The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-26
HOW CROPS WILL
ADD TO WEALTH

ADD TO WEALTH.
CONTINUED From Third Page,)
We are now spending q million and one
half dollars annually for such almonds,
and the demand is rapidly increasing.
This Jordan almond grows In the noun
famous region Of southeastern Spain.
I visited that country and brought back
q great lot of scons from bearing trees.
These were sent by the Agricultural De-
partment to California and used to bud
and graft thousand Of young trees there.
Some OF tho trees are already producing,
and the probability Is that we shall grow
all we need. These Jordan almonds have
hard shells. The women and children
Of the Spanish mountain villages crack
the nuts and take out the kernels for
shipment. When they are thoroughly in
troduced here cracking machines will do
this work.
Another nut which we are introduce
ing said Mr.. Fairchid, SIS the cashew
nut which grows In different parts Of,
Africa and elsewhere. 1t Is served roast
cd and will some day be far More liked
than the peanut now. I think the ca
shew tree can BIO grown in Porto Rico.
Bamboo Trees for Uncle Sam.
"one. OF the most important projects In
this line continued Mr.. Fairchild. lis
the introduction Of the Japanese bamboo
for the Gulf States. Florida and Southern
Texas. We have imported thousands of
bamboos and ha - placed them in the
hands OF a few selected men. who. 1t Is
thought. will be capable of handling
them. We hope that commercial groves
of bamboo timber can be grown through
out the South and they will be as profit
table there as they are In Japan
Give me some idea Of the bamboos OF
Japan and the money in them?" i asked.
1T would take book to tell the story
said Mr. Fairchild There are many
varieties used for all sorts Of purposes.
The bamboo, you know, Is a giant grass,
which grows not only in the tropics, but
also In the upper regions of the Andes
and Himalayas, which are covered with
deep snow In the winter. The plant Is
found almost everywhere In the Philip
pines, and the different varieties may be
introduced into Porto Rico and Hawaii.
Some of the bamboos have edible shoots.
which look like giant asparagus sprouts
and may be cooked and eaten in the same
way. They are a delicious vegetable and
will some day have place in the Amer-S
can market. Other bamboos are grown
entirely for the timber and for use In
manufacturing. l think the timber spe-
cles can be grown along the Yazoo River
in Mississippi, and that they would be q
very valuable crop"
Are bamboos cultivated" I asked.
Yes, the Japanese treat them with all
the care of other field crops. They set
them out in orchards or groves, taking
harvest Of poles in August or later. Of
some varieties there are four or five thou
sand to the acre, and more than thou
sand eums or stalks can be marketed
from them every year The plants are
usually set out about twelve feet apart
and the first stalks cut when the grove
is about four years old"
solve me some idea of the profit OF
bamboo raising
They should be greater here than in
Japan" said Mr.. Fairchild. land as far
as / could learn the business pays very
we'll there. Dr. Shiga. of the Japanese
bureau of forestry, told me that the BAN.
boo was one of the best crops of the
country, often yielding $50 gold per acre.
OF this 20 per cent. came from the edible
shoot Another Japanese who raised
bamboo timber told me he was annually
making about $40 per acre out of his land,
and near Kiota | heard of men who were
making as much as $50 per acre. Prices
TlSe ana Idl from year 10 year, ADO u
five years ago some of the planters who
were raising groves Of black bamboo
were realizing 5000 per acre They are
now netting about $50
'',rhe bamboo" continued Mr.. Fair
child, lis the most Indispensable OF all
trees in the far East it is used for
everything under the sun. 1t forms tile
building material, the furniture wood,
the kitchen utensils, the water pipes
nd In, I,o
Of the houses. It is used to make ropes
and mats. fans and umbrellas. 1t large
ly takes the place OF iron and wire, and
Of many other things. Here 1t Is used
chiefly for fishing poles, OF which we i'm
port millions every year 1t would In
deed be valuable addition to our tim.
Der crop"
Tanay,,s Wonderf,,l paner pl,r+
japan . VVoliuct4ul TdPeI rIdlll'
The conversation here turned to the