The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-04-27
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Recently the department OI agrf.
culture has been IN receipt OF numer-
Gus inquffieS n regard to the growth
OF srnfowers for economical pufpos-
es. Careful Investigation by the de-
partment reveals the fact arst, that
in western Europe and America the
suniower has been grown chiefly for
ornamental purposes or occasionally
for poultry food. More varieties are
grown purely for ornamental purpos-
es than for the production Of seeds
but several Of the ornamental sun
flowers r derived from other speS
cies. In Russia. where the numerous
religious facts restricting the use OF
meat lead to a large consumption Of
vegetable oils and oily foods, the sum
flower seed has become almost a sta
pie article Of diet. 1t is eaten raw or
roasted as peanuts are in America,
shut much more extensively.
In the United States three princi-
pal varieties are grown for the pro-
duction of seeds. The common sum
flower, with no distinguishing variet-
al name, has been long cultivated
here, and is now found in gardens in
all parts OF the country. Its nod
ding heads are 8 to 16 inches in dia-
meter, producing chiefly gray-brown-
ish or striped seeds. The mammoth
Russian is a recently introduced var
iety, with heads Is to 20 inches in
diameter. producing seeds about one
half inch long with black or brown
ish stripes, or sometimes white. The
black giant, another variety, has
heads 16 to % inches in diameter,
with rather thick black seeds about
three eighths inch long.
As has been stated, the sunAower
has long been grown here for orna-
mental purposes. The beautiful yell
low flowers, with dark centers, are
particularly attractive in yards and
gardens. In some of the central
states the sunflower, in a much small
Ter form than the cultivated plant,
grows wild, In Kansas the borders
Of the wagon roads and railroads are
frequently lined for miles with these
flowers, which, in August and Sep
TENDER, when in full bloom, form a
very marked feature of the prairie
landscape. While we have been cuI.
~tivating the plant for, its beauty
alone, we are oily just beginning to
recognize, from the experience of
China and Russia, the economic value
Of the plant itself. The part of the
sunflower plant which has the chief
value is the seed, from which an
edible oil may be extracted. The oil
cake left after the extraction Of the
oil by pressure is extremely rich in
heterogeneous matter and has a food
value equal to the cake resulting from
the expression of maize oil or lin
seed oil. 1t is also stated that the
leaves of the plant are sometimes
used for the adulteration Of tobacco,
but it is hardly believed that this is
practiced in this country. The
branches and stalk Of the sunaower,
when reduced to a sufficient state of
fineness, possess nutritive properties
of a high order. and furnish food
suitable to the nourishment Of many
domesticated animals, such as horses.
cattle and sheep.
1t is undoubtedly true that the sun
flower seed is a valuable food when
mixed in proper proportions with
other food products. 1t improves the
digestion of the animal. and there
fore is beneficial to its health. In
fact the seeds are used to a large ex-
tent by horsemen and cattlemen for
the purpose Of keeping animals in
excellent physical condition. The
supposed efficacy Of sunfower seeds
for the cure Of certain diseases, such
as rheumatism, is probably largely
mythical. There is a very prevalent
notion that the growth of large guam
titles of s%unfowers in malarlal re-
gions prevents the development of
diseases of malarial origin, although
this, too. is probably an illusion.