Milford chronicle., 1905-05-26
Profitable Experiments in Agriculture.

The benevolent paternalism ofthe United
States Government is no where exerted for a
more msnifestly profitable purpose than in
the present administration Of the Agricul.
tural Department at Washington.
The sentry is in full sympathy with these
educational methods. which win enable the
people TO take care OF themselves and better
their condition. This ls a very different
proposition from that Of the paternalists,
who believe that the government should take
care OF the people instead Of encouraging
them toward selfsupport
The wide diversity OF the current activities
of the Agricultural Department is something
that would have been incOmprehensible ana
even inconceivable twenty years ago. It is
reaching out into fields then undreamed Of
for the beneht Of the farming classes.
Explorations are being made in eli lands
and all latltudes, In search ofplants which
can be transferred 20 this country and made
available under the greatly diversified condi-
tions which exist in different parts OF our
vast territory.
In addition 70 this, the most searching sci
entihc Investigations are made with a view
TO increasing the value oflfruits, grains and
vegetables which we now raise, as well as to
to improve the breeds OF domestic animals.
which form so large a part OF the wealth-pro-
ducing output OF American farms.
Only a few illustrations can be given in the
brief space at our disposal. One ofthese is
the latest development Of the use Of 'bac.
teria" as introduced directly from the De- |
partment, and already accepted as a notable |
addition to our resources This innovation
has been properly called "the vestpocket
fertilizer" because It is sent out IN small
packages like yeast cakes, three OF which can
be carried in pocket, yet are sufhcient, It Is
inOculate three acres OF ground
for clover, alfalfa, beans, peas,or any legumes.
results OF this process are simply
wonderful in their revelations.
One experimenter says that With a bushel
of common field peas secured from Michi-
gan grower, half OF them being treated with
he bacteria sent from Washington and the
,ther half sewn untreated, the effect OF the
treatment was astonishing. The soil-iRocu-
ated plot grew rank and healthy vines of
lark green color, full OF pods, and later OF ripe
,eas, while the others we're small, yellowish
ickly products, having little matured seed.
Another report states that from 25 pounds
1 alfalfa seed treated with the bacteria cul-
ure in the state OF New York, four hountitul
rops were secured,in one season, yield far
eyond anything ever before known in that
egion.
The Department has recently perfected a
pecies OF orange that will resist frosts, and II
believed mature a crop as far north as Vir-
inia. This will solve the orange problem in
a succession OF climatic disas-
RS within the last decade has almost dis
luraged the production there OF this valuas
e and profitable fruit.
Directly or indirectly from the operations
the Agricultural Department we have the
,edless grange, the seedless apple, the spine
IS cactus. the stOneless plum and other
emingly miraculous Improvements In veg
able life. which cannot fail to enrich the
-oducers OF the country.
The seedless apple appeals especially to our
vor, as II did to that OF King Edward, TO
hom a barrel Of splendid samples we're sent,
ID who Immediately adopted them as the
ture standard for the royal table. Years OF
research finally prodpced trees
at bear seedless, cOreless and wormless
piles. The industry has been widely ex-
nded, and the world will soon be supplied
tn trees Of this character.
There are many striking peculiarities on
e development OF this tree. It is blossom
IS. The o1e thing that resembles a flower
mes in the form OF several small, green
ives arouBd the little apple to shelter It.
lis lack OF blossoms makes impossible the
predations OF the codling moth, thereby
actically insuring wOrmless apple. It is
10 immune from late fr0sts and other hav-
injurious to the fruit grower. It is stated
At 1.-THE apples, which are OF beautiful n
rk red color, with yellow strawberry dots,
d Of goodly size. have flavor similar to
3 wine-sap."
et the good work go ont Under the intel n
ent guidance OF sincere and practical men,
, Department OF Agriculture may do
,ugh good TO the country by increasing NJ
productive capacity and augmenting the
,spsrity Of the farmers to offset some Of Sc
waste and destruction which seem to be
assigned work of its Indispensable De- pl
'tmental colleagues-the War and Navy. 80
THE SENTRY AAN