Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-02-07
ITo DE Continued
THE BIG sUNFLOWER
THIS VALUABLE PLANT HAS GREAT
ECONOMIC VALUE.

May BE Made Il Source of Revenue
To CultivutOrs-N liz Logically Our
National Flower.
The sunhower might be most ap-
propriate choice for the national flower
of our country, since it originated here
in the regions Of the great plains.
Specimens Of it We're taken to Europe
by the early Spanish explorers, and il
was first cultivated in the old world
in the gardens of Madrid. The plant
was utilized by the American Indians
long before the days of Columbus.
Chumplain. when he visited Georgian
bay in 1915, found the aborigines there
growing 1t and using the oil made from
the seeds on their hair. 1t was raised
chiefly for the sake of the food which
its seeds supplied. To so high a point
had it been developed by the natives on
this continent that during the three and
a half centuries which have elapsed
since its adoption by the white men ii
has not been improved to any extent
merely retaining the original size which
distinguished it from its wild original.
In Russia the plant is Of great eco
nomic Importance, its seeds being eaten
in immense quantities, raw or roasted,
| just as we eat peanuts. The oil OBJ
tanned by pressing the seeds is also
widely used as an article of diet. The
stalks and oil cakes make excellent fotl.
der, the leaves are employed as sub.
stitute for tobacco, and the fiber of the
stalks has high value. The oil of the
suntlower is widely employed in Rus
sia, where the frequent religious feasts
restrict the use of meat. There arc
three principal varieties cultivated In
the cars territory-one with large
white seeds, which are said to yield the
most oil; one with smaller black seeds
which are sweeter and considered the
best for eating, and an intermediate
form with striped seeds, used both fol-
eating and the production of oil.
The sunflower has assumed n greater
economic value in Russia than in any
other country. Even by the upper
classes the seeds are much eaten. the
larger and finer ones being equal to
most nuts in palatability and whole
someness. While the poorer and less
perfect seeds furnish an oil which is
somewhat turbid and bitter, the better
ones yield a superior quality that is
said to compare favorably with the
olive oil of commerce. The stalks and
straw of the sunfiower are highly priz.
ed as fuel, being in some parts of the
empire the only available substitute
for wood to burn. Sunfower oil seems
to have more of the general properties
of olive oil than any other known sub
stitute. OF late years, when purified
1t has been used extensively to adulter.
ate olive oil. 1t i; of Il pale yellowisll
color and deci..s,ly palat.blc. In a
crude state 1t is usel by painters. but
to no very great extent, being mixed
with cheap paints and prepared stains
but it does not equal linseed oil fol
vnrnish. The cake left after the ex
traction Of the oil by pressure is cX
tremely rich, being equal in this re
spect to the maize cake or linseed cake
Branches and stalks of the plant arc
used for fodder and are highly nu
tritious.
One of the many ways of utilizing tho
seeds is practiced in the poorer dis
tricts of Europe, where a fair kind OF
bread is made from them. Many cheaI
cigars are made from the leaves of the
plant. When properly cured the leave:
make fair wrappers for cigars, ant
they are employed to greater extern
than is generally thought Pulverizet
and used with an equal quantity of to
bacco the combination is not SO bad fol
pipe smoking The sun1lower gives ;
! peculiar aroma to the tobacco which /:
much liked by some smokers. CheaI
cigarettes are often adulterated will
! sunflowcr leaves. In China the fiber o.
the stalks, which is fine, silky and very
strong, is woven into silk fabrics, ant
it is believed with the proper machin
J cry it might be utilized with mucl
!. profit in this country.
1t is an interesting fact that the va
riety Of sunfower most grown in thi
country is called the Russian. Farm
ers say that nothing fattens chicken
SO quickly as the seeds of this plant
which seem to encourage hens 10 lay
Paper has been made from the stalks
but in the treeless region where tn
sunfiower is most extensively grow
their highest value is for fuel.
Though the economic value of til
sunfiower has been but recently sub
ject Of discussion, its aesthetic valu
has long been recognized. III Kansa
the borders Of wagon roads and rail
roads are frequently lined for mile
with the blossoms, which in Angus
and September, when the flowers ar
in full bloom, are feature Of tn
prairie landscape. These are not til
large flowers grown in our garden
for ornamental purposes, but are I
smaller variety, which grows Wild
New York Herald.
Rings of Tungous Growth.