Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26

continent will reach out in many lines. He
| is fond of the study of the theory of evolu-
| ticn, especially in reference to the plant
world. He likes the study of the races and
types of man. The economic problems of a
nation hold his attention and also the ge-
ographical and archaeological features. In
Qua temala and other parts of Central
America he has a rich storehouse of ma
terial for all this work.
Side by side with his experiments in be-
half of king Cotton he will thus carry
on other interesting and highly important
work, which may some day be of ines
tiBnable benefit to the United States and
her tropical islands
One other great work which Prof.
| Cook has been carrying on with marked
success has been his studies of ruboer
growing. The result has been that many
gct-rich-quick' schemes which have to
do with vast plantations in our tropical
possessions" where, the promoters also say,
labor is as cheap as dirt and prices as
high as the stars" have been pronounced
fake by the Department of Agriculture On
have been saved from ruin by the good
advice of the department, gained by Prof.
Cook, which has prevented wrong cultiva-
ton and poor location of the rubber trees.
The office of tropical agriculture is one
Of the newest in this most interesting of
government departments. Its duties are
constantly growing more numerous and its
Importance to the nation more apparent.
The tropical territory under the govern
mental control and within the scope of the
commercial influence of the United States
is ar extremely small fraction of the land
surface of the tropics, but it Is large
enough to furnish field for much of the
American enterprise which formerly found
outlet in the tropics under foreign flags
Only. 1t is also large enough and has suf-
ficient natural diversity of climate and Soil
to produce nearly all our tropical imports
the annual value of which is about $500
100000. AS the United States is now by
far the largest consumer of such products
there is believed to be no obvious reason
why American interest in the agriculture
commerce and social progress of the trop-
les should remain second to that of any
other nation.
Lack Long Practical Experience.
Referring to the interest of this country
in the tropics, Prof. Cook said not long
ago:
americans, it is true, lack the long
practical experience enjoyed by some Of
the European countries but on the other
hand the pioneering and missionary in
stincts have continued from colonial times
to lead Americans to the West Indies to
the Spanish MAN, to the east, so that as
a natlon we can hardly be considered
strangers to the tropics
Valuable knowledge has been gained
by individuals and firms. but 1t has re.
manned local and private. We may. how
e'ei, DC dpie 10 compensate for lack of ac-
quaintance with the traditional proc siure
IN tropical agriculture by promptly recos-
nZing and practically applying the scien-
tic discoveries of the last decade"
AS an agent for the department Prof
COOK has made many trips to our various
tropical possessions. and always with sew
eral assistants, including a competent pho
tographer. He Is one of the healthiest of
men and has no faith In the widely preva-
lent belief that the climate of that part OF
the world is injurious to the body
1T is now KNOWN" he says, that the air |
of the fairest and most beautiful regions of |
the earth is not charged with a 'niasma' or |
subtle poison calculated to attack with spe- |
cial v.rulence the stranger from the north. |
The mysterious terror of the centuries is |
not even a mosquito, but the parasite of |
mosquito. To compare this infinitesimal |
creature to the traditional milestone would |
be but mild figure of speech
Among the products of the soil which |
have been studied and reported upon by |
this botanist are coffee, sugar, cocoa the |
alligator pear, the luscious mango, the |,
banana. the cocoanut, olive, orange and |
various spices.
He says the question of quality in these |
products has generally failed to receive |
adequate consideration In the past, this be- /
ing well shown by the fact that, although |
the coffee of some countries is two or three |
times as valuable as that of others, we are Y
still In ignorance Of the factors which In