The sun., 1904-05-15
FARM WIZARDS AT WORK.
Pians by which They Hope t. Add Mfllions
to tho National Income.

Pians by which They Hope u Add Nitlliens
to tho National Income.
WASHINGTON, May A.-Here ore few
Of the propositions laid down by the De-
partment Of Agriculture upon which field
experiments are to be made during the
coming summer season:
1. Several important products can be raised
on land In the Southwest which is 80 impreg-
mated with alkali that 1t has heretofore been
considered valuelees.
2. Ills possible to develop species OF orange
that can be successfully grown In Northern
States.
3. The plants from which many standard
drugs and medicines are extracted can be
grown profltably In this country. Nearly all
these drugs are now imported from abroad.
I. Tea culture should be extended In the
United States
s. The cotton belt can be heightened and
widened.
Q. Many wild grasses and other plants
can be domesticated and thus made valuable
articles Of commerce.
2. All the macar chi consumed In this coun-
try should be manufactured from special
kinds OF wheat raised in the United States.
II the department plans are successfully
carried out, the domestic production OF
several articles now almost exclusively
imported will amount to many millions OF
dollars annually, and citizens Of the United
States will be enriched thereby.
During the last year agents OF the Agri-
cultural Department have visited the utter
most parts OF the earth 70 and trees and
plants which can be grown In this country
in places where nothing else can be Guilt:
waited proAtably. Seeds Of a certain kir
49, nRo t<r foi In nj
have been brought from Algeria. Dates
have been brought from Assyria.
1t is believed that great tracts OF the
dreary deserts In the Southwest can be
tun ed into fields Of this special species
of alfalfa, and that other great tracts can
be made to produce thousal DIS Of tons Of
| dates. The soil Is urpromisir g, but not
more 30 than that of the arid regions Of
Africa, ard the climatic conditions are
strikir gly similar.
Of the Agricultural Department will have
developed what they call frost-reeistant
orange It ls not generally known that
they have already produced an orange tree
that thrivee as far r orth as North Caroll a.
The species which Is expected to be forth.
comirg within the Iext two years will
be grown possibly as far north as New
The frost-proof orange will rot be a
sweet oran ge; but 1t will be excellent ma
teral for marmalades.
were ee berpe exefn,s ass year Ths series Included
poppies, henbane, digi alis, golden seal,
81 ramonium and several o her plants A
fine quality OF opium was produced from
poppies grown In the ate OF Washing on
under he direc' Ion OF experts OF the Agrlcul-
tural Depart nnent.
1t is proposed to continue these expert
ments this year, and to under AXE the cult
ure OF the licorice plant. The experts
declare that the domestic demand for
ooo which is ns snnusy s1ned o% pn e.
grown in the United Safes.
Secretary Wilson says that it is high time
that progressive folks who are interested
in rural pursuits or outdoor life began to
realize the feasibili y Of raising fine qualify
Of tea in this country. One man in Sou b
pat lent study and a careful observance OF
cert ain natural laws, and cer'ain mechanical
means, but 1t has been done by one man
and it can be done by O hers.
We evil. the Asrieui' ural bepaT,ment is
studying the question Of developing species
Of cotton which can be successfully grown
in parts OF The country where this staple
product OF agricul ure is unknown. The
Washin on have. found that some OF the
Egyp' ian strains Of cotton are just the
thing for the great Sou, Invest Of the United
g. Ates. II is believed that the campaign
OF experiment and OF education now being
carried on by tho Bureau OF Plant Indust ry
will open up great tracts OF arid and even
sligh ly alkaline lands In the Southwestern
So ates.
About one-fourth Of the hay crop Of the
United States is produced from wild grass.
The Department Is trying TO improve some
Of these wild grasses, for it ia asserted that
some Of them are Of superior value as
forage, and we'll worth bringing under
cultivation. These experiments are now
being carried on in several places in the
far West.
Until recently, all OF the macaroni con-
sumed in this country was imported from
Italy. France and other countries OF Europe;
The ordinary wheat Aours OF the United
States will not make good macaroni, and
the industry was monopolized BY the old
Latin countries Of Europe. Within the
last few years, however. it has been found
that macaroni wheat, which is Of particu--
lar, hard variety, can be successfully raised
in certain parts Of the Northwest The
experiments in this direction are still going
on.