AtJRICULTrRAL APPUoPHIATIoN BIM^ 1924. 



153 



CONBf MITHtS OK rioM KSTlr-<iU(lW S UATKM. 



Mr. -V.M»Kic>«».N. T^'^^at is tlu- « <>miiiii<-ial i>n«hirti»»n rxiw '. 



Doctor Tavi-oh. I can not ^i\v you the lij;ur«'>. 



Mr. Andeuson. Well, it is hcciuuin^ <|uit(' considcnililc 



Doctor Taylou. Considerable. althnu«;li not yet larj^e in compari- 

 son with tlu' v(«ry heavy iniportatinns. And the production so far 

 is chielly consumed in the Southwest ( 



The ostimatcd pnuluction of dates in California in 1022 is .'JOO.OOO 

 pounds. That of 1<»21 was estimated at l.')0.()0() poumls, the crop of 

 that year havinj; heen curtailed hy untimely rains. 



Mr. Andkk.son. It is. 



Doctor Tavloii. Chiefly. 



Mr. Andkhson. I have n«'ver seen any nn the market anywliere, 

 and I was wondering whether the ilistrihution had ijotfeu (.uf>ide 

 of the districts where they are^rown. 



Doctor Tayix>R. Secretary Wallace called mv attention within the 

 last few (lavs to certain jars of fancy packed California dates in a fruit 

 store at Thirteenth antl F Streets Br(»wnlcy's sl()re. 



A peculiar situation exists just at the moment with respect to our 

 j)rol)al)le date importations this year us a result of the trouble at 

 Smyrna. Th(> li>j: movement from the Smyrna district, which is the 

 most important table h;; commercial production di.-.trict of the 

 world, has been seriously impaired by the destruction by fire of the 

 packing hou.ses, including; their contents, so that the fig shipments 

 will be subnormal. 



The date importati«)n, which in general is handled through the 

 same channels of trade and to an extent is interchangeable with 



the fig. will nro])ably be materially increased. They come from P^gvpt, 

 Alsiei-s. anu Mesopotamia, and there is every indication tliat there 



^ will nrot)arMy t)e 

 •s. anu Mesopotai 

 will be an abnormally large importation of dates to balance this 

 shortage of imported tigs. 



Mr. Anderson. Are there any figs produced in this country? 



Dt)ctor Taylor. Yes, sir; the California fig production is increas- 

 ini; substantially and 



Air. BrciLvxAX (interposing). Yes, and all over south Texas. 



Doctor Taylor. I beg pardon ? 



Mr. BuciLAXAX. There are a great many produced in south Texas, 

 too. 



Doctor Tay'lor. Yes; they are used for canning — chiefly canning 

 and preserving. 



Mr. Blcilvxax. Yes. 



SOIL BACTERIOLOOY' AXD PLANT NITRITIOX INVESTIGATIONS. 



Mr. Anderson. All right. We will take up the next item. 

 Doctor Taylor. The next is the subappropriation on page 88: 



For tsoil-baotpriology and plant-nutrition investigations, iiuluding the testing of 

 samples, proeured in the open market, of cultures for inoculating legumes, and if any 

 such samples are found to be impure, nonviable, or misbranded. the results of the 

 tests may be published, together with the names of the manufacturers and <>f the 

 persons by whom the cultures were offered for .sale, $50,000. 



Mr. Anderson. Well, we will pass that over without any discussion 

 There is not a change in that. 

 Doctor Taylor. No. sir. 



