trade in general
Extended work was done I'm encour-
aging the growing Of alfalfa through
the East and South This work W. a
carried on in FIVE States under varying
SOL and climatic conditions and the he
suits obtained will throw much light on
the possibility of extending this impor-
tant crop.
Native Forage Plants.
Extensive experiments were fnauR11
rated for the purpose Of determining the
best methods of utilizing native forage
plants for hay. More than 5000 600 acres
Of wild hay are harvested in this coun-
try annually. and # is believed this work
may be considerable extended. johnson
grass serious pest 20 Southern farm
ers. has been given careful study, and
highly satisfactory results In the matter
OF eradicating IL were secured. Sys-
tenatic work in the erfnrninr, 81 l.,,- -.