The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-12-28
HUNT NEW PLANTS
IN SIBERIAN WILDS
Explorer Finds Forage That
May Be Grown in
Northwest

Brookings, S. D., December 27-(Spc-
cial.)-South Dakota has made another
advance toward the conquest of its
prairie uplands. Prof. n. e. Hansen OF
the State College of Agriculture and
Mechanic Arts has just returned from
fourth trip to the wilds of Siberia,
bringing with him one and five-eighths
tons of hardy alfalfa seed, an amount
in excess of his own and his friends
fondest hopes when he set out on his
expedition last May.
The seed is of the hardy, upright
yellow Powered Siberian alfalfa, Medi-
cago falcata, which has already proved
its worth in the western parts of South
Dakota, and even far up into Canada
and 1t was to get additional supplies
of such seeds that his state sent him
abroad.
On previous trips to Siberia for the
department of agriculture at Washing
ton, d. c., Professor Hansen discovered
the yellow lowered alfalfa, and brought
nome quantities of the seed to be test
ed in this country The seed was dis
tributed and tried under varying con-
ditions. In the high and dry regions
of South Dakota, after long and pains
taking trials to develop seeds and
plants, 1t was seen that these alfalfas
were discovery OF first Importance and
that, used largely, they would add i'm
| mensely to the value of the South Da-
kota lands.
The problem was to obta' n more seed.
The people of the state were eager to
solve this. Consequently the last legis-
lature passed two measures, one pro
viding $4,000 for further experimental
ton with seeds and plants under nur-
sery system adapted by Professor Han
sen to the varying conditions of South
Dakota, and the other providing $4,000
to send Professor Hansen to Siberia to
gather such crop of seed as he could
on the open Steppes in regions he had
previously explored with success. In
both of these bills Professor Hansen
was named as the man to conduct the
| work.
Having put his nurseries in the best
| of order by a vigorous spring cam
paign, Professor Hansen set out on May
20 for Siberia. He hoped to obtain pos
sibly a ton of the kind of seed he was
after. He arrived at Brool1ins Saturday
to announce that he had obtained moro
| than a ton and a half. besides many
other things that he believed would be
of great value to the people of his
state.
On his way east Professor Hansen
went first to st. Petersburg, where he
obtained his passports. Then he hast
ened to Moscow, where he secured in
| terpreters and organized his expedition
| By the Trans iberian railroad he took
his party to Omsk and thence south
ward to lower Siberia, into a country OF
great extremes of heat and cold, where
the rainfall averages from eight to nine
inches. Moving out by wagon train
among the nomads he organized native
alfalfa gathering parties and set to
work.
The work was by no means easy. The
horses of the expedition were wild and
unruly, wild animals at times gave a
good deal of trouble and the problems
of the commissary were not without diff
ficulties. The diet of the party for the
most part was limited to mares milk
fat tailed mutton. broom corn and coarse
wheat bread. The work went forward
however. and Professor Hansen was able
to return home some six weeks earlier
than he had expected.
Alfalfa seed was by no means all that
Professor Hansen obtained, however. A
find of exceptional value. in his estima-
tiop. is that of hardy red clover from
a region where the rainfall is about eight
inches and where there is little snow for
protection, and the mercury frequently
- cSHcS. vi liii5 SttQ 1IOlCSSOF Hansen
brought back 142 pounds. With this ex-
periments will be made with a view to
adding a new clover to the crops of South
Dakota
A new species of sweet clover was an
other discovery of importance. This is
| large seeded and red stemmed. grows
tall and erect and is more palatable than
| other sweet clovers. With the increa sing
interest there is just now in sweet clovers
as a fora the daValoDn1ant of thie In,
portation will be watched with great in
| terest
Siberian esparcet, q tall and erect
legume. was still another find of value.
| This, too, comes to American now for the
first time. and it is believed It will aid
materially in solving the western prairie
forage problems.
new wheat has also been added to
the list as a result of this trip of Profess
sor Hansen's. 1t is Monaghan wheat
and has a very large Kernel. And along
with this comes a ,arge, white seeded
miliet, which gives generous yields with
only an eight-inch rainfall. This is the
corner stone" of dry land agriculture in
Siberia and is used as a food for both
men and beasts
Chez grass promises something new. too.
for the dry western states, and particu-
larly for alkali spots. 1t Is giant grass.
native In pure white alkal soils and de-
sert sands. The young plant is relished bv
cattle. Consequently it holds possibilities
as another addition to South Dakota S
forage list
Among Professor Hansen's horticultural
discoveries on this trip is one of special
note. 1t is new hardy cherry With this
to work upon by crossing and selection a
hardy cherry for. cold western states NAV
within reasonable time be developed.