The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-12-05
INCREASING OUR FOOD SUPPL

treat Work which Is Being Carrie
ON by Agricultural Department
Throughout the length and breadi
If the world the experts Of the D1par
ment of Agriculture, In the bureau ,
plant introduction, are busy winter an
summer in q ceaseless search for ne
varieties of fruits, cereals, trees &
herbs that will flourish somewhere !
the wide stretches of this country AM
under cultivation, give more produ'
tiveness and greater wealth to the M
ton. They are finding each year grea
numbers of plants for importation, all
these are being brought here throug
the bureau, tried under the most favor
able conditions by expert growers, an'
where the experiments promise gooC
results their commercial cultivation /
encouraged.
There have been many important in
Productions in the last year, the great
est of which Is probably that of thu
Japanese mating rush, Of which this
government has succeeded after many
difficulties In obtaining many thousands
Of plants, which are now in California.
being propagated for experiments
which will be carried on in Carolina
and particularly at Brownsville, Tex,
where it Is believed they will flourish
abundantly. On the reservation ada
cent to the fort at Brownsville where
negro soldiers were recently stationed
Is a tract Of land, fertile and lrrigable,
which the War Department has turned
over to the experimenters, and a hun
bred acres will be used In the propaga-
ton Of the rush cuttings. Scientific
farmers have been sent there, and 1t Is
expected that a great new agricultural
industry will spring from the culture of,
mating rushes alone.
Many Of the departments importa'
tons are interesting aside from the
feature of commercial profit. This may
be said particularly Of fenugreek, which
Is being proved a success by the de.
partment and offers a refuge to the
thin and nervous of an overturned ma.
ton In that 1t Is the greatest of flesh
producers. The qualities Of ~fenugreek
are remarkable; and the introduction
and culture Of 1t are SO easy that II
furnishes a ready enterprise that is be-
Ing grasped by the orchardman of Cal
lfornia in great numbers. The fenu.
greek is used as a crop-that is,
q crop sown between the rows of trees
In orchards to prevent the u and
wind from taking the moisture from
the soil. 1t also arches the soil by
supplying readily and in its seed lies
q remarkable fattening quality, which
occasions Its value and interest.
The fenugreek ls an introduction
from North Africa, where Its flesh pro-
ducing qualities have been known for
many centuries. Among the Jews of
that country and western Asia no maid
en- is regarded as beautiful unless she
Is extremely buxom. Through many
centuries when the Jewish woman upon
the approach Of her marriage did not
possess the necessary $50 or 300
pounds in weight which in the eyes
Of her people was necessary to beauty
her resort. was to fenugreek. So fatten-
ing is the seed from this plant that 1t
Is asserted that no instance Is cited
where the comeliness sought has not
been secured through its use as food
and a race Of stout women has been
deyeloped.
An importation from the East Indies
Is the m~angosteen, a palatable and
beautiful fruit. 1t has q purplish
brown rind, while the meat is white
and Of a delicate flavor, approaching
more nearly a delicate plum than any
thing else we have.
Chayote is a West Indian plant that
the department has ~endeavored to
introduce into the Northern market,
and which has been taken up to a GER
tain extent and placed on the menus
Of the Washington ana New York no.
tells. Previously II bad been long a
favorite vegetable among the creoles
Of Louisiana. The vegetable resembles
the cucumber In that 1t grows on a
vine In a similar way. The vines are
prolific and are perennial, developing
In their crop from year to year and
needing no replanting from season to
season.