MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 151 



appears to have missed the clue to success which has been dextrously 

 grasped by the experts in America. To use a homely phrase, two birds may 

 in the present case be killed with one stone, for American research shows 

 that by the propagation of salt-bush on dry alkaline waste a double benefit 

 can be secured. On the one hand an abundant supply of nutritious fodder 

 may be provided; while, on the other hand, the noxious salts will be removed, 

 thus restoring the soil to fertility, and rendering it fit for canal irrigation. 

 In the iuterests of Indian famine prevention evevy effort should be made to 

 secure this double advantage. How this may be done can best be learned by 

 reference to the facts ascertained by American experts, to which I will now 

 refer. 



American Research. 



4. On the suggestion of the Director of the Scientific and Technical De- 

 partment at the Imperial Institute, I addressed the United States Agricul- 

 tural Department at Washington, and by their courtesy have received the 

 latest accounts of what has been done in America, as regards fodder plants on 

 salt lands. Among the printed papers received are the following pamphlets, 

 prepared at the Experiment Station of the Agricultural College and issued as 

 Bulletins by the University of California : — 



Bulletin No, 125— (May, 1899) :" Australian Salt-bushes, Results of 

 18 years' tests : characteristics, propagation, and field tests," by 

 Charles H. Shinn, Inspector of Stations ; and " Composition and 

 Food Value," by M. E. Jaffa, Assistant Chemist. 



Bulletin No. 128— (March, 1900) : ■' Nature, Value, and Utilisation of 

 Alkali Lands," by E. W. i-Jilgard, Director and Chemist. 



Bulletin No. 133— (August, 1901) : "Tolerance of Alkali by Various 

 Cultures," by R. H. Loughridge, Agricultural Geologist and Phy- 

 sicist. 



Bulletin No. 140— (February, 1902) : " Lands of the Colorado Delta in 

 the Salton Easin," by Frank T. Snow, E. W. Hilgard. and G. W. 

 Shaw ; with a Supplement by J. Burtt Davy, Assistant Chemist. 

 I have also received 12 pamphlets on forage plants, published at Washing- 

 ton by the United states Agricultural Department. Of these the following 

 bear the most directly on the subject of drought-resisting crops: — 



Farmer's Bulletin No. 108— (1900) : "Salt-bushes," by P. Beveridge 

 Kennedy, Assistant Agrostologist. 



Circular No. 18 — (1899): •' Smooth Brome-grass," by F. Lawson-Scrib- 

 ner, Agrostologist. 



Bulletin No. -'—(1900): "Fodder and Forage Plants," by Jared G. 

 Smith, Assistant, Section of Seed and Plant Introduction. 



5. No one can peruse these detailed records of chemical and botanical 

 research without being impressed by the persistency and scientific skill with 

 which the experiments have been carried out, and the care with which results 

 have been recorded. Under the direction of public authority a staff of 



