The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-08-25
IDENTIFICATION
PROGRAM ENLISTS
FURTHER INTEREST
OFFICIALS OF DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE IN WASH
INGToN ARE COOPERATING
IN MOVEMENT

4
at the local offices of the FERA
that officials of the u. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture at Washing
ton are interesting themselves il
the Identification of Key West
1t is entirely possible that new
! and rare plants brought from al
over the world will be available
for planting here.
For many years the Depart
ment of Plant Industry, U. S. d
r.. has sent plant explorers out
into every foreign country for the
purpose of locating plants thai
should be of value in this coun
try. Seeds, cuttings and ever
whole plants are shipped to Ger
tain localities in the United State,
for observation. Those that prove
to be adequate are propagateC
for distribution into suitable eli
matte areas.
j. Gerry Curtis, regional direc.
tor of parks and recreation, ha,
been advised that an inventory
/ is now being made of the severa
plant introduction gardens for the
! purpose of determining what tree:
/ and shrubs are available foI
planting here.
Much For Key West
''This will mean a great dea
for Key West" stated Mr.. Cur.
tbs. "Our plans call for the use
of many ornamental shrubs, fruit
and shade trees. But it is ex
tremely difficult to locate such
plants. They can be bought ID
small numbers. but our budget
will not permit us to make large
! expenditures for such materials
! If plants can be secured from the
Department of Agriculture, il
will assist us materially in carry.
ing out our landseaping plans.
However, there is a string at
tached to this offer. Many of
these plants are small, and will
require lot of care after they
are planted. Water and fertilizer
should be applied, and plant in
sects must be kept under control.
And right here is where it is IN,
to the citizens of Key West to as
sist us in our efforts to make Key
West attractive to tourists. If
any plants are supplied by the
Plant Introduction Gardens it will
be only upon the condition that
Key West cleans up some of the
insect pests, and furthermore
keeps them cleaned up.
ut is extremely doubtful if the
FERA will go ahead with any
planting plans until some sort Of
pest control has been undertaken,
on the island. | know that many
people think that this talk about
insects injuring their plants is all
foolishness. Yet every large
nursery. every greenhouse, every
fruit and vegetable grower in the
world knows that his profits are
affected by the presence of plant
pests. They keep large spray
crews working constantly to keep
these pests under control.
"If this is necessary in cold
climates where freezing tempera
lures keep pests under control
during many months of the yeaI
it is essential that here in Key
West constant control measures
be adopted.
Trees Bearing Well
Right here in Key West.
have been informed by citizens
that sugar apples that have for
years produced unsound fruit,
this season bore nice. large. clean
fruit. This is undoubtedly a re-
suit of the spray campaign that
has been going on for the past
year.
beginning the first of the
week. one of the large spray out
fits owned by the U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture will start to
spray in every yard in town. This
spray has been recommended by
the Federal Department of Agri-
culture, and is harmless to man,
fowl or beast.
1.-The federal government will
provide the spray outfit, the state
will furnish the material, and the
FERA will supply enough men to
insure quick and effective GOV
erage. This is in effect an FERA
project.
"All citizens are urged to as
sist us in this undertaking. The
plans of this department depend
in large measure upon the clean
up on plant pests"