El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-06-04
SHORT distance from

a SHORT distance from Tucson.
~ Ariz.. in the midst of desert
4 = growth Of cactus and other harsh
and forbidding plants peculiar 10 tne
southwest, is the Carnegie Desert La
horatorv. an institution that will amply
,-anav a visit on the part of the scien-
tificauy-inclined tourist, says the FhIl-
adelphia Record.
The desert laboratory is part OF the
great Carnegie Institution, which is &C
complishing so much for science IN va
Tious fields Of research 1t was esIaD-
lished in 1903 for the purpose OF study
Ing plant life Of the desert, and the re
suits are certain TO be OF great DeheIi'
10 humanity. Dry farmers, are dem
onstrating that the unwatered plains
region Of the Rockies IS capable OF pro
ducing crops. whereas 20 years ago that
norton Of the country was regarded as
3 desert. If drouth-resistinS plants
can be developed, further increasing the
productivity of lands that are now
barren or sparsely productive, the 1000
problem of the world Will be ADVANCED
materially toward solution
Frederick Y. Coville, botanist OF the
department of agriculture, at whose
suggestion the Carnegie Desert Laoora-
tory was founded, with DR.. d. L Mac
DougaI. made probably the first inves-
tigation Of the desert popularity known
as Death Valley. Several years before
the founding of the desert laboratory
he penetrated Death Valley
Many Discoveries.
Many Interesting and valuable dis
coveries were made during this inves-
tigation In fact, Dr. Coville's trip
practically laid the foundation OF the
desert laboratory, as it was demon
strated that the subject Of plant NE
in the desert demanded patient inVes-
LEGATION. DR.. MacDougal made series
of experiments It Turkey Tanks, on the
western edge of the malpais, or lava
desert. near the Little Colorado river,
east Of Flagstaff, Ariz-, in 1898 Later
when these two botaniStS made the tour
that resulted in the establishment OF
the desert laboratory at Tucson, they
journeyed to the desert regions OF
western Texas, New Mexico, Arizona
and California, and spent some time IN
vestigating the sand dunes Of Chihua-
hua. in northern Mexico, on the old trail
followed by the traders from Santa Fe
The outcome of this trip was the es-
adjustment OF the laboratory at Tue
SON
The Carnegie Desert Laboratory is IN
an ideal place for carrying out botanl-
cal investigations in the desert-a field
that has been almost entirely neglected,
owing 20 the difficulties and hardships
that have beset expeditions. The la
boratory is located Immediately west
of Tucson. The citizens of that ancient
and most interesting city aided materi-
ally in establishing the laboratory, CIV
ing title to the see acres on which the
laboratory is located and aiding materi
ally in other ways.
In Typical Desert Country.
The land in which the laboratory is
located is typical Of the desert country
of Arizona. 1t is incapable Of being
irrigated, which is an important point,
inaSmuch as irrigation bitches in the
vicinity might render experiments val
ueless, owing TO dampness caused by
seepage- Tumanroc Hill rises to
height of 500 feet over the lower mesas
in the Immediate vicinity Of the labora-
tory. giving a wide altitudinous diver
sity, which is most essential, as the
growth of desert plants is found 90
vary greatly in accordance with alti-
tude-
The laboratory itself is of unique
construction. It is completely equipped
with all scientific botanical instruments