Usefulness Of Sunflowers

A writer says that in return foi the corn whieh Únele Sam proposes to teaeh the Russian how to eat, it it seriously suggested that we shal. a dopt a few hinis from them re'spectbng the useralmees of the sunflower. There are regiems im the west whicl] might be most profitably utilized foi the cultivation of this plant, whieh h.is been found so valuable for fooc purposes iin the empire of the czar, tdiat 750,000 acres to that eountrj are anmially plantod with it. Two kiind t'hiere are ehiiefly- one which bears small seeds, used for making oil while the other produces big seeds, which are consumed in enormous quantilttee by the commou people in the sanie way that peamuts are eaten here, except that thoy are devourei raw. Tliere is hardiy ajiother plant m the world whioh ser"?s so majiy uses, every part of it being valuable foi one purpose or anotiiier. The oi, is so nutriitious and agreeable in fiavoir that in Rueela it has to a great exteait superseded all other vegetable oÈls. It iis obtained by passing the seeds bemeath the millstones, so as to crush the ShellS, siftitng them to separate the kennels, and finally preseijig the latter ra bags of horsehaii clO'th. The calóes left after the oil hias leetn expressed are excellent fodder for cattle. Tlue shells are einployed for heating, special ovens being made to burn themin, while the stalks have almost replaced firewood, beiiiK BatJhtered and drled in etaeks u the iields. A toa of the latter is obtained from each acre culti.vated. They make a hot and qulck lire. The seed-cups are utilizpd a,s food fpi ïlieep. A big one, when ripe, wili yield 22,000 seeds. The largest and fiaest Beeccups are selected ia the autmuai and biung by their Btalks in a dry piare. In the following spring the seeds are shaken out oí them aaid dried in ovens for planting. At harvest time the flowers are gathered as f ast as the y ripeji, and are spread upon the ground to Then the seeds are beaten out of thcm with a small stick by whippfog each cup. Pinally the seed3 are dried in the sud or kilns and are sorted by means of screens into different gizes. An aere planted ivirh sunflowers yields 2,00C pound.s of seeds, from which 250 lbp. of oil may be obtaiaed. Ten million quarts of this oil are produced by Ruesiam miüs.