The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1904-12-22

per cent OF the number treated
Cultural Work on Cotton
Special work has been done on cot
ton with view to bringing home to
farmers Of Texas and Louisiana, espe-
cially in the boil weevil districts, the
advantages OF better methods of cul-
tivatiOn and the value of early matur-
ing seed.
The bureau Of plant industry has
had the advantage of closest cooper
alton with the Texas agricultural col
lege, and also with the Louisiana au-
thorities. AS feature of the work in
the south diversification farms were
established at various places with a
view to showing the value and impor-
tance of diversified agriculture The
business interests in the respective
communities glady' cooperate in this
matter with the bureau, so that they
involve but trifling expense to the
government. Thirty-two of these
farms have been or are about 10 be es-
tablished. Extensive work has been
inaugurated in Texas with view to
adapted to .sneet the conditions
brought about by the invasion of the
new cotton boil weevil. Reference is
made to the discovery of the Guate-
malan ant by an officer of the bureau
and to the transfer of the study and
distribution of this ant to the bureau
of entomology. Mention is also made
Of to lnl
by producing variety of cotton not
subject to injury by this pest.
The secretary believes it to be with
in the range of possibility that resis-
tant varieties of cotton may be found
in tropical America or developed by
in Texas special effort has been
made to obtain information as to the
best methods of combating the cot
ton rot, a disease which has been very
serious the past esason.
Considerable advances have been
attention has been given to alfalfa in
the eastern half of the United States
in the past two years than to any
other crop. The department has dem
Onstrated that this valuable crop can
be grown in almost every state in the
union. A large amount of inforrla-
tiOn has been gathered in the past
year as to the carrying capacity OF
the ranges in various parts of the
west. Intelligent management will
bring the ranges back to their prlm-
tive state Of productiveness. but it
is definitely demonstrated that there
is no chance of improving range con-
ditions except where stockmen are
able to control the ranges upon which
their stock feed 1t has also been
demonstrated that many new plants
may be introduced upon the range sue
cessfully. Plants that may be grown
upon alkali lands have been studied.
Investigations of standard grasses
have been carried on, and 1t is hoped
that within few years it will be PCS
sible to offer farmers small quaint
ties of seed of improved forms of al
the standard grasses. A considerable
number of native American grasses
haves hown themselves adapted to the
regions where at present hay grasses
are wanting. II is believed that hay
grasses can be fCund on tho western
plains where the average annual rain
fall does not exceed fifteen inches.
No less than 1,429 selected kinds of
seeds and plants Were introduced
from foreigl countries and estab-
lished in the United States. These
included $50 date suckers. represent
ing forty-two varieties, nineteen va
rieties of grapes from Russian eau.
casus, thirty-three varieties of man.
goes of recognized superiority from
Contra. India. 1000 pounds Of the IA