The new South-news., 1909-05-22
The Power of Man Over Plants.



great yafie'lea of cotton. known az
sea island and upland. The sea island
cotton has the longer and better fber
and brings a much higher price Ia the
market than can be secured for the
upland. The Improvement Of the sea
island cotton and the extension OF its
growth 20 the mainland are, there
fore. highly desirable
The sea Island cotton, when nrat
introduced TO this country. was
slowly maturing variety. and II was
difficult 70 secure proper seed. There
fore the FIRST step indicated was the
selection OF those plants which ma
tured their seeds earliest, In order 20
get a variety which would ripen we'll
near the coast or on Islands on the
coast OF South Carolina and Goorgia.
Success attended tho experiments.
ana a variety Of sea Island cotton
WAS produced capable of much wider
extension than the original a longer
and better iiber has been developed.
az well as a more hardy plant and one
producing a larger yield
In regard 60 the methods of Inn
proving Indian corn. II may be said
the not only IS the Indian corn bred
on account OF It's composition and
character, but also on account OF It's
physical appearance. Work OF tnis
kind has been very extensively done
az the Kansas Agricultural Expert
mcnt Station
Mr.. Luther Burbank has produced
some very ryremarkable Transformations
OF plants by the use OF the factors
which have been mentioned before
In connection with cross-fertilization
and other means Of Improvement.
The Magic Of oss-Fcrtiliza,ioH.
The idea of cross-fertllization is
suggested by Nature herself. The
birds and bees carry the pollen from
plant to plant. and often affect cross
fertilization In this way.
This idea has been worked out IN
a scientific manner. so that systematic
cross poilcnlzation or fertilization has
nov become one OF the most inn
portant means OF modifying plant life.
These notifications may be good or
bad. Those that are bad are aban-
doned, and those that are good are
retained and propagated until distinct
types or varieties are established.
The human hand. In other words,
takes the place OF the bee or the bird.
II may be possible To produce almost
any kind OF variation In n plant by
patient and scientific effort. Those
qualities in plants which are most
useful and are most beautiful may be
developed, modified and increased for
the pleasure and the benefit of man
Thus progress may 20 on almost with
out limit.
A systematic and scientific cultiva-
iion of drug plants In thu United
States with a purpose OF adapting
them TO practical use is an uNdsrfnk.
ing OF recent origin. The Deuar mont
of Agriculture has begun these In
vcstiRations because OF the fact that
the natural supply OF drug plants in
the United States Is rapidly being ex-
hausted. Among the plants which
have been experimental with may be
mentioned licorice. oapsicum. sage.
belladonna, caraway. anisc and cori-
ander.
Especially In our Southern States
Is II evident that there are many ad-
yantaees OF which the grower of
drugs may avail himself The long
growing season. warm summers. and
the abundant rain supply are favor
able TO the growth OF drug plants OF
many kinds.
In addition TO the drugs already
mentioned there have been cultivated.
with an intent 60 domesticate them.
a number of drug plants heretofore
growing Wild.
Golden seal Is n plant OF value as a
| drug, and its use has been of such "A
character as practically to exhaust
the natural supply. The forests OF
the country have been searched far
and near for the plant growing in a
Wild state.
ELECTRIC TRA(