The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1907-01-15
PLANT EXPLORATIONS.
Results of Professor Hansen's
Trip Through Northern Asia.
HOW SIBERIA Is TO AID OUR FARMS

aOW S1DthlA 1S III ALI UUh fAhMS
Species of Plants From Cold, Dry Belt
There to BE Transferred to Arid
Regions In the United States-Nevy
Alfalfa Found to Rotate Wheat
Crop of the Northwest-AIcohol Pro-
ducing Potatoes.
Professor Niels Il. Hansen of the
University of South Dakota recently
returned from an exploration Of the
cold, dry belt Of northern Asia, where
he was sent by Secretary Wilson to
find plants that will grow in similar
soil and climate In the United States,
writes William e. Curtis, the Chicago
Record Herald's Washington corre-
spondent. His journey was very sue
cessful. and he has brought back sew
eral valuable additions to the useful
plants that grow In the semiarid belt
between the Mississippi river and the
Rocky mountains.
Rotation In crops Is absolutely nee
essary for the life of the soil, as every
body knows" said Secretary Wilson.
''You can ruin d farm by planting the
same crop on the same ground year
after year, and 1t is the simplest rule
of farming to rotate crops. That rule
Is difficult to apply in the semiarid re-
rr{n fhnpn l,t,,cr
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 call
ed a desert. the farmers have harvest
ed between fifty and sixty million
bushels this year, but they can grow
wheat only so long. 1t exhausts the
soil after few crops. And they can
not afford to give nature a rest and
time to prepare more plant food In her
laboratory because they lose the use of
the land. They cannot afford what
we call summer fallowing,' which Is
plowing without crop, and it was up
to the agricultural 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 IL we
conquer the desert, If we get the most
there Is out Of the arid and semiard
regions. we've got to find plants that
will endure the severe winters; that
Will grow In dry ground and pay the
farmers profit. That's the problem
before us.
"Up In the middle of northern Asia,
which Is called the roof Of the world
the people have been successfully cul-
tivating many plants under similar
conditions and In similar SOIL So l
sent Professor Hansen of the Uniyer-
sity Of South Dakota over to hunt for
such as are suitable for our semiarid
belt and will rotate with durum wheat
Alaska. He has been three times In
Russia and twice in Siberia. His first
trip was made In 1904 for study. The
department OF agriculture sent him
over In 1907 on a plant hunting expedi-
tion. and he brought back some very
AAApOA SuhI pssAAApiCc 6SAk AkSllH
in 1906, and he has just returned with
three kinds Of alfalfu-two that will
grow In dry soil with light rainfall
and intense cold and one that will
grow In the woods. They are entirely
new varieties, but have been grown
on the cold, dry steppes OF northern
Asia for centuries. They have vel
low flower. while our alfalfa has a
blue flower Professor 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
complement to wheat as q rotating
crop, and We hope they Will do the