Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-28
PLANT EXPLORATIONS
Prof. Hansen's Trip Through
Northern Asia.
SENT BY SECRETARY WILSON
To Rotate the Wheat Crops of the
Northwest.
A NEW ALFALFA WAS FOUND
Which is Adapted to the Semi-Arid
Region of the
Dakotas.
A NEW ALFALFA WAS FOUND
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS,

IrOt. NlelS r. Hansen or the nlNeTSlIy
of South Dakota has just returned from
an exploration of the cold, dry belt of
northern Asia. where he was sent by Sec
rotary Wilson to find plants that will
grow in similar soil and climate in the
United States. His journey was very sue
Cessful and he has brought back several
valuable additions to the useful plants
that grow in the semi-arid belt between
the Mississippi river and the Rocky noun
tains.
Rotation in crops is absolutely neces-
sary for the life of the soil. as everybody
knows said Secretary Wilson. You can
ruin a farm by planting the same crop
the same ground year after year, and
II is the simplest rule of farming to rotate
crops That rule is difficult to apply in the
semi-arid regions because there few
things that will grow there. We have
found the durum wheat to be especially
adapted to dry farming, and out in that
western country. which used to be called
a desert, the farmers have harvested be-
tween nifty and sixty million bushels this
year, but they can grow wheat only so
long. 1t eXhausts the soil after a few
crops. And they cannot afford TO give ma
ture rest and time to prepare more
plant food in her laboratory, because they
lose the use of the land. They cannot af-
ford what call summer following
which is plouShing without a crop, and it
up To the Agriculture Department to
find some alternate crop, something for
them to rotate with. We have failed to
make plants that need moisture grow in
the dry regions. and if We conquer the
desert if get the most there is out of
the arid and semi-arid regions. we've got
to find plants that will endure the severe
winters; that will grow in dry grounds and
pay the farmers profit. That's the prob
lem before
The Roof of the World
Up in the middle of northern Asia
which is called The Roof of the World
the people have been successfully Guilt
waiting many plants under similar condi-
lions and in similar soil. So l sent Prof
Hansen of the University of South Da-
kota over to hunt for such as are suitable
for semi-arid belt and will rotate with
Durham durum wheat all the way from
the Panhandle to Alaska. He went
over. has been three times in Russia and
twice in Siberia. His first trip WAS made
in 1891 for study. The Department of
Agriculture sent him over in 1897 on a
plant-hunting expedition and he brought
back some very important samples,
sent him again this year and he has just
returned with three kinds of alfalfa-two
that will grow in dry soil, with light rain
fall and intense cold, and that will
grow in the woods. They are entirely new
varites, but have been grown on the cold.
dry steppes of northern Asia for centu-
ries. They have a yellow flower. while our
alfalfa has a blue flower. Prof Hansen
will take the seeds out to South Dakota
plant them and cultivate them so as to
get the largest possible yield. and then we
will distribute seed among the farmers of
the arid belt to use as a complement to
wheat, as a rotating crop. and we hope
they will do the business and enable the
people of the dry belt to make a crop
every year.
I'm addition to this hardy alfalfa" con-
tinued Secretary Wilson. he brought back
several new species of clover. with which
the natives of northern Siberia fatten their
stock and make hay. 1t grows in the cold
est region in a short summer with very lit
tie rainfall and we hope that it will do
as well on this side of the world under
similar conditions.
The Alcohol Potato.
Congress has passed an alcohol law"
continued the Secretary, lin anticipation
of the time when our people will have to
go to the fields for light and power. and 1t
was up to the Agricultural Department to
provide them with the best plants in exist
ence to make alcohol from. Professor Han
sen was on the lookout for such things also.
He investigated the alcohol business in the
countries he visited and brought home sew
enteen barrels of what are called alcohol
potatoes. which will grow in dry ground
and turn out 800 or 600 bushels to the acre
They are full of alcohol and are also val
liable for fattening stock but they have a
coarse fiber and are not delicate enough for
potatoes among the farmers of the United
States and make 800 gallons of alcohol an
acre from them. The potatoes are now on
their way from New York and as soon as
they arrive we propose to distribute them
among the experiment stations throughout
the United States TO be planted next spring
Prof. Hansen brought back several
other interesting and valuable plants" said
the secretary, but these are the things |
sent him for. and he brought them. Han
sen is a man who does things. He is an
fntr f..llp f,,iI of,
and nothing stops him. When he sees any
thing of value he knows II, and when he
goes after anything he gets it Up at
Tomsk, in eastern Siberia, ne was unable to
find any clover seed, so he went out and
bought load Of hay In the market and
hired men to pick the seed out of it.
Prof Hansen born in 1866 near the
little town of Ribe, Denmark, where his
grandfather held the same office for nifty
three years and the king decorated him
with the order of the 'Dannebrog' in recog-
milton of his services Hansen's father was
an artist who came over TO this country
with his family and settled in Des Mo!nes
In 1876 When he boy fifteen years old
Hansen got place under Representative
Hull, who was then secretary OF state of
Iowa. and saved enough money TO take him
through the Agricultural College ar Ames
where he graduated in 1857. He intended
to be an editor. but. after hearing Prof
Budd lecture two three times he decid-
ed TO be a horticultur!st and he has done
more important original work in that line
than any man out west except Burbank
He has been professor OF horticulture in the
South Dakota Agricultural College at |
Brookings for eleven years.
Hansen's Experiences.
Prof, Hansen tells an interesting story
of his experience. He says that during his |
first exploration. nine years ago, he fol- |
lowed the trail of Alexander the Great |
into the center of Asia and found that |
alfalfa had held up that part of the world |
from time immemorial, under conditions |
similar TO those that exist in the semi |
arid regions 80 the United States.
Hence it was important to US" he said |
land wanted to get seed from as far |
north as possible. From Tashkent, the |
capital of Turllestaa, l began an overland |
journey of 1000 miles, 1900 miles in !
wagon and ToO miles in Sleigh following |
alfalfa to its northern limits. / got FIVE
carloads OF seed. sent them to The de- |
partment and they were distributed over |
the arid and sen:-arid regions to help in |
dry farming. | intended to continue the
investigation. seeking for the hardy |
leSumes Of central and northern Asia |
but the Japanese war came on and l had
ftHTr h.Nv,,