Evening star., 1935-03-10
Plant Explorers Do Vital
Work

AMONG the unsuns individuals
who daily carry on important work
which escapes popular attention are
the plant explorers who search the
whole world over for plants of such a
nature that they will meet and over
come obstacles to production in this
country. During the past year these
men have centered to a large extent
on drought-resistant plants and plants
which will provide protection against
erosion, both rain and wind.
H. L. Westover and C. r. Enlow,
two of the explorers. returned recently
from a trip during which they collect
ed 1900 lots of seeds of plants which
may aid in solving some of the prob
lens OF the drier areas of the United
States.
Most of the seed collections repre-
sent grasses or legumes which form a
| thick turf close to the ground, en-
abling them to bind the soil and hold
it against the ravages of wind and
water. Others represent shrubs whose
root systems looked promising as soil
binders. Seeds from a few trees also
were brought back. Most of the seed
lots came from plants that are edible
by live stock, but this quality was not
regarded as of principal importance in
making selections
The explorers penetrated far into
the foothills Of some of the republics
| of Turkistan. On one occasion they
visited the village of ziddi, in the
GiSsar Mountains of Tajikstan. They
were the first Americans to visit this
village, and only week before the
natives saw their first automobile. The
villagers were so delighted they i'm
mediately prepared feast for their
guests.
Officials of the Soviet government
gave the explorers every possible as
siStance. Botanical experts were able
in almost every instance to give the
Americans all the necessary informa-
ton concerning the plants of the re-
gions visited. This information made
it possible to avoid plants which are
poisonous or otherwise undesirable
The officials of the various republics
els to transport the exploration party
over Turkestan, sometimes referred TO
as Middle Asia. Turkish government
officials likewise co-operated in every
way.
| One of the most promising collec-
tionS is seed of bunch grass, AriStida
pennata, which grows in scattering
clumpS in the dry wind-swept sands
of the Kara Kun Desert. 1t will take
root in moving sand, and when the
winds become too strong this grass
through its ability to land on its
feet" may be blown for considerable
distances and take root where it lands
If it will grow in this country it
should be extremely valuable in re-
giouS where there are sand dunes.
Another unusual plant is CareX phy-
Soides, a perennial sedge used extern
sively for grazing in the Kara Kun
Desert of TurkiStan. This plant sell
dom produces viable seed. and is
therefore, propagated by root cuttings
From the dry, rocky mountain slopes
near IsSyk Kul-the largest fresh-wa-
ter lake in Observation-Disclosures and
Enlow brought back two bunch grasses.
One of them, a species of Agropyron.
is a relative of the crested wheat
grass which is winning favor rapidly
in the Great Plains since its intro
duction a few years ago. The other.
species of Hordeum, is wild Pc
rennial barley. Both of these intro
ductionS show promise for the PalouSe
country in the Pacific Northwest.