The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-11-22
is SEEKING WONDERS IN HORTICULTURE
Uncle Sans Investigators Are Making Strange Finds
of Fruits And Flowers In Foreign Lands.

WASHINGTON, D. C-Climbing
to a hight varying at times from
5000 to 1000 feet expert explorers
for new kinds of fruits and flowers
working for the United States de-
partment of agriculture, have just
reported on their labors for 1910.
Many of the specimens which it is
intended to try to cultivate success
fully in this country were secured al
heavy personal risk, Describing
this work DR.. B. T. Galloway, chief
Of the bureau, said:
The present inventory includes
the material from June to Septem-
Der, 1910, by Frank n. Meyer, the
only agricultural explorer in the
field, who was exploring the region
which lies along the Zerafshan val
ley. and in the vicinity of Samar-
kand Tashkend, Old Bakhara, the
oasis of Merry, Chartchui, Andijan,
Guldscha, Terek-Dawan, Osh, Kosta-
kos, Kizil-Kurgan, and Khokan in
Russian Turkestan, and the cities of
Kashgar, Kan-Shugan. UIukshat
and Irkestan in Chinese Turkestan.
Although Mr.. Meyer was hindered in
making several important side trips
which had been contemplated he still
secured during his stay in this region
141 different specimens, some of
which are of special Importance.
Among them is a hardy dwarf Pru-
nus from the mountain slopes near
Wishist at an altitude of 5000 to
1000 feet, which Mr.. Meyer suggests
may be of value in the breeding of
bushy forms Of the almond or as a |
stock for the almond in dry regions |
Possibly the only suggestion of an |
economic bush cherry may be real !
lied by American breeders and Mr.. |
Meyers Prunus prostrata and Pru- |
nus microcarpa be utilized in the !
creation of such q fruit, while the |
various forms OF Prunus cerasifera |
diyaTiCata called Alitcha, in Turkes- |
tan, may be of distinct value to the /
plum breeders because Of their re- |
markable prOductiveness and their |
resistance to drought and heat.
The apricot growers of Turkestan |
grow varieties which have sweet in |
stead Of bitter kernels, which they |
use fer confectionery purposes just |
as We do the almond kernels. Mr.. |
Meyer has reported eleven varieties !
of these and recommends that the |
whole subject Of the utilization Of |
apricot kernels be studied. This
may resolve itself into a comparison .
between the price Of the kernels as
a source Of prussic acid and their /.
price as a table delicacy.
Probably there is no work so ex- +
tensiye and successful in the bind
ing of drifting desert sands as that
carried on at Chartchui, Turkestan,
by the Russian government. The
railroad, which was previously in
continual danger of being covered by
shifting sand dunes, has been com
pletely protected by the use of Ger
tain drought and alkaG resistant
plants, seeds Of which Mr.. Meyer Sc
cured for similar experiments in this
country.
The Oleaster is remarkable for it's
hardness and resistance to
drought, and the importation by MT.
Meyer Of large fTuited form will
interest the horticulturists of the
northwest, VINO are beginning to see
the possibilities of this plant as a
hardy fruiting shrub
The rose breeders will be inter
ested in the wild roses from this
region; the melon growers in an I'M
usual collection of watermelons and