NEW HORTICULTUKAL CROPS FOR FOOD SUPPLY 61 



there may be a multiplicity of beverages as well as of foods to 

 mitigate hunger. In Arabia several millions of people drink khat, 

 while in southern South America as many more millions allay their 

 thirst with mate. Mate, according to Fairchild, can be produced 

 at but a fraction of the cost of tea and supplies the same alkaloid 

 in a more easily soluble form. Both contain thein, the active 

 principle in "the cups that cheer but not inebriate." Sturtevant 

 names twelve plants the leaves of which are used in different parts 

 of the world to adulterate or in place of tea. ^Ye have but just 

 acquired the use of cocoa and chocolate from the natives of our 

 American tropics and of cocacola from the negroes of Africa, and 

 it is not unlikely that we shall find other similar stimulants. For 

 drinkers of more ardent beverages, if King Alcohol continues to 

 reign, there is an abundance, the diversity and cheapness of which 

 probably will ever as now be regulated by taste and taxes. 



Time prevents my naming other valuable foreign plants that 

 deserve to be tried in our agriculture. It is fortunate for American 

 farming that men from the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture are now searching everywhere for new material. Saul went 

 in search of asses and came back with a crown. So these men sent 

 to foreign countries for material, possibly commonplace enough, 

 are bringing back treasures the value of which in many cases will 

 be incalculable. Introduction of seeds and plants for the nation 

 is work to which the institutions represented here should lend aid 

 in every way possible. 



The last of the three means of developing plants for food, and 

 as I beheve the most important, is by using either foreign species 

 or wild native species to hybridize with established crop-plants. 

 It needs but a brief statement of what has been accomplished in 

 increasing hardiness, productiveness, disease resistance, adapta- 

 bility to soil, and other essentials of standard crop-plants, to show 

 that through hybridization of related species we have probably 

 the best means of augmenting our diet. Let us glance at a few 

 recent accomplishments of hybridization, noting chiefly results 

 with horticultural plants. 



Downing in 1S72 described 286 varieties of 4 species of plums. 

 In the 40 years that have elapsed the number has increased to 

 1,937 varieties representing 16 species. Now the significant thing 



