DISTRIBUTION OF SEEDS AND PLANTS. 21 



SOME RESULTS OF THE INTRODUCTION Or ^EW SEEDS AND PLANTS. 



Among the hundreds of new varieties of seeds and phmts intro- 

 duced from fureig-n countries since the organization of the Office of 

 Foreign Seed and Phint Introduction, as well as before that sj^ste- 

 matic work was begun in 1898, some have proved of great economic 

 importance and of enormous value to the country. Within the limits 

 of this circular it would be impracticable to mention more than a 

 few of the most striking examjoles. 



jSorg/mm. — Introduced from China and France in 1864 at a cost 

 of about $2,000. Sorghum is now grown throughout the I'^'nited 

 States, and the annual value of the crop is estimated at $40,000,000. 



A'afir corn. — Introduced at a cost of not more than $5,000. Largely 

 grown in the semiarid Southwest, where but few other crops are 

 successful. Estimated value of the crop per annum about $15,000,000. 



Durum wheat. — Cost of introduction probably less than ^30.000. 

 Its cultivation has extended rapidly throughout tlie semiarid North- 

 west, and the annual value of the crop probably exceeds $40,000,000. 



Japanese sh ort-herneled rices. — Introduced at a cost of less than 

 $20,000. Assisted materially in the phenomenal growth of the rice 

 industry in Texas and Louisiana. Estimated value of annual in- 

 crease in the product, $3,000,000. 



Swedish Select oats. — Cost about $5,000 to introduce. Estimated 

 increase in annual value of this variety in Wisconsin alone, $1,000,000. 



Excelsior White Schoenen oats. — Introduced in 1868 at a cost of 

 not more than $1,000. Value of estimated annual increase, $15,000,000. 



Chevalier harley. — Distributed by the Department in 1871. Cost 

 probably not in excess of $1,000. For many years one of the stand- 

 ard varieties in the United States, the crop of which is worth many 

 millions of dollars. 



FidtB wheat.— IniYoducedi by the Department in 1871 at small cost. 

 Became one of the standard varieties in the East, and the annual 

 value of the crop amounts to millions of dollars. 



VJc(sh'mgton. Xavel orange. — Original cost of this introduction not 

 on record, but probably insignificant. Value of the California crop 

 alone in excess of $10,000,000 annually. 



While, naturally, it is quite impossible to estimate accurately the 

 actual value of these various introductions, they have the positive 

 value which a better yielding variety always has^ — a jDermanent in- 

 crease in the wealth of the country — and it is not too much to state 

 that they have already increased the wealth of the country since their 

 introduction by many times what they have cost the Government to 

 introduce. 



ICir. 100] 



