lUE OMAITA SUNDAY BEE: OCTOBER 14, 1006.
Solving Agricultural Problems at. North Platte Experimental Substation
i
X
I.,
y
ti
HBRH Is but little known of the
work tv'n itimo at the Nebraska
experimental substation at North
I'latte or the work attempted,
even. In fact, there are not a
Brent many of our people who seem to have
knowledge of the existence of this experi
ment station. This may bo accounted for
owing to the newness of the enterprise
and the consciousness of the management
In not',yct having things fixed tip and In
Bhat to make a favorable display.
rorth Platte experiment station.
vhi. h Is a substation to the greater, the
xpi rlmental farm at Lincoln, Is designed
to deal with agricultural problems peculiar
to western conditions of soil and climate,
The greatest effort of the present time In
i iic iicaum enon or. me present time In
crop work has born to aaeur rrnna that
-A ....., 1 . .....
iiieiiiBeivrB 10 ine moisture and
M noli conditions of the districts they are In-
tended to grow In. Western Nebraska has countries of Europe and
been, a subject of anxious Inquiry and Asia. It Is a test of variety
study for many years by the scientific ag- value. The general reconv
rlrulturlsts of the etate farm In un attempt mendatlon. however, by Mr.
to find a series of crops that wo ild yield Snyder, the station superln
profitably on the rich but arid lands of tendtnt. Is to use home
that district. grown seed as nearly as can
The North Platte- experiment station be. The imported seed doe
lands, consisting of three sections, were better after being acrlfe
purchased and possession acquired In the mated. The farm has
arly part of 1904. These, lands are located sixty acres of bottom
three miles south of the town of North or bench land devoted
Platte and south of the Platte river. They to alfaJfa for general hay
comprise about 280 acres of Valley 'land. crop, which Is cut three
none of which la low bottom or .overflow
lands, being thirty to forty feet above
water, and ISO acres of 'smo6th table lands.
all In crop, 225 feet abeve. water. The bal-
ance of the tract Is hill and rough pasture
lands, well covered wfth ' buffalo gramma
and other native grasses, and most admlr-
ably represents the average hills grazing
lands of tbe western part of the state.
- -
I.oratloa Well Adapted to Work.
The selection of this site seems to hava
been a very wise one' In nliiny respects.
Its accessibility by railroad, JU. diversity
of physical character, representing at least
threa distinct conditions of lands that the
western part of tho state has to deal with
In farming and ranch operations, are fea-
tun.. rf m nArl a 1 lntAik s-v t-Hn nkanntos
While some may say that this station
1 should have been, located farther-west-or
Ajecrth, more central In the part of the state
' Its work will be largely taken up with.
there can be but little criticism- of -well
grounded merit against the location.
The operating force of this enterprise
consists of W. P, Snyder, superintendent;
W. O. Weaklv. farm foreman: Oeorre Felt.
live stock feeder, and W. W. Burr, In
charge of government experimentation
work on the farm. This Is the force that
practically handles all the farming and live
stock operations. Some of the many things
that have been commenced and are now In
successful progress of crop test and feed
ing experiment may be of interest in gain
ing a better knowledge of what is being
done on this farm. The cultivated crops
of various kinds grown under experimental
test occupy 160 plats and in slxe are from
one-tenth of an acre to thirty-five acres.
The testg In wheat crops are made with
flve varieties of spring and twelve varieties
o 1 fall or winter wheats. These tests were
made to determine methods of cultivation
and varieties of (wheats best suited te the
oil and climate. The winter varieties av
erage forty-one to forty-six bushels. The
ii -i,i.. -i-',.K
els. against twenty to twenty-four bushels
of 'other varieties A test was made In 1904
of macaroni and'the common local spring
wheat, seed raised in the neighborhood,
The macaroni produced twenty-twe and
... . ......... . L .
one-nan Dusneis ana me local wneai nigra
,-h .. .,i.
ing plats. This was made te test the ad-
vantage of macaroni over the local spring
wheats as crop producers.
The tests ln oats have been mainly In the
different depths of seeding. Some broad-
cast sowings have been done, but the main
seeding process has been by drilling at
different depths. The drilled oats have
done best In all tests; start earlier and
make a stronger growth. In variety tests,
where they do not prove of good quality,
they are discarded. Twenty buahels per
no nv- Btn seuureu lor local varieties
to forty-ven bushel.
arjety-
against forty-five
with the Kherson variety,
The teste In cane, kalllr corn and such
varieties of fodder are quite extensively
currltd on and will result ln much Informa
tion beneficial to the growers. There are
twelve plats of one-half acre each of
ca.e, different varlotles tested for method,
of planting, date, of seeding, quantity ot
seed used per acre, etc. Some of these
plats were listed, some single row drill.
some double row drill, some straight drill
and some broadcast In kafflr cum the
tests are mainly to mature seed This
Dlant stands dry weather even better than
nd some broadcast In kafflr com tha
plant stands dry weather even better than
cane, but i. difficult to mature aeed.
A specially interesting and vigorous two
acre breeding plat of field corn of the
Reed-Hogue cross, originated at Lincoln
station and Intended to determine Its adap-
tablllty to western Nebraska conditions,
was a feature that looked quite practical,
There are ten varieties of field corn grow-
ing on the farm. It is designed next year
to make corn fodder feeding tests. The
fodder will be shredded and prepared In all
respect for getting its full value n. fetd.
The main feature of the test in the potato s.ono feet to the mile for easy figuring, the
plantings Is to determine the seed advan- teams would be 6.000 miles long, or Just
. tage In the whole potato, the half potato, aWiut long enough to reach from New York
the two-eye piece and tlie one-eye cutting, t Pan Francisco and back again. We ex
Also the Red River potato of the north is pect to be doing that long before the snow
placed In comparison with the home grown falls. When we are doing It we shall Con
or local seed. Different methods of cuiti- Bider that we have begun work seriously
vatlon, rate of seeding and. time of seeding as to the excavation part of the problem."
are also factors ln the testa "Where will this excavation be first
dona?"
An Interesting Alfalfa Plat. ,.Thm mogt of the worK now t- the
Notwithstanding this is the real home of Culebra cut. and a great deal of It will be
the alfalfa plant in this division of the right there. This cut has In the past been
world, tbe experiment station cannot re- considered the key to the time required
slst the temptation of cultivating It on for doing the woik. It is not so. The
every Idle plat. Just to see it exert itself work unon tbe looAs, if a lock cunal is
to outgrow the weeds or any other form built, will require more time than that ln
f vegetation in sight. A very Interesting
a
i
alfalfa plat of several acres, locat.l on
. V. K1 l-n. I. v . . . v. t
. .. ......... b-u . , tuuvc ...', una
year shows a remarkable contrast In condl-
tlon of growth with that of the season of
1905, when Us tumhle-down and tangled-up
condition, resembling that of a big-
growthed field ot mammoth clover, demon-
trated the ability of alfalfa to grow and
produce a crop, regardless of where the
water lie beneath the turfuce as long as
it has the seasonable shower.
This year the table alfalfa was cut about
June 1 id approximately three-fogrths
of a ton per acre secured, the weather be-
Ing very dry. It made no further growth
during tho drouth period up to August 1,
Repents a
A stranger' in the Indian country was
much' amused by the quaint dress of the
.quaw. and their method ot carrying their
babfe on their back. He conceived the
Idea of Jokingly trying to buy one of tho
harp-eyed infants.
"How much catch him. papoose?" he
ked one of the squaws In the must ap
proved Indian fashion for Inquiring the
price.
"Two bits," the woman replied readily.
"AH right, take him.
the white man
aid.
He produced a quarter and the woman
when ft ruin started tha
growth again, and It hu
N-en dolrys ' well and pro
duced a good second crop,
mith good fall condition
of aftergrowth, tn ordla
nary years It will product
thro good crop. Thin lllus.
trate the tenacity of alfalfa
to stand In the around an 1
wait for rain, then resum
growth. Thl alfalfa la now
In Itn sixth year since seeda
Ing and Is yielding very sat
lafnrinritv.
The station is conducting?
experiments with a number
of nn.onh.ner. nl,.ta nt
of one
Many arleties ar
belngv i
tested, seeds having
been pi
Tirncured fVnm several
tiis
each
one-
season and yields about or.".
.ld
fourth tons per acre per cuttl-.f.
Several varieties of mllletr. tie '"elng
tested for best results. Bpelts also has
plat representing a se-'ng f five, seven
and nine pecks per aci. "i'here la but lit-
tie. if any, difference shown lu the proe-
pect for yield. The estimate In put at Ifty
bushels per acre. Spelts Is telteved to be
one of the profitable feed crops for vl-
ern Nebraska.
The sugar beet Is also receiving its sbt.T
' attention. There cannot be much. ho-
ever, presented In this district of '.lie stte
,nat not "'ready known about this plant,
,n ,ts fowth and cultivation, f inept how
to row It without work, and Oils fcatui
,B about given up now by those who are
making a success of the business. The
"Towing of sugar beets without irrigation
n Deen an easy proposition this season.
though In seasons of short rainfall
tho
irrigator saves his orop.
Live stock Experiments.
The live stock feature of tho farm has
not been developed rapidly, but a substbn-
11,41 and practical foundation hai l)ee
,ttia- Tne 'euhimer of 1904 afty' yearling,
hiKh-fade Shorthorn heifers wero pur-
chaaed ,n southeastern Nebraska. T;-.s
nelfor now show good gTowth, are so-
vowping mio a creuuaoie nera or rooai.ig
Theodore
(cPrrint- 1908, by FTank - Carpenter.)
AS H I NGTON, Oct. 11. (Special
w
3E
Correspondence of The Bee.)
"The people would like to know
Just what. Uncle, Sam Is doing
at Panama," "
I made this remark to Mr Theodore P.
Shonts. the chairman of me Isthmian canal
commission, as we chatted together In his,
of"c "ear the War department not long
- In reply Mr. Shonts brought out a
' nP and we traveled together
across the canal .one Inspecting the work,
rp.- nr.. . . i
-" uciiuireui rn.civ wecmy re-
norta as to t,.t .h.t i. ,m .
changee of note are recorded by cable.
My first question was as to whether the
dirt had really begun to fly.
"In one sense It has," replied Mr. Shonts,
"and In another sense it has not The
work of the canal construction is properly
divided in two parts. One is the getUng
ready to build and the other Is actually
doing the work. The getting ready la
what we are doing now and we are rapidly
advancing in that respect. We are mak-
w the lsthmua heaJfhv hm..lnr
building terminals, railway .tracks and
uuuaing terminals, railway . iraCKS and
workln, a Urffe Bumb,0f en,Ineln,
problems. In this sense the dirt has begun
with that nreoaratlon. It will flv faster
and fmt,r aa tIme fotB on and wIthln a
few WCFks from now w, BnBjl be maklnt
a perceptible Impression on parts of the
excavation.
"The month before my last visit we had
ojnnnn ,.k. , .v,.
w.. -,-w wuu.t. oiu9 .iuii, .ma
bra cut and we had then at work an aver-
age of less than eleven steam shovels,
W"h, "hort. tl.me Engineer Steven, ex-
v1 " ,mTO miKmm buuvcib in ur-
1 - - - ... - -
aUon nd he wl" tnerv be httnal,n' 1.000.000
cubi0 anls per month."
laele Sant Really mt Work.
, , . , - . . , -fv
Tell me ln simple language what 1,1000-
000 cubic yards means?"
"We generally estimate a cubic yard of
earth or rock a. a ton. It is a load for a
two-horse team over a common country
road. The nroduct of one month will be
enouah to load a wagon train of l.OOO.OOO
teams, and supposing that each team took
thirty feet on a roadway, the train would
be 30.000,000 feet In length. Dividing by
the cut. The locks will be about 1,200 feet
long and several hundred reet wide. They
will h. i, small that It will hj ImnMa.hU
...t " " .-.- ..... .......
to work a large number of men !n thm at
one time, and this will limit our poal-
bllitics."
When in h ull siring,
. "Is forty steam shovels the maximum
capacity of operation?"
"No, we shall Install more and more as
rapidly a. we can. We have now sixty-one
steam (hovels on the Isthmus .and we shall
eventually be working 100 or more. I think
the time will come when we shall work by
night as well a. by day, using electricity
to give us the light"
Bad Bargain
put the papoose in his arms. As she re
leased her hold on the baby It set up a
howl.
"Here, here," the alarmed purchaser ex
claimed. "Take the kid. I was only Jok
ing. I don't want to buy It."
"No, no. You ketch him," the India
mother said. "Two bits you ketch him.
Two bits more I ketch him back."
The white man was glad to be released
from hi. bargain for another 9 cents. He
learned later that be was only one of many
that had had the same experience In mock
purchase of Intllan babies. Kaasa City
TUnea,
., t
4'
saw L W ' .. VW . . : M
' ..
: A)
STACKING ALFALFA AT TUB NORTH PLATTJD
cows, and by such attention nnd breeding
as they should receive a better start couUl
scarcely be desired.
In 1905. 100 head of steer calves were)
bought for feeding experiment tests an4
divided Into five divisions of twenty each.
These calves for roughness in the winter
of 1D05 were fed sorghum, alfalfa and
prairie hay. Bn.cn lot a different combltuv
Uon of these feeds, with two pounds of
;uin per head once a day. They had good
roomy lots with open sheds, and each lot
supplied with pumped water. When gr.ut
was ready t turn on In the spring these
calves were marked so as to be readily
distinguished and turned out in the Bam
psxture. They will be sorted up and go
back In the feed fots this winter to be
fed as yearlings for' growth, and wilt be
run on grass during1 the summer of 1907
nd sold for feeders or fat cattle in the
fall, as they seem to fit best when put on)
the market. These calves were bought In
the neighborhood of North Platte and are
graded Shorthorns and Herefords. ;
The swine division is an especially in-
terestlng one. The Duroc-Jersey has been
selected as the breed to work out all hog;
problems from. Breed, In fact,: has noth-
ing whatever to do In the tests, therefore
but one breed Is used. There are about 360
hogs of all ages kept on the farm. Tho
purpose being to market these hogs as
fast as tests are completed. In which hogs
P. Shohls Talks on Work at Panama
"What are yoo doing with the old French
machinery?" ' -
: we ore still using some of it, but aTe
introducing modern appliances Just as rap-
,dly ? nRy come. There is no econoniy In
working over the French stuff. It Is out of
date, out of repair and will go to the scran
heaD Just a" eoon as new tools and tracks
can take lu P'aoe."-
. ' - ;
l'",c, ' Tools. ,
"Give me some idea of what you have
already bought." - .
"t . h..iw a i j-.-m ...j
- mv ui in uemu, rpputa
Mr. Shonts. -althnurh w. hv- it i
item. We have spent more than $9,0t0,uc0,
and tola covers all kinds of materials from
steamships to . blasting powder. We have
"'tty-on steam shovels, 1,300 flat cars and
mor than 300 dump cars. We have more
than 6,00 tonB of teeI rails, much of which
already in place. We have laid tracks
thrurt the Culebra cut of Meet rails
which weigh seventy pounds to the yard,
an1 we are double-tracking the road across
th lothmus. We have a large number of
traoks running from tha Culebra cut to a
distributing yard, where the cars will be
'"'""' yu. me cr win uo
made up Into larger train, for heavier en-
nes to take off to the dumping ground
to the out to be kept busy all tha time
bringing in loads and carrying back the
empties.
addition to these," continued Mr.
Shonts, "we have new and powerful loco-
motive, hundreds, of box cars, a number
of modern m.annn i-oml.. ' hol.tlnr
. --.
plants of various kinds and twelve hoisting
engine.. We have bought more than a
rnmion pouno. aynamite ana blast ng
.v.
- -
material, our lumber purchases alone have
been more than 10,000.000 feet, and we have
also something like 10.000,000 bricks and 600.-
000 square feet of roofing tile. The work of
nouse construction is going on tnrougnout
. " , ,
tfh n n a .nr. w o -A f.allv ( ..1 n.n.iln a,,
quarter, for the men."
5EMX0 Men Working;.
"Just about how many men have you at
work?"
"Something like 23,000," said Mr. BhonU.
. .
mm
i
i t t
BXPSJUMBIMT BTATIOK.
FOLLOWING TUB BINDER WITH A DISK PLOW TO CONSERVE
are finished for market.
These tests have been conducted mainly
as to cheaDness of crowing hogs on al-
falfa. uslna- as little corn as Dosalble. As
an' example, three lots of pigs, seventeen
in each lot, were taken after weaning In
July last year, and each placed in a five-
acre alfalfa pasture. One lot was given
three pounds of corn per head - per day
"By far the greater part of them are for-
elgners and a considerable number are
Spaniards."
"Tell me something about the Spanish
labor?"
"This is made ud of men whom we 1m-
carted from the north of Soain. They are
of the same character as those used bv
gr wiUlam Van Home In building the
Cuba railroad, .and we find them excellent
workmen. ,W have tried a few hundred
a an experiment and we hope to Increase
the force to some thousands. They are far
. ii i ...
" x'
cured, exeentln tha Americans."
"How many Americans have you at
work.?'
"About 3,000. They are chiefly mechanics,
engineers, foremen, carpenters, masons,
plumbers, etc. They are good men and
are to a huge extent -in charge of the
work."
"How does the Spanish labor compare
with the native labor?"
"Engineer Stevens estimates It as two
or three times as efficient," was the reply,
"It Is almost eaual to the American labor.
The ordinary native labor,
mo chiko kuu, iuuuuiui
of the Jamaican negroes. 1. equal to about
one-third the working power of the Amer-
. . I
The ElgUt-Hour Day. )
"How about hours?" :
"We use the e.'ght-hour day. This Is the
law and we cannot do otherwise. That it
la ao is a mistake. I don't think the
. . . . . .. ..V .
eigni-nour law, me contract taiwr law, or
the Cninega exciua!on act, should obtain on
tn- ithnius. Four-fifths of our employes
tobe foroigners. who are ac-
customed to longer nours ana wno worit
vuuincu iu iuhh num. aw wmv
BO TOUCn lea, intelligently and energetically
than the Americans, that It Is hardly fair
ta congide- them on the same basis. How-
eVer. that Is a matter that congress wtU
hava tn determine We nav our men bv
rhour and we can bfuw give rhem
only forty-eight hour, a week It w.
1 wolrthem foTten'hoa da" 11
i. ,k, alvtv hnnra a araak anil
could give them sixty hour, a week, and
ihaThe, .owWrWlv. V. a mau
w ffuX
- '5,.: -V ' v,:1' . - ;x "rvr5',
."V
1, sA
and the remaining lot one-half pound per
head per ' day for a period of twelve
months, except that during the winter they
were given alfalfa hay to take the place
of the pasture. When the spring growth
of alfalfa was ready to turn onto they
were replaced In the alfalfa pastures. The
""t lot was marketed In June, the second
lot In July, but had an Increase of corn
have the tea-hour day, and some of them
would be glad to work overtime at extra
pay. As it is now, they expect to get
time and. a half for all worn done over
eight hours."
S
Chances for Young Men nt Panama.
"What do you now think of the chancss
tor young Americans at Panama7"
"They are good. The wages are higher
h" ln th Unlted States, and there Is no
'ne risk of health there than there Is in
railroad building in many parts of our
southern states."
. , ,
"Do you have many applications for
places."
"Plenty of them. Our mall Is filled with
letters from men of all classes who want
to go to Panama; spd we are sending
down mechanics and others by almost
every steamer.' We have no trouble in
getting all the men we want; and those
who are now applying are far better than
those of the past. Among the first corps
that went there to clerk and do other
work were a lot of sissy boys, who ex-
pected to lead a luxurious life In the tropics
with seltzer and aDolllnarls on taD. The
,. , ... horrt
n w. who down to ."5
WI ' ' "mT m..1v "
and grow with the work."
Is there much dissatisfaction among the
clerks?
..NOi j neard no COmplalnt during my
.tay on the Isthmus. In fact, I attended
a dinner there of the mechanics and others
at Coroxal. where the men made speeches
rienmim-inir some recent newnoaner ctltl-
. Z T. . . . .
cisms ot tne worx ana eulogizing me .om-
dais In charge. I am safe in saying that
there Is no dissatisfaction ln Panama."
New Homes and New Food.
"Have you sufficient quarter, for the
men, Mr. Shonts?"
Yea We have done a great amount of
building since we took charge and we
oouia give quarters i muro
than we now have. We are building and
proving right along. We have nine
tel. on the canal .one and nearly every
American WU av ruuni luuuut u"i " '
wro. mBmM aln. and aometime.
with a roommate. The Tlvoll hotel at
f emp7y?s lTZ
for the administration employes, has 100
sleeping apartmenU. We have a practical
hmirtar in rh.r.. of the new construction
and more than 2.000 men are now putting
up new building, and repairing the old
ones.'
"Hnw ahmit taaAV
'We have organized a good system of
i .u. -H.t, mai. . inw
mmvj 114a n.v,. -
rates. The native workmen are charged
10 cents a meal and the American, pay
10 cent a meal at the hotels. The native
food is, of course, much cheaper than the
American. A JO-oent meal consists of
soup made of meat and some rice, sweet
potatoes or yucca and banana. That is a
sample. Of course, there is considerable
variety. I have eaten such meals and
they are not bad."
"How about the 30-cent American
meals?"
They are to be found at the hotel, and
mess housea They are Just about equal to
tbe GO-ceut meal that ono gets at a country
hotel In the ITnlted States. The bill of
fare usually Includes several kinds of meat,
ome vegetables, fruit and perhaps Ice
cream or pie. - We have established cold
ir.t. nH nut ref rl-M-atnr cars on
the railroads, and we are doing all we can
to make the men comfortable."
"How about amusements?"
"We have been very busy improving the
anitary conditions and have not done a
much In that line a we should like to do.
Nevertheless, we have established reading
rooms in the hotels at Coroxal and Culebra-'
and equipped a brass band which has been
organised by tlie employes of ChrlstobaU
The Americans are adapting themselves to
conditions there. They are forming club
of various kinds, and, among other things,
n International University club, which Is
composed of American and Panamas col-
lege men. Tlie Masonic and other order.
already have branches there."
Abont Health.
"Do you think you have stamped out the
yellow fever. Mr. Shonts?" I asked.
"We have had no cases since last Novqm-
ber, and tbe warfare on the mosquito seetna
to have largely ubollslied It from the Isth-
mus. Many of the men are growing
careless and fall to put down their mos
,ulia au at night, and iht feax eX iUow
U PBOVO MILLET A.T TUB NORTH FLATTB BRANCH
TUB MOISTURE PHOTO TAKEN ON
for' six weeks to finish them. The third
lot In August was still In pasture, in good
stock order, but not growth, nor exhibiting
evidences of a profitable hog to own.
A brood sow feeding experiment with al-
falfa, and one which cnrrlrs a great deal
.of. interest with It, Is where ten sows, after
their pigs were weaned In July, run on
alfalfa pasture all summer, no teea Deing
fever has for the time departed. Indeed, I
was surprised to find so few mosquitoes.
Take Im. Boca, where our wharves are. I
had occasion to stay there over nisht, and
slept on one of the Pacific mall steamer
without mosquito netting or any other aim-
inr protection. During the evening I did
not see a mosquito, nnd. it was only after
s;oing to bed that I heard one burzlng. I
got up, turned on my light arfd killed It.
and then went back to bed. The work done
by the sanitary commission In that respect
Is wonderfuK A year or so ago one stop-
Ding at La Boca would have been eaten no
- - . , "
by moscuitoes. Now there are not, I ven-
ture, on tho ten-mllo sone one-hundredth as
many mosquitoes as on any similar strip
alons the New Jersey coast."
"Is the malaria also disappearing?"
"We are decreasing the malaria," said the
chairman-of the Isthmian Cunal eommls-
sion, "but there will always be mote or
less of that at Panama JuEt aa In many
parts of the United States. I would say,
however, that the health of our employes
extraordinarily good. We have a Pick
rate of only twenty per thousand, and that
I. a hntter .hn.in, thur. in ic vr, niv
ti. . ,
vLTtTZZ, f? ",re
V u Ho-Pltl-. anl he Is sanguine
...... ..r.
that he can now control the health sltua-
Uon, our quarantine arrangements are
good and we shall do everything we can to
keep out yenow fever other diseases.
indpj, i doubt If there la any place ln the
wori,j B0 carefully watched from a health
standpont as our station, at Panama,
....
en w open a nw moor camp me sani-
tary engli.eers go ahead and lay It out.
They attend to the cleaning and the men
are not allowed to begin until the danger.
of Ill-health are minimised."
"Have you a good water supply?"
i tw. raiHuiift ma iiv u w u water wurun,
with a reservoir In the mountain of some-
thing like 800,000,000 gallons. Empire ha a
and Colon Ba. Obispo is supplied by a
running stream. Tbe water has been ana-
W at all these place, and It 1. good
- r
.light percentage of vegetable m
Notwithstanding this at some place, they
" X-
Chief Fnalueer Steven.
"Tell me something about the chief en-
1neer. Mr. Stevens? Is he the right man
,0'th PlaceT".. - .
1. a man of extraordinary ability, great
industry and inflexible Integrity.
as straight as a string. He hi
He 1.
ha been
dealing with big undertakings and 1.
.,.tm.rf n hnHi i.r hnni- .f m.
He understands how to organise his work
and he has selected able assistants. In-
deed. It seems to me that V'ncle Sam
could not have gotten a better man for
the place."
"When are you going to finish the
canal y
The chairman of the canal commission
miled a he replied:
"That Is a question which depends, much
upo" congress, and also. largely upon
what kind of a canal Is decided upon and
how the work is carried out to a con-
cluBion. If a lock canal, uch a we hav
recommended, shall be permanently de
cided upon, we can finlah it and have
aome of the largest steamers that float
the ocean going through it within eight
years. I think Engineer Stevens put it
at seven or .even and a half, but I will
"ay e'fcht. These figures are based upon
our present calculations and Investlga-
tlons, and we think them not far from
right," FRANK O. CARPENTER.
Prattle of the
"Look, mamma," said emaU Dorothy,
"here' a hole In my stockings as big aa a
dollar."
"Oh, it isn't quite that large, dear," re-
Joined her mother.
"Well," continued Dorothy, "It's as big a
I cents, anyway."
"Oh, dear!" sighed small Harry. "I wish
I was clock."
"Why do you wish that, Harry?" aaked
his mother.
'Cause I wouldn't hav to wash my
face and hand then," explained the llttl
fellow.
4
"Mamma. IT ka tttgptg mmx igh
EXPERIMENT STATION.
THE NORTH PLATTE FARM.
given them. At the beginning of winter
they were turned on alfalfa haystacks a
a substitute for , alfalfa pasture, and to
each sow was given an added ration of
two pounds of corn pur dny, until a short
time before farrowing, when the grain
feed was Increased. Prof. Snyder says
that two and one-half to three pounds of
corn per aay wouia nave Drougni men
sows through to farrowing in splendid con
dition.
There are now shoats on the farm
about R months old, which are on alfalfa
pasture and a light feed of corn, that pre
sent about as wholesome an appearance
for thrift and rapid development as could
be desired In a lot of pigs of this age.
These pips will be divided and used In ex
perimental feeding tests a little later In the
season. Sows are bred to have two litters,'
Marcn and October, usually. Sows, after
pigs are weaned, run on alfalfa nnd get no
other food or drink, except pure water.
which Is supplied from drinking fonntalnn.
with which each lot Is supplied. As soon
ihoso BOWS have their fall litters they;
will be put on a light feed of grain,
f
JnymrJ,2Zt in dr
Thej lovernme, t ope
,ana agriculture that Is being carried on,
-. fhi ,,,,. . ., ,
Bt "' "tation. In charge of K. C. Chllcott
at Washington. D. C, and under the man-
"Moment of Superintendent W. P. Snyder,
" conaueiea uy. w. w. Burr, recently of
the Agricultural College of Nebraska. Thl
worl consists in rotation of the ordinary
croP 'or a "period of three to six years.
Tlie rotation work Is planned, however, to
Da carnea on icaetinlteiy.
,The mn"1 plan of thl8 worlt consenr-
tlon of mlHture In the soil, to compara
ummc' f'o'ng with corn growing, to
. "'hlchiof tll tw methods of fertility;
of 8011 Produce, best results, green manur.
Ing some plats by turning under rve whan
'ng some p ats Dy turning
Rbout hea"- to mp-
ThMe are othv M
summer fallow-
IV:.,. 7 "l"'r ,1,a" aro c?n!
"""' ""'' "' 5s, ior a penoa
van
tages In fertility. There are nlnety-ona
plats of one-tenth of an acre each devoted!
to this work.
There is located on these lands a tank for
testing the evaporation. An ordinary gxl
vanlzed stork walerlnr tanlr .i.hi i
diameter la used. The tests are conducted,
by a wlre B(retched ron the top of tha
tank and lnen.urud every ten day, A rala
gaUKe wlll bo Mt beside the tank to get
correct measurement of rainfall in th
meantime.
There are about tno ar.- i
the valley and elchtv acres on tha t.hi.
devoted to experimental corn crop, and
lesm. inese piais contain rrom one-half
of an aore to flve acr... Varlety teaU aJ
mftho4 of cultivation are the main fea-
, , tho
a atlon.
Work Is Well Done.
The work of thl. station I. being well
conducted. Few men could have been plaoed
at the head of such an Institution, under
the existing embarrassment of need, la
buildings and accommodations, to do tha
work such as Mr. Snyder ha to contendi
with and make so creditable a showing.
There can be no question as to the wt
dom f creating a western Nebraska, ex
periment station. The location is a good
one. the natural advantage, of thl. par-
lcu,a' Blte a ,aH that cou,1 ae1r
trom PcI'ca working standpoint and
tn on,y thln now ,ackln improve-
menU and a1'llt,ona elp to carry on tha
work. Every cltlsen of Nebraska, regard-
IeM of nl resldenoe location In the state,
should glv thl experimental enterprise
hU Wrtr n active support. There I
reat need tor more building. They ar
needed for the convenience and business
of properly carrying , tha
work; they are needed for the oredlt an
reputation of the state of Nebraska. i .
Tnls ta not P1 'arm, a matter ot
dles expense. H I an tnstttuUoa that
laying th foundation for western agrt-
culture that will lnfluenoe ln production
million, of dollar for the state' future
wealth. Western Nebraska cltlsen partlo-
ularly should see to It that a liberal appro.
prlatlon 1 urged for creditably equipping
thl farm with ail needed building and
appliance for properly conducting th.
work. N
. . .
Youngsters
for a new doll," said little Dorothy, "andt
Qod hasn't ant it rat."
"Perhaps God doesn't think that yo oned
another doll, dear," answered th mother.
"Then why doesn't he tell me," aaked th
little gtrlj "a X oould pray for rTfrtT1hi"lg
else?"
"Now, then." Mid Tommy moth,
"that", th laat Straw. I'm going te Whia
rou 'or that." ,
"OI say, ma, pleaded Tommy, "let s oom'
Prorale thl thing."
"What?"
"Just call It quit aa' m toy Influence
wita pa ta g.Zn tka .-, area you
jrttV
TUDODO&JB P. SHONI.
V.-a'