I. AGRICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 361 



with inconceivable quickness. The winter spores, which are 

 produced last, form on the first-named plants other fungus 

 growths the next year, and thereby secure the continuance 

 of the rust from season to season. 



The proper methods of preventing grain from taking this 

 affection consist, first, in extirpating the barberry and other 

 trees mentioned from the vicinity of the grain-fields ; next, 

 the grain should be cleaned with the utmost care, so that no 

 seeds of the fungus-bearing plants may be introduced into 

 the field in the sowing, and thus aid in the development of 

 the disease ; and, finally, no manure should be applied to the 

 grain-fields in which any straws are mixed that have come 

 from rusted plants, and, in fact, straw of this character should 

 be burned, as the most effectual method of protection against 

 the spreading of the disease. If used at all as manure, how- 

 ever, it should be kept for grass-lands or fields in which grain 

 is not raised. 10 C, November 1,1871,157. 



INTRODUCTION OF USEFUL PALMS INTO FLORIDA. 



A memorial has been presented to Congress by Mr. Louis 

 Baker praying that the necessary steps be taken to introduce 

 into the Southern States certain palms yielding sugar and 

 fruit. Many years ago, Dr.Perrine, of Florida, memorialized 

 Congress, urging the importance of taking measures to in- 

 itiate the cultivation of various tropical plants, of the success 

 of which he felt assured by the results of his own experiments. 

 The untimely death of the doctor, not long after, prevented 

 any further action in this matter, though it is not unlikely 

 that, had he lived, Florida and other Southern States would 

 be enjoying a variety of important vegetable products not 

 now included in their industrial resources. Mr. Baker thinks 

 the palms especially important, particularly those furnishing 

 sugar and ojl in large quantities. He presents statements 

 showing the ease with which such trees can be planted and 

 kept up, and vast returns obtained with very little expendi- 

 ture of labor. Other species of palm, considered by him im- 

 portant, are the date-palm, the cocoa-nut, the sago, etc. He 

 also urges the planting of indigo, ginger, gunny, safflower, the 

 centennial hemp-plant of China, the camphor tree, etc. Me- 

 morial to Congress. 



Q 



