Evening star., 1926-11-28

pL-HdIu dlLlSl ALOiI
his c3paciOuS SleeVeS-Strange
Il though they be-do not out
rival the marvellous miscellany
which Uncle Sam signs for annually
and receives from Washington eX-
pressmep.
The gift bags Of Kris Kringle are
no more replete IN novelties than are
the express bales, boxes, trunks,
'rates, packages and containers which
are distributed every l. months among
the 2o-Odd bureaus of the Department
of Agriculture. The gamut Of a mail
order catalogue is included in the re-
martable roster Mooseheads from
Alaska, lion SKINS from Montana. mu-
scum relics from California, foreign
plants and seeds from Afghanistan,
soil samples from every section OF the
United States, dog. horse and cattle
heads from Virginia and Maryland, liv-
ing birds and small mammals from
everywhere. forestry products and
artificial building materials. new and
old foods for chemical examination
these arc hut a few of the many Curl
ositin>.
The eXpress,nvn who deliver goods
10 the Government are accustomed 20
strange sights, ShapeS-and smells.
Today they may deliver bear skulls.
wolf pelts, living rabbits, harcs, white
mice and rats, "@ we'll AS the Gus
tOt1Jfh uUnuIeS tt 'lllEt tiil 'fih''t q
rorv supplies. Tomorrow queen bees
from Italy. plant cuttings. roots. bulbs
md seeds from China, japan and
Tibet, domestic animal organs from
some american packing plant. SOIL ,
samples from Maine or New Mexico,
and q collection Of unstandardiZed,
fruit and vegetable containers may
rongeSt the cxpGeSSrlan'S : truck. Next
week specimens Of diseased fruits and
vegetables samples Of wool and cot
Ton. small onnsiEnmentS Of gram or
hay. museum relics, road building ma
terials, OF educa tIonal exhibits return
ing from eOme State or interstate fair
will be delivered.
The volume Of daily express received
lv the Department Of Agriculture is
zast. 1t is but one Of the eight ex-
teusive Government departments.
When YOU understand that one bureau
uf one of these departments receipts
ior more than 1000 express shipments
annually, YOU can visualize the enor-
nous quantity Of packages and par
rolS delivered 50 %uur Uncle Samuel.
The total weight runs into tn" nun
orcd thousand tons. No one has ever
taken the trouble to sum up the gross
amount. hut it is conservative to say
that it amounts to hundreds of maxi
mum traiuio3ds each year,
The Bureau of Plant Industry re.
fElNPS more tfin Ot'up Silii'bi'IlAFN VA
tn-gIt-olit express every IL months.
This does not include the innumeraDle
deliveries ot plant material which are
sent 10 WASHINGTON from our ports
of entry. The quarantine ana plant
inspection laboratories in Washington !
ar" the PILLS Island" of plant lnlnl- |
Grants Plant cuttings, buIoS, roots,
-eeds and similar material are sent
hero for examination, Inspection ana
funigatiou.
IA the neighborhood Of $4,000 wear
dutv is paid ON the plant material
imported from abroad. Some orchid
specimens are valued at Sl,oo0 apiece !
DLANT HUNTERS and agricultural .
explorers search foreign fields Tor !
-cIy economic crops, fruits ana olher +
+nnd uroductS which may he intro /
,}nced 70 this country and added to !
ann national menu These Columbuses |
Of horticulture send the plant-rropa- |
eating material which they secure |
abroad 10 Washington in trunks !
,r.atcs. boxes and other dura Ole con- |
ta;uerS. Each plant explorer est<.o- ,
fishes a base at some seaport IN the
country where he Is working. From !
This SlIpply denot he sets forth with ,
a native guide and interpreter on 1901,
horSehe.l or aStride mule 20 VISIT /
The interior agricultural localities.
The tourney may c9Ner several thod-
sand miles.
Eventually the plant hunter and his !
guide return to the seaport. IheW
pack animals may be loaded with plant
material The scientist spends several
,laye in preparing Ills valuable mate
rial for shipment 10 Washington. IL
is wrapped IN damp moss, in water
proof 1aper, SeWed into buIIap bags,
hacked painstakingly in strong cases
I ALI nod Al
mail steamship. When the shipment
reaches an American port it is speed
ed as quickly as possible TO our Ma
.ionaI Capital. with lin hGnd customs !
service delivery.
Some of our important economic |
crops have been Introduced In this |
Style to the United States. For eX- |
ample sudan grass, soy beans. in
uumeraUie tropical fruits. Durum |
wheat Egyptian dates, Egyptian sea
island cotton and many other farm
products now worth incalculable mil
lions to American agriculture have !
heen brought To this country orig |
iually as plant immigrants in the |
strong boxes of our horticultural !
hunters Small express shipments OF /
Sudan grass have grown into an in /
,ustrv which at present adds more /
Than $4,000 600 annually to our farm |
.ng income.
The Bureau OF biological Survey !
maintains an army of $50 professional /
hunters who police and patrol the /
Western range country. These mod !
oln minute men-ready TO take the !
trail after grizzly bears. mountain |
t,uns or notorious timber wolves at |
minutes notiCe-protecl ranches and !
stock farms against stock killing pred !
atury animals. They save about So |
u00. 600 worth of domestic live stock |
,.cnl.l1. from 1eStriCti ion. TheN XII [