The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-29
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKIN. Director,
Washington, d. G.
OID CROPS AND NEW.

OLD CROPS AND NEW.
Washington, D. c.. Aug. 20.-The
little known but highly useful gov
| ernment function of scientific explor-
alton is being exercised by the depart
ment of agriculture in order that the
breed of plants in the United States
| may be proved, and that dependence
upon foreign countries for any kind
| of foodstuffs may be minimized as
| far as possible. Exploration for
plants and subsequent introduction of
| them into the United States is almost
continually going on.
The greatest amount of this work is
| for edible crop plants and trees, but
at least one exploration was for fur
| thering the development of chalmugra
| trees, with a view to growing them
! in some of Americas island posses
| sions, in order that the valuable oil,
! essential 20 the treatment of leprosy,
may be obtained from domestic
! sources Another man is about to be
sent out by the department of agri-
| culture to pursue the chalmugra in
| designations. These trees are native
| to Siam, but it is hoped that they
may be made to grow and thrive in
some of the islands of the Hawaiian
| group.
The plant explorations are of two
kinds, one where the federal explorer
| is sent out with instructions to spe-
cialize on one thing, and the other
where an explorer is sent to some
| part of the earth with general in
structions to obtain and ship back to
| Washington specimens and seeds of
any useful growths, not native to the
| United States, which might be made
| to grow here and produce crops.
One Of the departments scientists
| is now in South America, the main
purpose of his explorations there be-
/ ing to discover, if possible, an avo-
cado which will resist cold, to some
degree, in order that a sufficient
| quantity may be grown in the temper
ate parts of this country to supply the
| domestic demand. 1t is true thae
some of the tropical specimens of this
delicious fruit are grown in Florida,
| but not nearly enough to supply the
demand for the alligator pear" to
! call it by its popular name. The de-
partment has been advised that this
| scientist discovered an avocado grow
| ing in South America, about the lati-
| tude of the equator, ut>several thou
sand feet up in the mountains. This
properly propagated, will fill the de-
mand. The explorations are being
continued in the hope that a still
harder variety may be found.
Mexico has plentiful supply of al
ligator pears, but their importation
into the United states is forbidden be-
cause of the danger of bringing a dam
gerous fly pest into this country
Shipping the pears is hazardous, any
how, as they are prone to rot where
from Central and South America on
| that account often are small ones car
ried loose on the decks of vessels.
IAN Early Importation.
The wheat crop of the United States
each year is a tremendous one now,
and has been for a great many years,
yet wheat is not native to North
cViR he
country, probably by the very earli-
est settlers, and has thrived wonder
fully. However, the department of
agriculture has found it necessary to
import high grade Russian wheats to
improve the American crop.
Corn is native of the western
world, and the reverse process has
taken place with that staple. Ameri-
can corn was taken to Africa many
years ago, and has found conditions of
climate and soil there so suitable for
its growth that African corn is quite
as good now as the varieties produced
in the United States The white po-
tato, or Irish potato, is another ma
tive of this hemisphere which has
been taken to Africa and grown in
large numbers. Curiously enough this
potato is known in Africa as the
English potato"
One of the big things for which the
department is fighting is to preserve
the chestnut trees OIL InlS country
against the pest which is obliterating
them. This pest is, a blight which has
been destroying the trees for a long
time, in spite of every means used to
fight it. Finding that fighting the dis
ease was almost useless, plant explor
ers were sent out to find a chestnut
tree somewhere in the world which
would grow readily in the United
States and resist the blight which has
ruined the native American growth.
A chestnut tree has been discovered in
Japan wlich will II easure up TO al
Ct these requirements, it is believed
Another task in which the depart
ment is deeply interested is fighting
the blister now destroying the Ameri-
can white pine. This fight has not
for a new pine which will resist the
blister, but that may be the final Iaove
to save this lumber growth. The pres
ent means of fighting the blister is an
heroic measure, based on the known
necessities of the pest which causes
the blister. This pest is an odd one,
Spending part of its time on wild cur
rant and gooseberry bushes, ard the
rest OF the time on white pines. Tbs
bushes, when the pest is present, de-
ve.op a yellow nothing of the Icaf.
In order to try to control the ravages
of this insect and save the remnant of
the pines, a campaign is being con-
Quoted to destroy the gooseberry and
currant bushes whenever they are
found in the neighborhood of white
pines It is impossible for the depart
ment to predict the outcome of this
battle.
Plants Go Thru Quarantine.
After a plant is found which it is
desira Bile to bring into the United
States, due to regulations of the de-
partment, it must be sent to Wash
ington to the plant quarantine station
here. This has been aptly termed the
Ellis Island Of the horticultural world.
The main purpose of this station is
to prevent the introduction of new
plant diseases into the United States.
Each plant brought in must be fumi-
gated and treated for all kinds of
diseases, whether traces OF parasites