Evening star., 1939-11-05

potted plants, half an acre Of soil
in a nursery, an orchard and finally
an advertising campaign and a SELL
ing organization. Most of my activ.
tiles in the field of plant introduc.
ton had been concerned with the
easier phase of the two"
Major Contribution.
One of Mr.. Fairchild's major con-
tributions was to introduce for the
first time, in 1898, the soy bean. He
brought in both beans and some soil
from a Toxic soy-bean field. He
had eaten soy beans in Japan, ex-
tracing them from the pod In the
Japanese fashion. But neither he
nor any one else had any idea at the
time that they would play so i'm
portant a part in American agricul-
ture.
Working with one of his assistants
in the plant introduction Office in
Washington, Mr.. Fairchild found
that root nodules could be induced
on soy-bean plants by growing them
in japanese soil, but when grown
in new soil they would not develop
nodules unless the soil were inocu-
lated. AS a result of the experi-
mental work in Washington. agri-
cultural experiment stations in Vir-
ginia. Maine, Michigan and Kansas
began to plan the new crop.
II hope that book will be written
describing the vast soy-bean indus
try which has developed in America
since those early beginnings" Mr..
Fairchild writes, "and the important
part played by the varieties intro
duced by Frank Meyer, and later by
w. j. Morse and P. H. Dorset.
Morse has devoted the best years Of
his life to careful and penetrating
study Of the soy bean, and he should
receive the full measure of credit for
his contribution to an industry now
measured by millions of acres under
culture in America each year."
Had Special Problems.
Special problems not only Of
growers but Of manufacturers oc-
cupied much of Mr.. Fairchild's time
when he was head of the plant In.
PRODUCTION section. He spent many
days comforting with technical di.
rectors Of the brewing companies in
Milwaukee and st. Louis on barley
and hops. American farmers pre-
ferred to grow one type of barley for
all purposes, but Mr.. Fairchild's re-
search in Europe had led him to be-
lieve that certain type was far su-
perior for making beer. He records
that. from 1908 to 1906, he spent
much time on the brewing industry,
studying the cell structure and cell
chemistry Of the barley kernel.
Somewhat later, he devoted no
little time and energy to an attempt
to establish the growing of rushes
IN South Carolina. Cheaper methods
OF production in Texas and Louisi-
ana had all but ruined the Carolina
rice industry, and planters were beg.
ging Tor a new crop adaptable to
their plantations.
Mr.. Fairchild believed it would be
possible to grow a long rush similar
to the japanese rush, which could be
manufactured into mating on power
looms. The result would be q su.
perior mating at a cost close to
that OF the Japanese handwoven
mating, which was then imported in
considerable quantities. A manufac-
turer in Maine had looms construct.
ed on which the mating was to be
woven.
The only thing that remained was
to adapt the Japanese rush to Caro-
lima swamps. One of Mr.. Fairchild;s
assistants was sent to Japan for
plants Of q particular strain. These
were started flrst on the plantation
Of Gen. E. p. Alexander and extend.
ed from there to other plantations.
At the same time, the samar, q
giant sedge from the irrigated lands
Of the Nile Delta also was taken to
South Carolina.
Futile Efforts.
Our efforts proved futile" Mr..
Fairchild writes, "for with all the
skill at our command we could not
make any rush grow sufficiently long
Tor mating purposes, except the
samar, which had to be split before
1t could be used. This presented
technical difnculties which we coulo
not overcome with the machines
available"
Often, early efforts proved futile,
and only constant persistence over
. period Of years resulted in the
urn establishment Of a new plant.
That was true Of the date palm.
From Egypt, Mr.. Fairchild shipped
back to Washington suckers Of six
varieties Of dates. Later, he was to
(see EXPLORER, Page C-6J