Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-19
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

China two varieties of barley, one
of which now constitutes 60 per cent
of all the barley we raise.
DR.. Dorset has imported some 400
varieties of barley and wheat in the
hope that among them will be dis
covered seed superior to what we
now grow.
Not more than rs years ago farm
ers Of the Midwest were unable to
grow wheat west Of the Tooth
meridian of longitude-about the
middle Of the Dakotas. Then an ex-
plorer in Asia Minor sent us maca-
roni or durum wheat. which thrives
in drier regions than the old varieties.
Today durum wheat is a standard
crop in the Dakotas and Montana,
and while it is not used in bread
1t has a steady market for macaroni
and similar uses. 1t grows we'll
where rainfall is only IL to Is inches
a year, as in western Dakotas.
X y X X
Amongst other good things to be
credited to the Dorset exploration
are two kinds of apricots-one a
dwarf and the other tall; new berry
from the mountains of Manchuria,
hence hardy; some new red and black
currants, apples, crab-apples, peaches
and plumS. 1t was In just this way
that the famous Georgia peaches were
introduced, hence there is hope that
fine fruits will be found in these new
importations. They come from 800
post Offices out of a total of 500 offices
throughout Manchuria, consequently
they are acclimated to all conditions
of that cold country, and so are adapt
ed to our Northern States.
In the United States, we do not
count persimmons as a northern fruit,
but In Manchuria DR.. Dorset dis
covered persimmons stored under
snow and ice, with no protection ex-
cept a light covering of straw mats,
and, in Midwinter, with additional
covering of straw or cornstalks. The
persimmons are 4 inches in di-
ameter, and according to native prac-
tice, they were piled on the ground
in heaps IL by 20 feet and feet high.
This open-air storage was possible be-
cause of the dryneSS of the climate,
but some of our Northern States have
climates equally dry.
While we already grow persimmons
in Florida and California, from intro
auctions from Japan, the possibility
Of extending our perSimmon held is
| important. Nowhere else in the world
are persimmons so handled as in Man
churia, so it is recognized that the
variety must be extraordinary in its
hardness.
The apricot above referred to grows
wild upon the mountains, and the
fruit is small, and mostly seed. but
DIR. Dorsett believ, s that it can be
developed here into better fruit. while
the hardness of the tree and its
abundance makes 1t worthy OF a trial
| by our horticulturists.
Some of the scientists Of the depart
ment show far less interest in the
adoption or veto of the proposed Nc
Nary-lIaugen law to stimulate the
growing Of grain and cotton by the
| one-crop farmers than they mani
fest in the enthusiasm for diversified
| ton of crops. even including abandon
| ment of such staples as they claim
| are dependent upon the world mar
ket for their SURPRISES.
X X X
Further investigation of the alleged
| invention by which every farmer
may produce potash upon his own
farm" as formerly stated, discloses
that 1t was not potash but nitrate
which was meant, and that the pro-
duction requires large factory equip
ment; 1t is not farm possibility,
| though of benefit to farmers. On the
other hand, the Department Of Agri-
culture. by DIR. j. W. Turrentine,
chief Of the Bureau of Soils, has made
extensive Investigations of potash de-
posits in several regions of the United
States--Texas and the blue sands"
of New Jersey and down the Atlantic
Coast. There Is great confidence in
early developments which will for
ever free lis from dependence upon
importations of potash, the important
element OF fertilizers and of ammuni-
ton.
There is a brighter future ahead of
agriculture. they assure our farmers.
and If Congress will hold up the bars
! against further immigration Of farmer