Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-06

made TO import from roreIgn countries
such grains as are suitable to our vary
| ing localities. Seven years ago W.
bought threefourths OF our rice. By
| helping the rice growers ON the gull
| coast TO secure seeds from the Orien
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 &c
| other rice growing countries. Wheat
and other grains have been imported
| from light rainfall countries TO oul
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 arst
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 IS
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 Sc
rious menace to the cotton crop. 1t is
n Central American insect that has be-
come ncclimated in Texas and has
done great damage. A scientist Of the
department OF agriculture has found
the weevil at home in Guatemala being
kept in check by an ant, which has
been brought to our cotton fields for
observation. II is hoped that 1t may
serve a 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 I'm 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
Of alkali lands Is progress
Ing, to give object lessons to our peo-
pie in methods by which worthless
lands rnay 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 is
now cleaning up all our orchards. The
DC fertilizing insect imported from
Turkey has helped to establish an in
1ustry in California that amounts to
from 80 to 1OO tons of dried figs an
nualIy and is extending over the Pa
life 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
lone toward producing our own silk.
The mulberry is being distributed in
arge numbers, eggs are being imported |
md distributed, improved reels were
imported from Europe last year, and |
wo expert reelers were brought to |
to reel the crop OF cocoons |
md teach the art to our own people.
The crop reporting system of the de-
,artment of agriculture is being |
brought closer to accuracy every year. I
{ has 100000 reporters, selected from
,eople in eight vocations in life. 1t has
with most European coun-
ries for interchangeof estimates, so that
,ur people may know as nearly as pos
Iible with what they must compete.
Irrigation.
During the two and a half years that
ave elapsed since the passage Of the
act rapid progress has
cen made in the surveys and exami-
ations of the opportunities for rec
amation in the thirteen states and
hree territories OF the arid west Con-
truction has already been begun on
be largest and most important OF the
irrigation works, and plans are being
ompleted for works which will utilize
he funds now available. The opera
Ions are being carried on by the rec
amatfon service, a corps of engineers
elected through competitive civil serv-
e examinations. This corps includes
experienced consulting and construct
e engineers as well as various ex-
erts in mechanical and legal matters
nd Is composed largely OF men who
ave spent most OF their lives in prac-
cal Affairs connected with irrigation.
he larger problems have been solved.
nd IL now remains 10 execute with
are. economy and thoroughness the
'ork which has been laid out. All i'm
ortant details are being carefully con-
dered by boards OF consulting en-
Ineers, selected for their thorough
nowIedge and practical experience.
ach project is taken up on the ground ,
y competent men and viewed from +,