davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

full efforts led to his appointment as
agricultural explorer in charge by
by Secretary Wilson These were
pioneer times, and little was known
regarding the best methods of proce-
dure in such matters. A system and
scheme of things had to be worked
out, and must necessarily be worked
out by slow processes based on ex-
perience. Early in the development
of this work, it was felt strongly
that without personal contacts or con-
nections and personal knowledge Of
foreign fields and foreign workers, 1t
would be difficult to build up branch
of the service with firm foundations.
Fortunately. at this time. Barbour
Lathrop came to the help of the de-
partment. who in all the years since
he has proved a staunch friend Of
this plant introduction work.
Mr.. Lathrop is private citizen. who
is intensely interested in all practi-
field and he furnished the means and
facilities for an extensive exploration
trip by Mr.. Fairchild. These foreign
explorations and visits continued for
Ave years. and Mr.. Lathrop during
that time devoted his energies in the
advancement Of the work. Through
the joint efforts of these men there
was built up a foundation and back
ground for agricultural explorations
second to none in the world. CnQues-
tfOnaDly, the Work, as IL ID conducted
at present. could never have been SO
successful had it not been for the ef-
forts Of Mr.. Lathrop.
He was recently awarded a me-
mortal medal for his efforts on be-
half OF plant introduction. At the
time this medal was awarded, 1t
was stated that he might be award
ed another one for probably being
the most widely travelled of all liv-
ing Americans. an honor which his
record would probably sustain. 1t is
stated that Mr.. Lathrop has actually
forgotten how many times he has
been around the world. but some Of
his friends say at least twenty-five
times. During their extensive travels
Mr.. Fairchild and Mr.. Lathrop sue
'ceeded in establishing agricultural
contracts throughout the world, and
these contracts are still being used
in the bringing of many valuable
plants for use in this country.
AS the work of plant introduction
has become organized. there has been
developed the plan of what is known
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. explorers
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

Agricultural explorers are especially
trained men who are sent out into va
rious parts of the word to gather
plants. plant materials and informa-
ton which may be useful in building
up new crop industries in this coun-
try. AS rule these explorers do not
have the pleasures and privileges of
travelling along the beaten highways
throughout the world. They must get
into the byways and back places if
really useful and valuable things are
to be found. A great many such ex-
plorers have been sent out by the
Department of Agriculture.
The plants and seeds collected by
these men would fill a voluminous
field was the late Frank N. Meyer,
whose special field of travel was in
China and nearby countries. DR.. Fair
child has described Meyer as the
plant hunter for the United States
Department of Agriculture" He
hunted plants in China, Siberia.
Turkestan and in the Caucasus and
after years of the excitement of this
work. having placed to. his credit a
long list of most valuable plants, he
was drowned in the Yangtze river
after a hard trip in the interior of
China. Meyers life reads almost Ike
romance. He came to the depart
ment a good many years ago. prac-
tically unknown. and by sheer force
of strong character and remarkable
intellect. forged to the front as one
of the most useful men the depart
ment has produced. Meyers first ex-
petition was made during the years
1905-19oS. his second 1909-1911, his
third 1912-1915. and his last expedi-
ton in search of plants began in 1916.
when he went in quest of the wild
pear forests in the region of Jehol,
north of Picking.
Y X 4
WHAT life! To wander with d
definite. soul-absorbing object,
on foot, from village to village. in
curing his way and learning as he
went of some new plant variety,
which, because of it's perfume, the
deliciousness of its fruit, the color
of its flowers. the shade it cast, it's
alkali resistance or it's hardness in
bleak northern regions, might be
worthy of sending to this country
for our farmers. horticulturists or
lovers of dooryard plants to grow.
AS Meyer stood before one of these
new plants to which chance and his
eager desire for new things had led
his footsteps, he tried to picture the
region in the United States, where
it would grow; to wonder in what
particular it might prove better than
that which Americans were then Gull
tivating, and what use they would
make of it after it developed to full
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

same man who had branded her. This
jolly coincidence didn't make it any
easier on.Lady de Winters neck.
Richelieu ordered d'Artagnan ar
rested, and it was none other than
the Man of Meung. he with the muddy
complexion, who captured the gay
Gascon. II But d'Artagnan explained
everything to Richelieu. proving that
Lady de Winter was totally false,
even as to teeth and hair. Instead of
furnishing him, Richelieu handed him
lieutenantss commission, with the
dotted line for the name left blank.
D'Artagnan offered the commission
to Porthos, who thanked him. but, said
he was going to stop fighting for his
country and save his combative pro-
clivities for a wife he was figuring
on marrying. Aramis didn't want it.
because hef planned to enter the
church Athos took the commission
and wrote the name of d'Artagnan in
the blank: For. after all. d'Artagnan
was the hero of the Three Musketeers,
though ne wasn't advertised on the
cover. SEQ
No. the fighting four did not die.
They lived quietly for twenty years,
when they Jumped into another novel.
Copyright. 1s2o.l
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

back to England with a tear. REIN
forced by twelve diamond studs that
the king had slipped her recently.
X X X
Richelieu got hep to the diamonds
and gee, he was tickled! The slick
rascal suggested to the king that
they ought to put on a little bon
swaggerie, or whatever the French
word Is. and give q ball. so the queen
could dazzle everybody with her
beauty and precious stones. When the
king agreed Richelieu sent Lady de
Winter over to England to snitch
two Of the diamonds from Bucking-
ham. But Richelieu reckoned without
the Three Musketeers. and Nine. Bon
ancieux.
The madame told the four COM
rades that the queen just had to have
those diamonds. and the four left
parcel post haste for England.
D'Artagnan was the only one who
reached there, for the others were
wounded. He returned, bringing the
diamonds, just as the queen was ready
20 waltz into the ballroom.
Richelieu gnawed his nails, when he
beheld Anne's triumph.
: "Foiled again. he Kissed. ITS the
work Of that d'Artagnan and them
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26
Government ExplorersSearc11W orld form Plants

distributed widely. throughout the
A crop which has received much at
field before il is ths bamboo. Amy
one who has not Travelled in the
orient has no conception of the uses
to which this pla Ills. put through
out all eastern countries. II is doubt
japan and nearby countries could ex-
list for long without the bamboo. 1t
serves not only for shelter in the
making of houses and all kinds of
furniture, but also for food With
view to encouraging the production
of bamboo, in this country. a special
station was established eight or nine
years ago at Brooksviile. Fla.
We are now growing in this coun-
try both the timber and the edible
bamboo, with stems as tall and with
plumes of foliage as feathery as
anything to be seen in Japan or
CHINA. and there is no reason why. at
thousands of places. We should not
start small groves OF this plant which
the orientals have for thousands OF
years considered the most useful
plant in the world.
The dense. deciduous tropical for
ests OF Java and Sumatra. the ever
green fir and spruce forests of Cana
da. the ecualyptus-covered plains of
NaoAAo- thN iaiHl ICkiOu luuEieS OF
Brazil. the date palm groves of Egypt
or the fern tree forests of Hawaii are
all different from each other. but they
nave this N common-the trees have
trunks. and above them are the
spreading branches. or branchlike
leaves. They agree in a general way
with ones conventional idea of "A
tree. A bamboo grove. however. is a
different thing entirely. 1t is a giant
grass. Like grass. il forms a per-
feet mat or sod of roots, which COM
pletely fill the ground. and. like a
grass. this sod in the, spring sends up
everywhere new young shoots which.
instead of starting out as miniature
forms of the trees they are to be-
oome-growing slowly larger with
each passing year-come up full sized
through the ground, and they come
with rush. raising the soil and
cracking it as q mole does. Often
four inches in diameter. these shoot
skyward at the rate of foot a day,
until they stand towering above you
fifty or sixty feet in the air.
Put your hand on one of these new
shoots, green as an asparagus shoot.
If you shake it, the top will snap
off and fall down on your head. so
| soft and brittle does il remain until
it has reached its full height and
spread out Its delicate branches of
thin green leaves. i-
On all sides. SO close that you can
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

some of her lingerie was torn, and on
her sholder d'Artagnan's Mortified
eyes beheld the executioner's mark,
the deur de lys. He departed with
haste.
About this time the war with Eng
land was getting pretty hot. The
siege of Rochelle had begun. Riche-'
lieu called for his vamp lieutenant.
Lady de Winter, and ordered her to
go to England and tell the Duke of
buckingham that if he didn't make
the English lift the siege he would
spill the beans about Buckingham's
affair with the queen. In case Buck
ingham refused. he was to be neatly
assassinated. Lady de Winter said she
would do it for price. Richelieu dug
down into his pocket Name it,
he said, but the lady laughed.
Listen, Richly, it isn't francs or
louis that I'm keen for. want the
lives Of two people-one this cursed
Nine. Bonancieux, who butts in every
time l try to shoot the stack, and
gathers in the chips right under my
very nose; and the other is this young
sprout, d'Artagnan."
"D'Artagnan" echoed Richelieu in
surprise. "Pve been mortgaging my
property to get enough kale to buy
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

until he left it. was intensely inter-
ested in this subject. In all the six
teen years he was in the cabinet and
during the years he was Secretary of
Agriculture, he never lost an occasion
for urging upon the congress and the
American people the desirability and
vital : Importance of producing as
many things here at home as We
could.
DIR. David Fairchild. the present
agricultural explorer, in charge Of the
Office of foreign seed and plant intro
duction, may be regarded as the pio-
neer in the systematic organization
of this plant introduction work.
Twenty-Five years ago he inaugurated
definite plans looking toward the def
mite development of this work in the
DR.. Fairchild's success
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

three husky steers. I'm going to have
their soup tempered with"
When dArtagnan went home to hit
the hay after his weekend trip he
found Athos, lit up like country
church, telling the landlord about his
ebony past. 1t seemed that he had
married when young and inexperienc-
ed. and had found that his wife was a
fiend. branded on the shoulder with
the executioner's trade mark, the
fleur de lysA He had stabbed her
changed his name, and entered the
army to forget
On Sunday, having no date to Stay
anybody. d'Artagnan went to church.
There sat the Lady of Meung, talk
ing to man he knew to be Lord de
Winter. and referring to him as her
brother-in-law. BY hook or crook,
probably the latter. dArtagnan made
date with the lady and got ring
from her finger. Athos saw the ring
Where did you get them jewels?'
he demanded, and d'Artagnan told
him. There's something off the level
about that bird Lady de Winter"
added Athos. You'd better steer clear
OF her"
D'Artagnan listed, but he didn't heed.
He filled another date with her that
very night. and he playfully accused
her of being spy. That made her so
mad that she clawed at him and tried
to pin his ears back. In the melee
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

just walk between them, rise these
slant green canes, branches for
twenty or thirty. feet At every foot
or two there occurs joint. like the
joints on a tall grass. and, like the
grass, the lengths between the joints
the internodes-are' hollow. Each
incloses a dead air space, SO COM
pletely shutting it in that, il you heat
the air by throwing a cane into the
fire. it will explode with a loud re-
port.
The charm of a bamboo grove lies
in the friendly mystery of its shade,
with the green sunlight Pickering
through the thing plumes of leaves on
to the soft mat Of yellow dead leaves
below. You wander through such
grove, feeling that you have never
seen anything like 1t before. and til.
quiet, fairylike charm of 1t remains
with you long after you have gone
away.
AS a landscape unit alone, therefore,
a grove of bamboos is worthy of the
widest popularity, and parks and
open places through the south should
plant them. One can imagine no
more wonderful place for little chill
dren to play in than bamboo grove.
THE avocado is a crop which is
rapidly coming to notice as a use
full one for certain parts of Florida
and California. The fruit of the avo-
cado, weighing from sthree to six
ounces up to a couple of pounds. is
extremely nutritious 1t Is not
fruit in the sense that an orange or
an apple is fruit. 1t is rich in Fat
and fiesh-building substances. Will
SON Popence, a department explorer,
visited Central American countries
twice in the interest of securing this
valuable new crop plant. He spent a
whole year in Guatemala, travelling
by muleback from sea level to the
highest mountain peaks. searching
out, locating and watching the avo-
cados. that he might be better able to
select the right ones. for sending
here. AS result or his enorts,
twenty-three very fine varieties have
been established in this, country and
are now being tested here.
The mango is another crop extern
sively used in the tropics and intro
duced into Florida. The mango re-
quires considerable aeat. Therefore.
its range in this country Will be
limited.
A crop which has received a. good
deal of attention and which Is BENZ
more or less discussed is the dasheen.
a tuberlike product which may be
grown in more or less moist soil. and
which yields very abundantly. often
as much as 200 to 500 bushels per acre.
The dasheen furnishes rich. starchy
food similar to the potato. but more
nutty in flavor. and may be used for
all purposes that potatoes are used
Chinese petsai sometimes referred
to as Chinese cabbage}f bid fair to
become nationwide IN popularity.
Recent discoveries of DIR. McCollum
of the ckefeller Foundation show
that there is in the green leaves of
plants the same substance which is
found in butter and which he has
designated fiat soluble0A. This is
one Of the so-called vitamines and is
as essential to the growth of the
animal body as the carbohydrates,
fats or proteins of meats. cereals,
eggs and vegetables. That animals
cannot live and grow without this
substance has given n new import
ance to the leaf vegetables In our
dietary.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

slowly making their way into our az
riculture and some have already at
tanned Hotoriety and fame for wha t
they have done In this country. A
few examples of some of these vaiua-
BILE introductions may be mentioned.
Some of the earlier exploration work
was with the object Of obtaining new
colo resistant crops, particularly
adapted to our severe northwestern
regions. This Introduction work re-
suited in bringing in some very prom
isinE new alfalfas which have since
become famous and are now furnish
ing stock food worth millions Of dol
lars for large sections of the country.
- x
ONE of the earlier introductions
or series of introductions reads
ike romance. This had to do with
the bringing in of certain wheats
from Russia, known as durum wheats
CT macaroni wheats. Twenty or TWEEN
ty-five years ago we had a large ex-
tent OF territory in the northwest
Where wheat was not grown at all.
The soil in this section was rich, the
rainfall was scanty. and in many re-
spectS the region was similar to pa rts
of Russia Believing that a search
through Russia would be helpful In
the way of finding new crops. an ag-
rlcultural explorer was appointed and
sent to Russia in search of these
things. He succeeded in securing the
hard wheats. They were brought in
and for time difficulty was expe-
rlenced in getting them established.
The bringing in and introduction of
these wheats has brought about a new
agriculture for the whole region.
The entire work of introducing and
establishing these wheats, running
over a period of twelve or fifteen
years, has probably cost the taxpay-
ers of this country not more than a
quarter of million dollars. The in
come from this investment has not
been far short of fifty to sixty million
dollars annually. This is only the di-
rect income. Indirectly, profound eco
nomic changes in the regions where
the wheat is grown have been brought
about New and subsidiary Industries
nave been created; roads and high
ways have been opened up and manu-
featuring agencies have been estab-
iished. Like many great innovations,
these new introductions must submit
to many vicissitudes. In the early
days the durum wheats were in some
quarters laughed to scorn. They
were called goose wheats, in the be-
lief that they were unfit for human
food and fit only to feed geese. The
millers objected to the wheats be-
cause they were so hard.
Rice is another crop which the office
of foreign seed and plant introduction
has been instrumental in giving a de-
cided start in this country. Rice was
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

was told that 1t was new thing that
had been but recently developed. The
Italian statesman did not offer our
statesman any OF this rice. but our
statesman very frankly put down
m his notebook that while his friend
was talking to some one else pres
ent, he slipped few grains into
: his vest pocket and brought them
( back into America and introduced this
rice into South Carolina. Whether the
do not show. Anyway. from the ear
lest times plants from many coun-
tries were being brought here and
started on the road TO the building
up of new Industries for the Ameri-
can people
One of the pioneer plant introducers
in this country was William Saunders.
a man who was the founder of the
National Grange and for many years
the leading authority of the Depart
ment of Agriculture. Mr.. Saunders
was a horticulturist by profession. but
was interested in everything agricul-
turally as well as horticulturally.
For years he conducted a sort of test
garden or station on the grounds
where the present Department of Ag-
riculture buildings stand. The whole
back part of these grounds was de-
voted to the testing of many new
types Of fruits and other crops. Mr..
Saunders was instrumental in getting
the government 10 put up extensive
greenhouses and Conservatives.
- On one occasion some visitors from
South America called upon Mr.. Saun-
ders and Told him OF a wonderful
. orange that existed in and around
Bahia, Brazil Mr.. Saunders was al
, ways on the lookout for such things
and asked the visitors IL IL would not
be practicable to send him some prop
4gating material of this wonderful
orange. Oranges may be propagated
by pieces OF wood known as ''scions."
- A considerable time after this Mr..
saunders received one FAY some little
sticks or 'scions" of the orange, and
: he very carefully and tenderly took
care of these and grated them on a
small orange plant growing in one of
his old Conservatives. He succeeded
in developing two plants. and not
much attention was paid to them for
several years. when they began to
bear fruit. One day a man and his
wife from California came to Wash
-Ington on a sightseeing tour and call
ed on Mr.. Saunders at the government
greenhouse. and he showed them this
orange. They expressed an interest in
il and MI. Saunders very courteously
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

some of our earlier pioneers and their
efforts to bring in new crops. In fact,
some amazing stories might be told
of some of our earliest statesmen and
their interest in this subject.
- *
TN some of the old diaries one may
:. find references and naive confess
-siens of the securing of very promis-
ing new plants for the purpose of
helping out folks at home. Away back
in. the early part of the eighteenth
century. one of our eminent states
men. whose name it might be best
not to mention, made an entry in his
.qotebook that once while visiting a
very promising statesman in Italy he
was shown some wonderful rice and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

size and produced its fruit or flowers.
1t was his business to look ahead and
predict the future of his discoveries.
His was different work from that of
the botanical explorer who collects
for a museum. who is only looking
for species that are new and have
never before been collected and
placed in the great herbaria of dried
specimens.
While Meyer did. indeed, find a
new species of hickory-new to sci
ence--had a new lilac named after
him and added thousands of speci-
mems to the herbaria of the country,
his work was primarily the getting
of living material of cultivated use
full plants or their relatives. He sent
in hundreds of shipments of living
cuttings and thousands of sacks
filled with seeds of the useful plants
of the countries through which he
travelled. with the result that there
are now growing in America fields
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

Meung; didn't like his complexion. Lady
with him: liked hers"
On reaching Paris d'Artagnan went
to the house Of NJ. de Treville to enlist
in his hand-picked company of Muske-
teers. They were almost as famous as
Lieut. Beckers gunner. and there were
three measuring up to the latter attain
ments Of Gyp the Blood. Lefty Louie
and Dago Frank. These three were
Athos, Of noble bearing; Porthos, full
Of hot air. and Aramis, who yearned
to be q sky pilot. The Three Mus
keteers informed d'Artagnan that he
would have to so into a training
camp and learn to do squads right
and peel potatoes, before he could
be q regular Musketeer.
Beat 1t. Boil Weevil." they babe
him, and this made him mad.
r r .
The chip few of his shoulder. and
he took on the Three Musketeers.
one at a time. fighting them fiercely
until some of Richelieu's guardsmep
came to put them under arrest for
dueling. D'Artagnan watched them
impatiently as they crossed swords
with the guardsmen.
Say. is this private fight, or can
any one get in it?" he wanted to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

In addition to the agricultural explor-
ers, largely through Mr.. Lathrop's
and DR.. Fairchild's foreign acquaint-
ances, the Office of foreign seed and
plant Introduction has numerous cor
respondents and cola borators all over
the world. New names are constantly
being secured in this field, and when
the department is DESTROYS of under
taking some new Introduction work
and is anxious to have certain prom
ising new things looked up, these men
are always ready for service. In re-
ciprocating, this country sends such
men many valuable plants and seeds
of our own. We are constantly eX-
changing, and in this way the depart
ment is aiding other countries as well
as other countries are aiding US.
T During the last eighteen or twenty
years something over $4,000 plant i'm
migrants have been brought to Amer
lea. Many of these. of course, still
remain unknown. Many more are