Chapman Field (Miami)

Chapman Field
Map
Coordinates25°38′30.05″N 80°17′42.45″W / 25.6416806°N 80.2951250°W / 25.6416806; -80.2951250
Area197 acres
Opened1898
FounderDavid Fairchild
Owned byUnited States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Collectionsrubber, cacao, coffee, mango, palm, avocado
WebsiteSubtropical Horticulture Research Station
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Dr. Tomas Silva-Ayalaand, and Dr. Peter Teal tour the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Subtropical Horticulture Research Station

Chapman Field (officially the Subtropical Horticulture Research Station) is a horticulture and agronomy research facility of the Agricultural Research Service, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), located in Miami, Florida. Dating from 1898, it is one of the oldest entities in South Florida. The USDA also refers to it as the Miami Station.[1]

The introduction of economically useful plants into the US is a three-step process: (1) explorers find the plants in foreign countries; (2) the plants are sent back to a USDA introduction garden where they are evaluated; (3) successful plants are distributed to farmers and nurserymen. Chapman Field is the original introduction garden for tropical plants.

Over 20,000 plant introductions have been registered at the Miami station since its establishment. Emphasis has been on rubber, cacao, coffee, mango, palm, avocado, lychee, and other plants.[2]

  1. ^ Homepage SHRS
  2. ^ Burditt