Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-23
.7 ASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 20.-The
" little known but highly useful Gov

w little known but highly useful Gov
eminent function of scientific ex-
ploration is being exercised by the depart
ment of agriculture in order that the breed
| of plants in the United States may be i'm
proved, and that dependence upon foreign
countries for any kind of foodstuffs may be
minimized as lar as possible. Exploration
for plants and subsequent introduction If
them into t. United States is almost con-
tinually going on.
The greatest amount of this work is for
edible crop plants and trees, but at least one
exploration was for furthering the develop
ment of chalmugra trees, with view to
growing them in some of Americas island
possessions, in order that the valuable oil,
essential to the treatment of 1eprosy, may be
obtained from domestic sources. Another
man is about to be sent out by the depart
ment of agriculture to pursue the chalmugra
Investigations. 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 specialize on one thing,
and the other where an explorer is sent to
some part of the earth with general instruc-
lions 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 being to discover, if pos
| sible, an avocado which will resist cold, to
| some degree, in order that sufficient guam
tity may be grown in the temperate parts
of this country to supply the domestic de-
| mand. 1t is true that 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 it's popular name. The department has
been advi.ed that this scientist discovered an
| avocado growing in South America, about
the latitude of the equator, but several thou
sand feet up in the mountains. This species,
| it is believed, if it can be properly propagat-
| ed, will fill the demand. The explorations
are being continued in the hope that still
harder variety may be found.
Mexico has plentiful supply of alligator
pears, but their importation into the United
States is forbidden because of the danger of
| bringing a dangerous fly pest into this coun-
| try. Shipping the pears is hazardous, any
| how, as they are prone to rot where they
| touch each other, and shipments from Cen
| trail and South America on that account often
are small ones carried loose on the decks OF
| vessels.
An Early Importation
! The wheat crop of the United States each
| year is tremendous one now, and has been
| for great many years, yet wheat is not
native to North America. Wheat was brought
| into this country, probably by the very earli-
| est settlers, and has thrived wonderfully.
However, the department of agriculture has
| found it necessary to import high grade Rus
sian wheats to improve the American crop.
Corn is a native of the western world
and the reverse process has taken place with
| that staple. American corn was taken to
Africa many years ago, and has found con-
ditions of climate and soil there so suitable
| for it's growth that African corn is quite as
good now as the varieties produced in the
| United States. The white potato, or Irish
potato, is another native of this hemisphere
i which has been taken to Africa and grown
| in large numbers Curiously enough, this
potato is known in Africa as the "Englsh
potato
| One of the big things for which the depart
ment is fighting is to preserve the chestnut
| trees of this country against the pest which
| is oblterating them. This pest is blight
which has been destroying the trees for long
time, in spite of every means usd to fight it.
| Finding that fighting the disease was al
most useless, plant explorers were sent out
to find a chestnut tree somewhere in the
world which would grow readily in the I'm
tied States and resist the blight which has
ruined the native American growth. A
chestnut tree has been discovered in Japan
which will measure up to all of these re-
| quirements, it is believed.
| Another task in which the department is
deeply interested is fighting the blister now