Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-02
FEATURED THEFAIR
A Big Horticultural Map Will Be
Isl Admired By Many.
SPREADS OYER A LARGE AREA
Plans are All Made For One of the
Greatest Plant Exhibits Ever Shown
lit VIII be of Interest To AIl-St.
Louis School Children Will Aid.


Growing on six acres of a gentle
southern slope of lesson hill at the
Louisiana Purchase exposition, st.
Louis, is the largest geographically cor
rect map ever constructed.
This map is 480 feet long from east
to west and extends from south to
north 240 feet. The map is the main
feature of the large open air exhibit
by the bureau of plant industry of the
department of agriculture and is per-
sonally superintendent by d. A. Brodie,
late superintendent of the Western
Washington experiment station, under
the direction OF Prof. w. ]. Spillman,
agrostologist of the United States de-
partment of agriculture,
The bureau of plant industry Is made
UP Of eight offices, comprising yegeta-
bic physiology and pathology, fiber
plant investigation, poisonous and med
fcal plants investigation and every
phase of plant life. Each one of the
Eight offices is presided over by a
chief and by vote of the combined of
fices, W. j. Spillman, professor of ag-
rostology, was elected to have COM
plete control of this exhibit authorized
by an act of congress. Mr. Brodie was
selected to have supervision of the
planting and cultivation.
The several acres were fenced off
early in April, and the entire tract was
richly fortified: The ground was
plowed and narrowed, the soil pulveriz-
ed, and the entire tract sowed to COW
peas. This crop not only enriches the
soil, but prevents the growth of weeds
and will render the subsequent plow-
Ing unnecessary. As the crop to be
grown will be required to be planted
at intervals up to short time before
the opening of the exposition, further
blowing would prove impracticable.
When an exhibit is ready to be Install
I'd the gardeners simply pull up the
cow peas covering the space required.
The ground is found to be in receptive
condition and requires but little work
upon it,
Cost is Heavy
The monster map is, of course, the
main feature of this comprehensive
exhibit, and the crop grown on this
small farm will cost the government
considerably more than $1,000 per
acre. A belt of blue grass lawn 20
feet wide establishes the boundary and
coast lines of this gigantic map. The
boundary lines between the states are
marked by cinder paths three feet
wide. The territory comprising the
IA states and territories of the Lou
tsiana purchase is marked by white
gravel walk. The states themselves
are to be planted in growing crops OF
the principal agricultural products OF
the state The cinder and grave.
walks serve as promenades and are
OF sufficient width to permit the free
passage of visitors. Thus labyrinth
of passageways is created and the Wis
itor may wend his way through the
maze and see by actual demonstration
just what crops are grown in every
part Of the United States and how
they are raised The cereals will be
the feature of the great northwest
while down in Florida will be seer
growing the pineapple and orange and
other semi-tropical fruits and crops
Tobacco will be prominent feature
OF Kentucky's allotment, while sugar
cane and cotton will be found grow
ing in the plots of ground representing
other southern states.
Not only will the products of eacl
state be shown on this map by grow
ing crops, but the section of the state
on which each commodity is mos
grown will be shown. In the grea1
northwestern state Of Washington the
map at st. Louis shows that wheat
corn, potatoes, hay and the wild
grasses that thrive in the semi-arit
districts are more largely grown IL
the eastern portion, while in the west
hay. clover, vetches, timothy, orchard
hay and grasses, hops, Strawberries
raspberries and blackberries are more
grown. Thus on the small plot O.
ground, that represents one great
state, will be found score of differ
ent crops growing. There will be nj
actual dividing line between the grow
ing crops, though in the cases of thf
various grasses, wheat, barley ant
( buckwheat the line is as distinct.
drawn by a wave of color as is thu
line that divides the muddy waters o