XXXIV REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



of portions of the Nile Valley which are annuall}^ overflowed is largely 

 due to the nitrogen-gathering properties of this plant. 



Agents have also been sent to Algeria, Eg\"pt, and other parts of 

 Africa for the purpose of studjnng the irrigated crops of these 

 regions, and also the crops which are particularly adapted to alkali 

 soils. These agents have secured many valuable facts which will aid 

 the Department in its extensive studies of the plants of our own arid 

 and semiarid regions. With a view to securing additional forage crops 

 and cereals from Russia and adjacent countries, an agent was sent to 

 those regions in the earlj^ part of the year. The securing of forage 

 crops, particularly the various kinds of Turkestan alfalfa, was the 

 primary object of this visit; although some attention was given to 

 obtaining varieties of fruits and cereals adapted to the dry regions of 

 the Northwest. 



MACARONI ^VHEAT. 



The importance of the introduction and establishment of macaroni 

 wheat in the United States, to which attention was directed in my last 

 report, has been amply demonstrated by the results of the past year. 

 We estimate that about 2,000,000 bushels have been harvested this 

 season, but this will not meet the demand for it coming from all quar- 

 ters. New mills are being built to grind it and old mills have been 

 modified in order to handle it, and it now has its definite grade like 

 other wheats in the Northwestern markets. It yields from one-third 

 to one-half more than the other standard wheats in the same locality 

 throughout the Great Plains region. Furthermore, it extends the wheat 

 area much farther westward over districts of great extent, where it 

 was not considered possible to grow wheat before, owing to light 

 rainfall. The macaroni made from this wheat is pronounced by 

 experts to be equal, if not superior, to the imported product, so that 

 the success of this industr}^ is assured. 



WINTER WHEAT AND OTHER CROPS. 



The results of the past year indicate that the winter wheats intro- 

 duced and tested by the Department are likely to prove of as great, if 

 not greater, value than the macaroni wheats. Four or five varieties 

 obtained from east and south Russia are much more hardy than any 

 varieties now grown in this country, and will extend the winter wheat 

 area several hundred miles north and some distance farther west than 

 at present. This means an increase of 5 to 10 bushels per acre over 

 the standard spring wheats now grown in the same localities. 



Quite valuable results have also been secured in the introduction of 

 Swedish oats, proso or broom-corn millet, malakhof, sugar corn,*and 

 a number of other Russian crops. There has been rapid advancement 

 during the year in the rice-growing industry', largeh' through the 



