Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-12-10

70 deserving exports. It Is prepared to
deal promptly with imported diseases
OF animals and maintain the excellence
There should be an annual census of
the live stock OF the nation.
We sell abroad about 5000 600. 900
worth of plants and their products ev-
cry year. Strenuous efforts are being
made to import from foreign countries
such grains as are suitable to our vary
Ing localities. Seven years ago we
bought three-fourths Of our rice. BY
helping the rice growers on the gulf
coast to secure seeds from the orient
suited to their conditions and by Civ
ing them adequate protection they now
supply home demand and export to the
Islands OF the Caribbean sea and to
other rice growing countries. Wheat
and other grains have been imported
from light rainfall countries to our
lands I'm the west and southwest that
have not grown crops because of light
precipitation, resulting In an extensive
addition to our cropping area and our
homemaking territory that cannot be
irrigated. Ten million bushels of first
class macaroni wheat were grown from
these experimental importations last
year. Fruits suitable to our soils and
climates are being imported from all
the countries of the old world-the fig
from Turkey, the almond from Spain,
the date from Algeria, the mango from
India. We are helping our fruit grow
ers to get their crops into European
markets by studying methods of pres
ervation through refrigeration, packing
and handling which have been quite
successful. We are helping our hop
growers by importing varieties that
ripen earlier and later than the kinds
they have been raising, thereby length
ening the harvesting season. The cot
ton crop of the country Is threatened
with root rot, the bollworm and the
boil weevil. Our Psychologists will find
immune varieties that will resist the
root disease, and the bollworm can be
dealt with, but the boil weevil Is a Sc
riouS menace to the cotton crop. 1t is
a Central American insect that has be-
come acclimated In Texas and has
done great damage. A scientist of the
department Of agriculture has found
the weevn at home in Guatemala being
kept In check by an ant which has
been brought to our cotton fields for
observation. 1t Is hoped that it may
serve good purpose.
The soils Of the country are getting
attention from the farmers standpoint
and interesting results are following
We have duplicates Of the soils that
grow the wrapper tobacco In Sumatra
and the filler tobacco In Cuba. 1t will
be only a question of time when the
large amounts paid to these countries
will be paid to our own people. The
reclamation of alkau lands is progress
Ing, to give object lessons to our peo-
pie In methods by which worthless
lands may be made productive.
The insect friends and enemies of
the farmer are getting attention. The
enemy OF the San Jose scale was found
near the great wall of China and f.
now cleaning up all our orchards. The
FIG fertilizing insect imported from
Turkey has helped to establish an in
dustry In California that amounts to
from 90 to 100 tons OF dried figs an
r'ssihJ and Is extending over the Pa
cifc coast. A parasitic fly from South
Africa Is keeping In subsection the
black scale. the worst pest of the or
ange and lemon industry in California.
Careful preliminary work Is being
done toward producing our own silk.
The mulberry is being distributed i'm
large numbers, eggs are being imported
and distributed, improved reels were
imported from Europe last year. and
two expert reelers were brought TO
Washington TO reel the crop OF cocoous
and teach the art TO our own people.
The crop reporting system of the de.
partment OF agriculture is being
brought closer to accuracy every year.
1t has 100000 reporters, selected from
people in eight vocations in life. Ii has
arrangements with most European coun-
tries for interchangeof estimates. so chat
our people may know as nearly MS pos
sible with what they must compete.
Irrigation.
During the two and n half years that
have elapsed since the passage OF the
reclamation act rapid progress has
been made in the surveys and eyami-
nations OF the opportunities for rec
lamation in the thirteen states and
three territories OF the arid west. Con
struction h~s already been begun on
the largest md most important of the
irrigation works, and plans are being
completed for works which Will utilize
the funds now available. The opera.
lions are being carried on by the rec