The San Francisco call., 1906-11-11
By Ruth Berg

-EERE are all k.ads OF gardens
The old-time garden with its hoi-
lyhocks and sweet-wslliams and
sweeter memories: the present
osysuburban garden. with its sti6 hedge
and smooth bit OF lawn. where lack cf
space IS the principal feature; the
great stretches OF landscape gardens
that beautify the estate OF million
aires; the municipal garden with its
shaded paths and inviting beaches-eil
these strive for beauty IA some ex-
preston. But there is a newer garden,
one more up to date than any OF these.
a garden where symmetry counts as
naught and where the gardener Is
government. It's IN California
Situated just on the outside OF the
city OF Chico, in Butte County, it COW
ers eighty acres Of fertile valley land
All around 1t are giant oaks festooned
with wild grape vines, and deep rul-
ming creek that borders the tract adds
loveliness 70 the place. It Is a new
role for Uncle Sam, but with charae-
teristic versatility he has manipulated
the hoe and the rake as capably as the
gun and the pen. There was need and
8 very great need for him TO take I'D
this line, and though he Is still new at
II, he has already proved his ability
Men who are not very old remember
when the Commissioner OF AgricuI-
ture had a desk with a satchel full OF
seeds under it" Men still young can
remember when the movement to i'm
prove agriculture was dubbed book
farming" Not until the new century
did the Government begin TO realize
that the scientific movement to i'm
prove agriculture must be reckoned
with as one OF very great power and
usefulness.
In this age OF possibility and oppor-
tunity II we would attain the road TO
success we must keep abreast OF the
times and we must be able not only TO
recognize the possibilities OF the fu-
tures but more than that we must
take advantage OF the opportunities
that will aid in realizing our ambi-
tons. The Government awakening TO
these facts, has called upon skilled
workers TO carry on the various
branches OF the department. AS the
work grew It became more detailed.
until on July 1, 1901, Congress author
fzed the organization OF & Bureau Of
Plant Industry. In less than three
years the bureau had ouadrupled it's
force and one OF its energetic young
men. MI Pieters, e botanist in charge
OF seed and plant introduction and dis
tribution, was not long in discovering
that IT was impossible for him to ac-
complish what he desired by means OF
the methods employed in his branch OF
the bureau. He also saw solution to
the problem IN the establishment of q
plant Introduction garden for the pur-
pose OF maintaining, experimenting
and testing all the importations of the
Department Of Agriculture before dis
tributing the same to nurserymen, hor-
ticulturists and others throughout the
United States
81
the establishment OF such a garden
necessary were numerous So Uncle
Sam, by this time realizing that the
work OF the Department OF AErscul-
ture affects every individual In the
land, lent willing ear to the troubles
OF the scientist The limited facilities
In the grounds and greenhouses at
Washington made it out OF the oues-
ton properly TO care for the seeds
and plants annually introduced there
In the past a number Of the most
valuable ones had been lost, while
others had been given Indifferent at
tention on account OF lack Of proper
facilities.
Selecting Garden Site.
So the necessity for the garden being
established and the authority for its
establishment secured, the next oues-
ton for consideration was its location.
Naturally all eyes turned to California.
the land OF sunshine, fruit and
flowers" II was here, If at any place
IA the United States, that the location
for such a garden with the conditions
for so varied a collection OF plantx
was to be found California as a State
stood without rival. so that its Sc
lection was simple matter. The
question OF a selection OF a suita Die
site in the State proved TO be a muck
more serious proposition. At frst 81
was thought that little trouble would
be experienced in finding in any OF the
dozen or more places in California an
tdeal location The committee having
the primary selection of q location
soon found, however, that such Was
not the case One of the members OF
the committee, Professor p. H Dor
sett. the man now IN charge OF the
work at the garden, says he Is con-
vinced that 1t is possible TO find In
the State OF California greater varfs-
tion OF climatic and soil conditions
than IN any other State or section of
the country; but, strange as 81 nav
seem, even in the tract selected n
was impossible 10 ind IN a small area
fifty to one hundred acres, all the de-
eirable and necessary features for the
fullest success OF the work to be estab-
lished.
Chico was chosen as a suitable site
and the work began.
Plants From the World Over.
Plants OF all kinds having economic
value are assembled from all parts OF
the world Representatives OF all ma
tions grow side by side, and thus far
no need for arbitration has been felt
They are propagated and tested to de-
termine their value for further distri-
button. Some are maintained and used
in breeding and selection experiments
for the purpose OF developing piants
resistant TO disease. adapted to specinc