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NORTHWESTERN HAS ALFALFA
. wRew Forage Plant ii One of the Great-
est of Revenue Producers.
ALFALFA HAS A GREAT FUTURE
Cllmat and "oil Conditions of
arssk mm Month Dakota Srrn
t Ha Kaparlally Adnptril
fa Its drnnlk,
"Alfalfa tha mint piofimliK rrti iinv j
Nebraska fnrmr can iniw." in the broad
atstamrnt iriHrte by K. W. Hint of Hyra
ausa, Nb , who la here to deliver lecture
at the I .and show for the Northwentern
A railroad, but he any tt so authorltntlvely
arid with aurh emphasis that every farmer
tn the country cannot help but be Inter
rated. "In growing alfalfa, the Nebraaka farmer
realises on three or four cutting a year,"
continued Mr. Hunt. "Acenrdlrg to relia
ble statistics, each arre will yield four
tons to the acre, which, at n ion. will
bring $4 Onn acre annually. This la doing
pretty well. In view of the fact that the
average farmer 'la ratified If he rcalizea
fl.1 an acre In rnlsInK other cmps."
For years Mr. Hunt l.aa maile n atudy
of alfalfa growing In Nhrnpl;i. and there
la probably no other available man who la
o well nuallllid to exulain the wealth that
"fies In alfalfa.
Ths Northweatern'a exhibit la unquestion
ably tha moat unique of any at the Ind
aliow. Occupying a large spi.ee. tho ex
hibit represents a model Nebraska alfalfa
farm. TWa waa arranged under the direc
tion of W. J. Amu of I)oichcattr. Neb.,
an alfalfa expert. Ho liaa attanpeil the
model farm to ahow every stace of the
growth of alfalfa, a well as the numerous
uses to which It la put. In the exhibit he
firat goea Into the aoll quallf Icmlons for
successful alfalfa growing, and also shows
the kinds of soils that are not adapted tn
alfalfa farming. The undesirable aoll Is
gumbo or gumbo subsoil, and also sandy
aoll. Soil on which water stands Is also
classified by him among the undesirables.
He follows tip on the successive atagea, de
voting considerable apace to the merits of
alfalfa as feed for cattle and sheep.
Future of Alfalfa..
Right here Mr. Hunt Interrupts to ex
plain that Nebraska's greatest prospect
Ilea In Its alfalfa. Hays he: "It contains
all the chemical elements necessary to pro
duce milk, and corn mixed with alfalfa
feed give all the fattening qualities."
In this miniature farm Mr. Ames follows
down the line, showing the many uses to
which alfalfa Is put. until he comes to the
matter of surplus. This suggests the grow
ing number of alfalfa meal mills, which
ship great quantities of meal dally to Chi
cago and New York to be UHed In the liv
ery and other stables. He explains that
e alfalfa meal business la rapidly becom
ing one of the snost Important Industries
In this section of the country.
With Mr. Ames' exhibit and Mr. Hunt's
lectures the value of alfalfa Is so forcibly
put that every visitor to the Northwestern
'booth Is astonished at the possibilities pre
sented. This exhibit Is of especial Interest
to Nebraskana, and throughout the entire
ahow It will no doubt be crowded .with
visitors.
Alfalfa tirowinn a Science.
Alfalfa growing has long since been re
duced to a science In Nebraska, and of
late years It has undergone considerable
experimentation In the northwest. In a
That
Invites
reeent article J. V. Ropp. asso li te pro
fessor of aeronomy, South T'akota Kvperl
mental station, told of the work that has
been done In Pouth I'akota. H Is Interest
ing 'South I'akota haa demonstrated ttmt Its
soils and climate are adapted to produce
plant In many resoecta The production
and ateady Increase has kept stride with
the development of the country and In
some localities has outstripped It. so that
In some regions more is produced than Is
needed for consumption and la baled and
eiwrted to other markets. The acreage
la b Ing gradually pushed out of the region
of the Janu-s river and out of the Itlack
Hills Into that area which was thought,
until a few years ago. only fit for stock
raising.
"Rountlful crops have been produced In
the Mack Hills without irrigation, yields
of two to three and one-half tons not being
uncommon. Farther east of this section
the crops are Somewhat lighter, the aver
age being from one to two tons per acre.
Alfalfa Seed.
"Within the last few years, however, a
new Industry has sprung up, that of grow
ing alfalfa for Its seed, rhenomenal yields
have been secured which are not surpassed
In any other section of the country. In
stances have been known where It yielded
twelve bushels of seed per acre and an
average of from alx to eight bushels are
unite common. This crop Is grown after
harvesting the first cutting for hay. and
what this Industry will mean for South
I'akota can be easily surmised. Such fields
have been seeded from five to ten years.
There are. however, some fields which
have stood for twenty-five years and are
still giving profitable yields, yet the best
fit-Ids are those seeded recently.
"Alfalfa haa a tendency to become thinner
In stand a the fields grow older. This can
be accounted for in part by the fact that
very few growers give their fields any
treatment. I am of the opinion that an
alfalfa harrow or disk used judiciously
would lessen this tendency and thus pro
long the life of the field.
"Winter killing seems to be the result of
neglect or mistreatment of the field rather
than to the plant being unable to endure
the ordinary climatic changes. Well cared
for fields have stood the seasonal varia
tions of temperature and moisture very
well. Wherever alfalfa stands In low
spots, where the soil is poorly drained, Its
death Is only a matter of a snort time.
Where Irrigated, low spots must first be
drained, otherwise no alfalfa need be ex
pected under such conditions. Instances
can be shown also where a field was cut
too late In the season, so that the plants
did not have time to recover before being
subjected to harsh weather; and Invari
ably the field would be killed and fall to
resume Its growth in the spring.
Must Re Cultivated.
"iAck of cultivation permits the weeds
to make their appearance. Were the fields
disked. Influx of weeds could at least be
partially checked. Cultivation answers a
threefold purpose; that of killing Weeds,
splitting the alfalfa crown and conserving
moisture. Where the stand has become
thin It has been renewed by permuting the
few plants to seed, then disking this seed
In. Heavy stands have thus resulted.
"To the prospective grower, as well as
those who have already made a success
of It, a few timely hints may be of value.
In the first place It Is absolutely essential
to select a good field. A hard and fast
rule may be-act down and that Is "Alfalfa
will not stand wet feet." The soil must,
therefore, be well drained at all times,
for standing water will kill tt before any
thing else. A soil that Is loamy or clayey
In texture is better suited than sand and
Is given preference. Where sandy soil has
A Visit to the Land Products Exhibit
the possibilities of farming in the Union Pacific country are
almost limitless.
in the condition
flowers have been put up
natural shape and color.
B. C. Buffum's Emmer
Is one of the most interesting and instructive displays to be found at
the Land-Products exhibit. It is a cross between oats and barley re-1
sembliug spelts, but in value as a fattener of stock, it surpasses any of
the three.
you to call at
ground water within three or four feet
of the surface. It will prove as good as
loam or clay. if the high upland soil,
sand does not do as well as heavier tpe
Alfalfa follows best as a cultivated crop
which has been kept comparatively free
from weeds. The land should be plowed
In the fall to a depth of six to elrht Inches
No cultivation should he ien this until1
early spring, when It should he disked
so that the disk laps half This is Import
ant, for the ground should be as level as
It Is possible to get It. In order tn secure
an even stand. The soil should be disked
and harrqwed in the spring to conserve
moisture and kill the few chance weeds
until May or the fore part of June, which
Is the average time for sowing.
"Most farmers make a practice of seed
ing wtlh a nurse crop, especially wbere
the moisture supply Is limited. The flrlmm,
Turkestan or a variety already growing in
the locality, should be chosen and sown at
the rate of twelve to twenty i ounds of seed
per acre, the rate depending on the vital
ity of the seed and the manner of seeding.
Heat Seeded with Drill.
"Alfalfa is best seeded with a drill be
cause it can be distributed more evenly
and covered at a more uniform depth. For
this reason It Is hlshly essential to have
the seed In bed level, because h uniform
stand Is one of the first requirements for
successful culture. If the seed is covered
too deeply, too much energy is required to
push to the surface and when seeds ger
minate on the surface they are too often
killed by the rmt sun.
"The treatment while the plants are
small varies with the crop Itself. If the
field becomes weedy. It should be clipped
when the plants are from four to six Inches
and the clippings allowed to remain on
the field. The field Is then well harrowed.
This has a tendency to stimulate the
plants, and they respond with renewed
vigor. Occasionally, with clean fields, a
crop may be harvested the first year. How
ever, the plant should have made from six
to eight Inches of growth in order to winter
best.
"Alfalfa should be cut for hay when
about one-tenth of the blossoms are out.
After the removal of the hay the field
should be double disked for the reasons
herein mentioned. Two crops are the cus
tomary harvest, while at times a third Is
cut. With three cuttings the plants are,
however, so low In vigor that they easily
winter kill.
"Since South Dakota has grown alfalfa
successfully for a number of years. Its fu
ture In this respect In indeed bright. Al
falfa makes an acceptable feed for all
kinds of stock and should, with barley,
brighten the future of the stock raiser as
well as the grain raiser."
LANDS WITHOUT IRRIGATION
Ernest Jackson Telia of the Country
Where Ttatnre Fnrnlahrs All the
Water deeded.
"The craze over irrigation has taken
such a root upon the agricultural public of
the country that nature's own bounty al
most Is despised," said Krnest E. Jackson
of the Rosebud, South Dakota, land ex
hibit. Mr. Jackson expressed the foregoing
Idea following the remark that the Rose
bud territory, which he represents, haa ab
soultely no irrigation projects ITT its bor
ders. The South Dakota man explained that he
was as firm a believer In reclamation of
arid soil and the use of artificial watering
of the land as anyone, but that he believed
In exceptions to the rule of using It
Mr. Jackson pointed out that certain
Vill Convince You
. You will there see grains, grasses and vegetables
m which
Union Pacific
Standard Road of the West
its booth and obtain literature and information relative
country through which the line runs.
parts of the country have a natural sea
son of producing weather, with plentiful
rain and sunshine In proper proportion and
that tn these sections the resort to Irriga
tion canals snd tiling devices so far from
being necessary, were a sacrilege against
the hlei-sed country.
"In South lakota." said Mr. Jackson.
"there is on even climate and a regular
fall of tain every few days during the
growing season. Rain In that country is
the inevitable b'esslng that can be counted
upon never to fall. There may ! other
things that land lacks, that Irrigated land,
from the Investment of thousand of dol
lars, may have, but It is surely picked by
I'rovldence for the bestowal of the best
crop producing weather conditions."
Mr. Jackson la head of the Jackson Bros.
Western Townslte company, with head
quarters at rallas. S. L).
COLORADO WANTS TO SECURE
MINNESOTA ROADS EXHIBIT
Immigration Commissioner Wishes
to Have It Shown at
Denver.
Alfred Patek. immigration commissioner
of Colorado. Inspired by the roads' dis
play at the Omaha Ind Show, ha. de
termined to hold a good roads congress at
Denver. Mr. Patek returns to Denver at
once and on his arrival there will seek
to make arrangements for the display of
the Minnesota reads' exhibit shown at the
Omaha Land Show at the congress which
he proposes to organise. He held a confer
ence with John H. Mullen, assistant en
gineer to the Minnesota State Highway
. commission, Friday, In regard to the pos
sibility of making the display In Denver.
"The display at the Omaha Show here
has proven to me the vast significance
of the roads problem to the people of all
agricultural sections," said Mr. Patek. "We
can stand some lessons In road building In
Colorado. The display made for the Land
Show Is the best reads exhibit I have
ever seen and I hope thot we will be able
to get It for the benefit of our Colorado
road builders."
Mr. Mullen has announced that he will
submit the Colorado proposition to the Min
nesota State High v ay commission. The
Minnesota roads' exhibit la proving an
highly efficient advertisement for the North
Star State.
Yankton Farmer Killed by Anto.
YANKTON, S. D., Jan. 20. (Special. )-The
first death by automobile In this county has
been reported, being delayed on account of
the accident taking place In a farming
community In the northwest part of the
county. John Ulmer, So years of age, was
found by the roadside with his neck broken
and his overturned auto close by. He was
returning from a trip to Menno and had
Just crossed the line In this county, near
his home, when his death must have oc
curred. A brother, Emmanuel, found the
remains. Ulmer was Intending to leave
shortly for California with an Invalid wife
and quite a family of children and he bad
leased his farm for that reason.
Automobile Hits Wagon.
liOS ANGELES. Jan. 30 Lewis M. Wool
wine was killed when his automobile ool
llded with a wagon. He Is a son of W. D.
Woolwine, a banker. The wagon was
driven by a Japanese, who was fatally
hurt.
Election tn Hew Mexico Today.
ALBUQUERQUE. N. M.. Jan. 2ft The
election on the adoption of the constitu
tion for the new state of New Mexico will
take place tomorrow and both sides are
working hard today. ' - .
they were when harvested.
by a process
: :
See Sunday's
Papers for Pro-
gram Tomorrow.
z
r. 3 i :i - s -- -v.-
, n-, -jags. T
Forty per cent of the corn crop
goes to waste every year.
It can be saved.
One of the educational displays will be a lesson on the making the corn crop ny nioro by,
saving the waste.
Prof. A. L. Haecker, editor of the dairy department of the Twentieth Century Fanner,
formerly at the bead of the State College of Agii culture, will give illustrated lectures and conduct1
an exhibit showing the advantages of silo feeding.
Prof. Haecker, recently said: "But GO per cent of the total food value of the corn plant isob
tained from the grain. The remaining 40 per cent is in the stalk and leaves, which are now al
lowed to go to waste and destruction as a total loss in the fields. Py the use of the silo this very
valuable per cent can be turned into money. Further, the process is so inexpensive that a silo
equipment is paid for by its savings in one year.
I
"Another way to show the economic value of the silo is by a comparison of its value as a
food with its wst of production. Ensilage is worth not less than $f a ton, probably much more. It
costs, with every possible item of expenditure included, $1.94 a ton."
We feel safe in saying that this feature alone would be much more than worth the expense
and time you would put in making the trip to the Land Show, January 18 to 28, 1911. There aro
many other features of fully as much importance.
2.13 cents, tle general admis
sion price, takes you to ev
ery eliitit, show and lecture
which
Luther Burbank's Creations
Are shown in their natural state and you should make it a point to
visit the exhibit. It contains fruits, flowers, grains, and the famous
spineless cactus which is a food for man and beast.
31
Am-
r Sm
aisua
Fruits and
preserves
cl
their
to the
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