Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-12-08

Seven years ago we bought three
fourths of our rice, by helping tn,
rice growers on the Gulf coast to Sc
cure seeds from the Orient suited t,
their conditions, and by giving then
adequate protection they now supply
home demand and export to the is
| lands OF the Caribbean Sea and te
| other rice-growing countries. Wheat
| and other grains have been Imported
from lisht.rainfall countries To our
lands in the West and Southwest that
have not grown crops because OF light
precipitation, resulting in an exten,
sive addition TO our cropping area and
our home-malsing territory that can
not be irrigated. Ten million bushels
OF first class macaron wheat were
Srown from these experimental impor-
tations last year Fruit suitable Ia
our soils and climates are being i'm
ported from all the countries of the
tld World-the fig from Turkey, the
almond from Spain, the date from
algeria, the mango from India. We
are helping our fruit growers to get
heir crops into European markets
hy studying methods of preservation
through refrigeration. packing. and
handling. which have been quite sue
cessful. We are helping our hop grow
crs by importing varieties that ripen
earlier and later than the kinds they
have been raising, thereby lcngthen-
Ing the harvesting season. The cot
IN crop of the country Is threatened
with root rot, the bollworm. and the
oil weevil, Our pathologists will find
Immune varieties that will resist the
Dot disease. and the bo,l-worm can
e dealt with. but the boil wcevil IL
n serious menace to the cotton crop
II is Central American insect that
has become acclimated in Texas and
Las done great damage A scientist
ct the Department of Agriculture has
found the weeyil at home In Guate-
mnla being kept in check by un ant
which has been brought to our cotton
fields for observation It is hoped that
II may serve good purpose.
The soils OF the country are get
ting attention from the farmer
standpoint and interesting results
are following We have duplicates OF
he soils that grow the wrapper tobac.
co in Sumatra and the filler tobacco
In Cuba. 1t will be only n question of
time when the large amounts paid to
these countries will be paid to our
own people. The reclamation of akali
lands is progressing to give object
lessons to our peole 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
End is now cleaning up all our or
chards. The fg-fertilizing insect i'm
ported from Turkey has helped to es-
tablish an industry In California that
Message SIX
amounts to from fifty To one hundred
ions OF dried figs annually. and In e1-
tending over the Pacific coast A par
ositic fly from South Africa is keeping
in subjection the black scale, the
worst pest of the orange and lemon
Industry in California.
Careful preliminary work Is being
done towards producing our own silk
The mulberry Is being distributed in
large numbers. eggs are being import
cd and distributed In large numbers,
improved reels were imported from
Europe last year. and two expert reel
ers were. brought to Washington to
reel the crop Of cocooms and teach the
art To our own people
The cropreporting system Of the
Department of Agriculture Is being
brought closer 10 accuracy every year.
II has two hundred and fifty thousand
reporters selected from people In eight
vOcations in life. II has arrangements
with most European countries for in
terchange Of estimates. so that our
people may know as nearly as pos
sible with what they must compete
Irrigation.
During the two and half years
that have elapsed since the passage OF
tho reclamation act rapid progress
has been made in the surveys and ex-
aminations of the opportunities for
reclamation In the thirteen States
and Territories Of the arid West. Con
struction has already been begun on
the largest and most important of the
irrigation works, and plans are being
completed for works which will util-
ibze the funds now available The op-
erations are being carried on by the
Reclamation Service. corps Of engi-
neers selected through competitive
civil.seryice examinations. This corps
Includes experienced consulting and
constructing engineers as well as
various experts in mechanical and
legal matters, and is composed large
ly Of men who have spent most oi
their lives In practical AFFAIRS connect
ed with irrigation. The large problems
have been solved and II now remains
to execute with care economy, and
thoroughness rhe work which has bee
laid out. All important details are lie
ing carefully considered by boards ol
consulting engineers. selected foi
their thorough knowledge and prac
lical experience. Each project In tax
en- mp on the ground by competent
men and viewed from the standpoint