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University of Iowa Sending Expedition to Island
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HAT la unquestionably one of the greatest
scientific expeditions ever undertaken by
an Amerlcaan university la the Laysan
Island enterprise of the department of
roology of the State University of Iowa,
which leaves San Francisco on April 5
for a small uninhabited Island 800 miles northwest of
Honolulu, where the party will remain until August 4,
Details for the expedition have Just been comoleted
at the University of Iowa under the careful supervision
of Prof. C. C. Nutting, who, although he will not ac-
company the party, has the preliminary work of the
expedition In hand. He has recently returned from
Washington, D. C, where a conference with govern
ment officials placed the matter on a practical basis
and made the expedition financially possible.
A few words may be said of the purpose of the
expedition. Almost exactly In the middle of the Pa
cific, midway between the coast and Japan, t.ere is a
small island, a coral atoll, with a surface about three
and one-half square miles, which supports perhaps the
most dense bird population In the known world, a
population which has been estimated at about
8.000,000.
According to the story of Prof. Nutting, who has
visited the Island, anyone visiting it, after trudging
through the white coral sand for about a half mile
from the landing, surrounded at every step by many
birds of unfamiliar kinds actually compelled to shove
them aside with his foot will come to a slight emin
ence, and here actually gasps with astonishment as the
famous albatross rookery of Laysan lies spread out
before him. Here, on a level plain from which every
vestige of veeetatlon has been worn away, Is a mass
of these great birds nearly a square mile In extent
There are literally millions.
. Taking an Artist Along.
With a party composed of one of the world's most
thoroughly accomplished taxidermists, Prof. H. R. Dill,
and a scenic artist of world-wide fame, C. A. Corwln of
Chicago, 111., together with two student assistants in
the persons of Horace Young of Fargo. N. D., and
Clarence Albrccht of Waver!', the University of loa
Intends, through this coming expedition, to make a
ryrlorama of the soene which is presented to view at
this point, establish It within the museum of Iowa,
together with information of the place, the like of
which has never been furnished before to an American
educational Institution.
In brief, the plan Is to construct In the Iowa mu
seum a cyclorama of Laysan Island. When the scheme
was found feasible, even possible, by the Iowa univer
sity authorities, siace in the new natural silence ball
museum was set aeldo auJ marked "Lay ban Ibland
Kootu." The cyclorama will be 35x50 feet in size
with a background of 159 feet, consisting of mounted
specimens, taken as posed in life, together with faith
fully produced scenic designs, made especially by Mr.
Corwln. There will be several hundred specimens of
mounted birds on the foreground of the cyclorama,
not to 6peak of those to be presented on the painted
background.
There have been Innumerable difficulties In the
way of the carrying out of the scheme, aa planned two
jears ago, but now everything has been overcome
which threatened the success of the undertaking. Com
munication with tho outside world will not be possible,
however, unless a wireless station can be constructed
for the use of the party.
Prof. Dill iu Charge.
The muu who will be in direct charge of the expedi
tion and have full supervision over the party of three
other men who wl!l accompany him Is Prof. Homer R.
Dill, taxidermlut of the University of Iowa and one of
the most proficient men of his profession. The uni
versity authorities consider themselves extremely for
tunate in having him at band to engineer the expedi
tion to what cannot help but be a successful culmina
tion of the alma of the university's scientific depart
ment. Prof. Dill Is well fitted for the work which he has
Ui baud. Hut recently he has returned from a tour of
t I n Amerlcaan university is the Laysan work which he l undertaking. The choice of the - ' IIAT!M I'INCfl. ( e J? fJ
T1IE
every museum of note throughout the east, wherein
he secured valuable and up-to-date suggestions for the
work which he Is undertaking. The choice of the
right man was considered the vital factor to the suc
cess of the scheme, as the work must be done by a
master of the technique of outdoor panoramic work.
Some difficulty has been experienced In securing
the right artist for the work, but In E. A. Corwln of
Chicago, III., the university believes It has secured an
nrtlst adequate for the task In hand. Mr. Corwln is
now at work ,n tne F,e,1 Mu8eum ' Natural History
of Chicago, where he has already painted a number of
very beautiful scenes for backgrounds for birds and
mammals.
Students Going Along as Assistants.
The two assistants who will accompany the expedi
tion are both students in the University of Iowa.
Horace Young of Fargo, N. D., Is a member of the lib
eral arts college, president of the senior class thereof
and Is now In his fourth year in the university. Clar
ence Albrecht of Waverly, la., the remaining member
of the expedition, is a sophomore in the university.
Both of them will prove valuable in the work to come
through their knowledge of taxidermy.
The United States revenue cutter Thetis Is to con
vey the party to Laysan, the men reaching there about
April 15 to 20. When the problem of transportation
w estern urcnaras uraw iviucn
FTEH seeing the magnificent display of ap
ples at the Council Bluffs horticultural ex
hibit, and more recently at the Omaha
Land show, people In this section will be
Interested in the eastern notion con
A
cerning apples, as presented by the New York World.
After mentioning one purchase of 11,000,000 worth
(700,000 boxes) by an eastern firm in one orchard at
Hood River, Ore., the World admits that easterners
can hardly realize what the apple industry out west
Is today. It is no longer just a little side Issue with
the farmer. Now the man who grows apples does
nothing else. The great Apple show has recently been
held at Spokane, where more than 2,000,000 apples
from all over the world were exhibited and $20,u00 in
prizes was given, in the beautiful orchard lands of
Oregon and Washington one bears of nothing but
"apple, apple, apple," all the year around.
The growers have formed associations for their
respective districts, and they get the most out of their
appU-s, too. They are wonders, these apples from
the northwest. You never see tbem on the pushcarts,
they cost too much.
"I could have bought the crop without going out
at all," said Joseph Stelnhardt, who has Just returned
from the Pacific coast. "As It was, I arrived In Hood
River at 11 In the morning, the board of directors of
the association met at 12 and I caught the 4 o'clock
train. It takes s good deal of system to be able to sell
more thsn a million dollars' worth of apples In that
time.
"This is the third year we have bought the crop
and we know that the apples will be as guaranteed.
The ones on the bottom of the box are as good as
those ou the top."
"You think professional men make the best farm
ers," ho was asked.
".Most certainly," he replied. "They go Into busi
ness systematically. They are always looking for new
Ideas and they pay attention to details. The farmer
of other days was a crook, though perhaps he never
realized it himself. There was always a layer of good
apples ou the top of the barrel, and It was the same
way with the strawberries and the small fruits. This
new system of grading apples as to size and color has
done away with all that. The association makes itself
responsible for every box and guarantees it.
"Last year we paid $3.85 for a box of sixty-four
apples, and with the freight 60 cents It made each
one cost nearly 7 ceuts. Theae are the apples which
OMAIIA SUNDAY T.EE: MARCH 12. 1911.
A TYPE
or BJSD
THE EZEE&HUaAT -TJ SE&T FOR
was finally settled those Interested knew that the trip
would be a certainty. The matter of transportation
stood In the way for years, or ever since 1904, as one
big stumbling block to final arrangements for the
expedition. It was Theodore Roosevelt who really
made the trip possible, and the manner in which he
did it Is unique. One of the last acts that he per
formed while in the office of president of the United
States was to set Laysan Island aside as a bird pre
serve, thus bringing it under government supervision.
Through conferences with Dr. T. S. Palmer, In the
biological survey of the United, States, and Dr. Hen
shaw, head of the survey proper, together with support
from the secretary of agriculture, James Wilson, Prof.
Nutting finally secured the appointment of his group
of men as game wardens of this Island. For trans
portation of the game wardens the revenue cutter was
sell In the New York market for from 1 to $1.50 a
dozen and are the 'fancy grade."
Apples are selling at higher prices than ever be
fore in the history of the country, but the demand
for perfect fruit Is higher, too. In the contract just
signed by the Hood Kiver association for the new crop
this is the specification for "fancy" fruit:
"This grade cousists of perfect apples only. The
apples must be free from worm holes, stings, scale,
fungus scab, rust or any other disease and free from
all Insect pests or Injury. They must be free from
bruise, limb rubs, and the skin around the stem must
not be broken. All apples must be fully matured, not
deformed, and have a healthy color. Spitzenburgs
must have 70 per cent of good red color and all apples
of tho red varieties must have good red eolor."
Through this co-operation the western farmer
gets a better market and price for his fruit. The as
To Breed Horses
O CARRY out the proposed plan of breeding
cavalry horses for the United States army
100 stallions will be required for sires. It
is proposed that these shall be acquired by
purchase, with very careful selec
T
tion, and established at a number of stations in dif
ferent parts of the country, ex-cavalrymen of experi
ence and reliability being placed in charge of them
as stud grooms.
The stallions are to be bred to suitable mares
wherever the latter may be found, with the under
standing that the owners of the mares shall give to
the government In each Instance an option on the
resulting foal at 3 years of age, at a prhe to be fixed
before the animal Is bred. All breeding is to be con
ducted under the direction of experts of the bureau
of animal Industry.
This plan ought to provide not lets than 2,000
first-class caalry horses per annum the minimum
number required for remounts, according to the Satur
day Evening Post. At the present time the War de
partment finds itself unable to procure enough suit
able animals. People nowadays ride much less than
formerly they did and fewer horses of the riding type
are bred. In addition, the abolishment of the old
style street cars has dUcouragel tbc breeding of a
type available for army purpoaea car horses being
provided. The government thus will bear a large part
of the expense of the trip and in return receive re
ports relative to the iBland from the men of the expedi
tion. The University of Iowa will be at no expense
whatever, the private expenses of the party In the
main being paid by donations from various classes of
the Institution and from several lectures given.
Has Kent Out Many Expeditions.
To date the University of Iowa has been sponsor
for more than sixty expeditions throughout the United
States, In fact, the entire world, In the interest of
science. The first was made by Prof. Calvin of the
geological department way back In 1863. The Laysan
Island expedition is perhaps the most extensive that
will ever be made. A list of the various expeditions is
given below, but a few of the more Important ones de-
eastern u)m
sociationcontrolled by a board of nine directors
markets the qrop. The farmer raises the fruit. If for
any reason he is unable to take care of his orchard
the association bat the work done and charges the
expenses against the crop.
The district is constantly patrolled by men who
are experts on apple raising and the trees are watched
for disease and Insect pests. Any trouble Is checked
before It can spread from one orchard to another.
As It gets near the time for the apples to ripen
the trees are watched by special men, who report to
the headquarters of the association in the town of
Hood River. Any night during the season the grower
may receive a telephone call they all have telephones
to be ready for so many pickers In the mornlug
for his Newtons or Spitzenburgs or whatever is ripe.
There Is a record of how many trees he has and the
necessary number of men are sent to blm.
for the Army
the very best kind for cavalry mounts because of their
endurance and willingness to work.
The waste of horseflesh In war Is enormous, and
in a conflict of any magnitude our government would
need hundreds of thousanda of horses per annum.
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1864, there
were purchased for the federal armies 188,718 horses.
In other words, 600 a day were required for remounts
this being the measure of the destruction of horses
during that period.
During eight months of the year 1864 the cavalry
of the Army of the Potomac required 40,000 fresh
horses. Sheridan, during bis campaign in the valley
of the Shenandoah, had to be supplied with fresti
horses at the rate of 150 a day. In the Russian cam
paign of a century ago the French crossed the Nlemen
with 127,121 horses. That was in the month of June.
Six months later, December 13, they recrossed with
1,600 horses. All the rest had disappeared.
All the European countries are now supervising
the breeding of horses for their armies. The War
department is convinced of the necessity of adopting
the samo policy in the United States. Leaving Its
military usefulness out of the question, the plan pro
poned is expected to prove highly advantageous
through its favorable Influence upon the breeding of
American horses In geueral.
"If
of Laysan
COVEEED BY DIFFERENT
EZEEPITIOW SZWOVTW
WE WmRSJTYQFIOm
serve especial attention. Expedition No. 34 was man
aged by Dr. Frank Russell In the interests of the de
partments of zoology, etnnology, botany and geology.
It went to Siberia in 1892 and remained there two
years, or until 1894. Another extensive expedition
was managed by Prof. Nutting to Crete in the inter
ests of the zoology department in 1895. Other long
and highly important expeditions were managed by
Prof. Macbride to northern Europe in 1891, Smith to
Central America in 1893 and Russell to Alaska In
1894.
The list, tabulated to conform with the map, fol
lows: 1.
2.
3.
1863 Calvin, geology.
1875 Calvin, geology.
1876 Calvin, geology.
1874 Irish, botany.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1877 Calvin, geology.
1879 Calvin and Macbride. geology, botany.
1879- 80 Macbride, geology (fossil plants),
botany.
1880 Policy, geology.
9.
1882 to date Shlmek, botany, zoology, geology.
10.
11.
12.
1884 Calvin, geology.
1884 to date Macbride, botany.
1885 Shlmek, zoology, botany.
13. 1887 Macbride, botany.
14. 1887 Wlckham, entomology.
15. 1888 Calvin, geology.
16. 1888 Nutting, zoology.
17. 1888-90 Asst. Prof. Shlmek, botany, geology,
zoology.
18.
19.
20.
21.
1888 L. B. Elliott, Dr. O. Drew and William
Drew, zoology, botany.
1RS8 Asst. Prof. Wlckham, entomology.
1889 Prof. Calvin, geology.
1889 Asst. Prof. Wlckham, entomology, geol
ogy, botany.
1890 Profs. Calvin and Nutting, zoology,
geology.
1890 Asst. Prof. Wlckham. entomology.
1891 Prof. Nutting, Prof. Smith and Dr. Frank
Russell, zoology, geology.
1891 Prof. Macbride. botany.
1891 Asst. Prof. Shlmek, botany.
1891 Asst. Prof. Wlckham, entomology,
2 3.
24.
25.
26.
27.
zoology.
1892-3 Prof. Macbride. botany, geolofty.
28.
29.
30.
1892 Asst. Prof. Shlmek, botany, zoology.
1892 Dr. Frank Russell and Asst. Prof. Smith,
zoology.
JR92 Asst. Prof. Wlckham. entomology.
18P2 Trof. Houser, geology.
1892-3 Asst. Prof. Shlmek and C. L. Smith,
botany, zoology.
1S92-4 Dr. Frank Russell, zoology, ethnology,
botsny, geology.
31.
32.
33.
31.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
4 2.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
1893 Bahama expedition In charge of Frof.
Nutting, zoology, botany.
1S93-5 C. L. Smith, botany.
193-4 Prof. Calvin, geology.
1 894 Prof. Nutting, zoology.
1894 Prof. Macbride, botany.
1 894 Asst. Prof. Wlckham, entomology.
1 894 Asst. Prof. Shlmek. botany.
1894- 7 Prof. Houser, animal morphology.
JK95 Prof. Nutting, zoology.
1895 Prof. Maebrlde, botany.
1895 Asst. Prof. Wlckham, entomology.
1896- 9 C. W. Irish, botany.
1 896 Asst. Prof. Shlmek, botany, geology.
1896-9 Prof Nutting, zoology.
1896 Asst. Prof. Wlckham, entomology.
1897 Prof. T. E. Savage, W. N. Stull, bfltany.
1897 Prof. T. E. Savage, botany, geology.
1897 Asst. Prof. Shlmek, botany.
1897 Asst. Prof. Wlckham. entomology.
1897 and various other years Prof. Calvin,
geology.
18 97 Prof. Macbride, botany.
1897- 8 P. C. Myers, botany.
1898 Prof. T. E. Savage, J. E, Camerffn and
F. E. Lenocher, botany.
1898 Prof. Houser, animal morphology.
1898 Asst. Prof. Shlmek, botany, geology.
50.
61.
62.
63.
54.
55.
66.
67.
68.
69.
6 0.
61.
1 899 Prof Calvin, geology. y
1899 Prof T. E. Savage, botany, gi ology.
62. 1899 Asst. Prof. Wlckham, entouio..oJ-