Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-11
rIinaton Experimental Farm Enriches National Agriculture

:
This matchleSs turf garden Ii used
as q research proving ground in co
| operation with the United States Golf
Association. Several hundred small
plots of grass have answered turf
productions greatest conundrums.
Golf clubs throughout the United
States and Canada have prodted i'm.
measurably from these grass.growing
tests. Creation knows more about fine
turf production than ever before. be-
cause of this experimentation in grow
Ing and propagating the creeping
bent, velvet bent, Washington bent,
Eescues, clovers. blue grass and other
varieties Of lawn and golf-course turf.
Such factors as rolling, moving, rak.
ing, topdressing, sprinkling wedding,
disease control. pest eradication, linn
ing, use of commercial fertilizer and
other problems Of greensward making
and maintenance have beenA investi-
gated.
| Two hundred acres of cultivated
crops are being produced at Arlington
Farm this year, and the results of
their culture in many different ways
viii influence future agricultural prac-
/ tees in various farming districts from
the Atlantic to the Pacific and from
Canada to Mexico. The tests of small
grains include breeding experiments.
i studies of disease resistance and the
development of disease resistant
strains, research with standard va
rieties, inheritance studies, effect OF
seed treatment on termination. prob
lens of seh-sterility, fertilizer tests
and others. Many mysterious plant
diseases are being studied with the
i ultimate hope Of developing efficient
control methods
Such valuable bulbs as Easter
lilies, narcissus, hyacinths and tulips
are being raised under practical field
conditions; seed is being matured and
an attempt Is being made to produce
commercial bulbs on an economic
scale. One acre Of bulbs is being
grown under overhead irrigation. The
lbulb-culture investigations include
methods of growing, propagating, cur
ing and adaptability.
Several acres of drug and poisonous
plants are being devoted to expert
mental purposes, while small areas of
fiber and cotton plants are being
raised for research. Both field and
greenhouse tests are in progress to
ascertain the secrets of the root
lnodule bacteria which inhabit the UNI
iderground parts Of leguminous plants
An investigation of the effects of diff
ferent crops and rotations on the
micro-hora Of the soil is also under
way, while a general research of the
conditions which influence the growth
and multiplication Of the beneficial and
undesirable bacteria which live in the
soil is being conducted.
***
4 SUGAR beets and sugar cane are
being grown for test uses, as
well as several acres Of artichokes,
whose adaptability as producers OF
commercial sugar Is being studied
Among the fruit crops. apples pre-
dominate, an orchard of about 500.
trees being one of the farm features.
Yield, disease control. pollination
methods. spraying systems, the de-
veiopment Of blight-resistant pears
and other horticultural investigations
are being carried on. Grape, currant,
raspberry and blackberry growing ex-
periments have been conducted, while.
since the inception Of Arlington farm,
practically every type and variety Of
deciduous fruit which win grow In
this climate has been tested. Nut
culture research has also been in
progress for some years. In fact,
there is hardly feature of scientific
lplant production or problem of crop,
fruit and food production but has been
investigated thoroughly at Arlington
farm.
a remarkable cold-storage labora,
tory at Uncle Sans great plant-life
farm IL used In connection with studies
OF fruit and vegetable storage anS
the railroad journeys to market OF
these materials This cold storage
plant, whose temperature Is controlled
by the use of a circulatory refrigerated
brine system. consists of Is special
compartments whose gross capacity Is
about eight carloads Of perishable food
products. Potatoes. citrus fruits, nuts
land similar products are stored under
q wide range OF conditions and tenn
peratures in order to determine those
most satisfactory for commercial use.
The American cold-storage industry
viii gain much valuable information
from this government research.
The Bureau of Chemistry operates
an interesting color laboratory at Ar
lington farm, where such puzzling
Iproblems as the certihcation of food
colors. the Standardization of biological
stains. the possible uses Of lignin and
Investigations of dye materials OF va
Irious kinds are under way. Remark
able experiments relating to the cause
and control of grain dust explosions
have been made. Space limitations
lprevent complete enumeration of all
the experimental tests which are now
In progress or which latterly have
been completed at Arlington farm.
We have mentioned only few Of
the many research investigations.
If you will visualize what plant
life's greatest proving ground would
look like and add this to what has
been mentioned in this article, you
will have some comprehensive idea
OF Arlington farm. This outstanding
parcel of northern Virginia property
has written wonderful history during
the last century. and as long as agri-
cultural research continues 1t will
continue to make new history in the
world Of science, research and inves-
tigation.