The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-01-04
$4,000 MILES
FOR GIANT PEACH
Uncle Sam Sends Agricultural
Explorer on Odd Trip.
WEIGHS At LEAST A pOUEa.

Frank N. Meyer on His Way to Shan
tuna 10 Obtain the Juicy CHINESE
Wonder, Which Is TO Be Added to tho
Product Of These United States--To
Spend Three Years In the Wilds-
Twenty-Five thousand miles looking
for a peach-that Is the stupendohs
Journey which has been undertaken ~
Frank N. Meyer. explorer and expert
for the United States department OF
agriculture. The peach is worthy or
the effort, according 10 stories that
have crept into coast areas or Man
churia and eastern China
The peach is described by travelens
who have seen and tasted 1t as the big-
gest and most marvellous combination
OF external beauty and internal lus.
ciousness. Three pounds Is the apocry-
phal limit ascribed TO the fruit by ir /
responsible natives Of the wiIds NJ
west China.
Mr.. Meyer in report Co the depart
ment promises a peach that will weigh
at least pound and Is as as large ae
n muskmelon This wonderful peach,
grows in the province of Shantung. IL
is known 10 the Chinese as the Felt
Ching or Felt Tau.
To Bring Out First Specimens.
No specimens have ever been brought
20 the coast OF China. Mr.. Meyer diA
bring back with him from a previous
journey several scions of the Felt
Ching peach and n number OF seeds.
The scions failed to produce when
grated upon American grown Seeding
stocks. They had failed 20 withstans
transportation.
Tho department experimenters took
a chance with the seeds and have
grown several trees at the experlmeH
tai station ut Fayetteville, N. Q. Nohe
OF them has yet fruited, and IL IL the
belief OF the experts that nothing ex-
traordlnary will be developed from the,
seedlings. \,
Like other fruits. the seeding peach
develops desirable fruitings only h
rare instances. According to Luther
Burbank, hardly more than one desirs
BILE seeding out OF planting OF 100000
seeds Is TO be expected.
The $4,000 mile journey OF Mr.. Meyer
began when he went to London for n
conference with notable European az
riculturists before taking the final dive
into the orient. It Is not only the Felt
Ching peach which is sounding the call
or the east for the American explorer.
Under the direction or the bureau or
plant industry Mr.. Meyer is inaugural
ing three years soIourn in the WHO'S
OF southeastern Russia and westera
China for the purpose OF studying suit
able crops OF all sorts for growth and
development In those sections or the
United States where the limit OF frost
less days Is not moro than eighty i've
or ninety per annum. '
Trees For Windbreaks.
Not one branch or the activities or
the department OF agriculture. but an
branches OF It's work viii be observed
by Mr. Meyer Fruits. vegetables. CO
reals and also trees especially suited
for the development OF wlndbreaks in
the wind swept areas OF the great
plains regions will be observed by hifa-
At the last session Of congress- an up
preparation OF $4,000 was made for
the establishment at Mandan, N. ID, Of
governmental experiment station fox
Just this particular class Of vegetation
Quick growing crops Of all sorts w.
be observed. and shade trees and ornA
mental plants which can be transport
ed aud transplnnted TO the United
states will be- examined.
Mr. Meyer IS accompanied by no
American assistant lie will upon his
arrival In southeastern Russia organ
lie his own caravan Tie carries with
him materials To- thc pac6ing md pres
ervation OF The sciOns OF trees and fnr
the carrying home OF roots and seeds
Of the plant organisms
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