Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 83, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1917 — Page 2

America's Wizard of the Soil

by Robert H.Moulton

The most noted agricultural expert of this generation has been laboring for many years to shout farm people how to raise crops scientifically

T THE present time, when prices of all foodstuffs have reached the highest figures known in this country in a generation, it is interesting ' to consider the efforts of those who KgfcaM have labored long and unceasingly to so improve our agricultural resources that this very condition i •* * should be avoided. Among these unrW" -lly . selfish workers for the common good the figure of one man stands out conspicuously. This man is Professor Perry G. Holden, undoubtedly the most noted agricultural expert of our time. A few years ago Professor Holden trebled the value of the corn crop in lowa. A little later lie put millions of dollars into the pockets of the farmers of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. As a, final achievement, he —induced the farmers of Arkansas to adopt a system of crop diversification which resulted in an increase of the wealth of the state of more than $30,000,000 in a single year. And Professor Holden says he has only started; that it is his ambition to do as much, or more, for every state in the Union, and the chances are he will accomplish his purpose, for he is today the leader in a movement for agricultural revival and rural uplift, which in its scope arid significance. Is without parallel in this or ariy other country. What is of equal importance, he is at the head of an organization with practically unlimited facilities for carrying on the work. During the last three years he and his assistants have co-operated in organizing and conducting fifty-five campaigns for agricultural education, have spoken at nearly 10,000 meetings, and in order to meet these engagements have traveled approximately 1,000,000 .miles by railroad and over 250,000 miles by automobile, while their-activities have reached the enormous total of 6,000,000 people. Professor Holden has been described as the Burbank of the soil —the man who set King Corn upon its throne and crowned alfalfa queen. He has been called a missionary, a preacher, a philosopher, a prophet and a teacher—a professor in the university of the great outdoors. More than any other man he has set agricultural America to moving, and to moving in the right direction. It was while professor of agronomy at the University of Illinois, from 1897 to 1901, that Professor Holden’s work first attracted attention. Other men have allowed their energies and activities to be bounded by the four walls of the schoolroom, but to Holden such a thing was impossible. He looked upon corn culture as a source of prosperity and happiness to humanity. He had a vision of more generous fields, more golden harvests. He pictured big red barns, fine dairy cattle, happy .homes, . . But he beheld these things as possible only through the united efforts and intelligent co-, operation of the people and organized the Corn Growers’ association. He recognized the agricultural possibilities of the sugar beet, and the Sugar Beet Growers’ association came into being. Already he had done much for the farmers of Illinois, but he was not content. Men of achievement have little time for retrospection. He saw the need of improving the quality of the corn and organized both the Corn Growers’ association and America's first corn-judging school. He placed corn upon a higher education plane than Latin and Greek, organized the Illinois club for the dissemination of agricultural knowledge among young men, and revived and broadened the farmers’ Institutes of the state. 1 Then the lowa State college beckoned him. As professor of agronomy and as director of the agricultural extension department of that institution he continued the work he began in Illinois. He did more He “beat his own record,” which is a motto he has held before him since he was a boy . a little country school house in the backwoods of Michigan. _ He inaugurated a better-corn campaign that is unique and majestic in the history of agriculture. He shattered all traditions of extension work by refusing to'rely upon bulletins and other printed matter to carry his message to the people. He went in person to the farmers at their homes and taught them by word of mouth. He inoculated commerce and transportation with the bacteria of more and better corn and set a precedent for every state of the Union by conducting the first railway train ever run tor the purpose of spread--4 till cnsnel of profitable- farming. “Add what would equal a three-ounce nubbin to a hill,” he said, “and the gain will be ten bushels to the acre. About nine million acres are planted to corn in lowa each year. That little nubbin more in each hill will mean an increase of ninety million bushels. , In 1912 after Professor Holden had talked and demonstrated and labored for ten years, the nubbin was added to the hill. The total increase In the vteld that year was 98,914,557 bushels, which at 86 cents a bushel, the average price of corn that year, meant that the market valug of this yield increase was $35,609,240. . - All lowa was proud of Holden, but Holden’s fame spread far beyond the borders of,the state. He became a prominent figure in national ** Thcrri irerft thou* who refused to believe that • Wnlden’a activities should be confined to even one uatlou w he was placed at the head of a mighty

agricultural extension department, with headquarters in Chicago, organized for world-wide teaching of agriculture. After a period of great work In Illinois, and even greater work in lowa, Professor Holden entered upon the worlu'c work. But first there was more work to do at home, and Professor Holden was not long in deciding where to turn first. He had long known that the agricultural problem of the Northwest was the one-crop system. Great tracts of land had been seeded to wheat year after year until the soil was becoming worn out —robbed of the elements necessary for the growth of plant life. He decided hf once that the remedy was the growing of alfalfa, that wonderful plant which Is not only a money-making crop in itself, but possesses the magic powFr of putting nitrogen and organic matter into the soil. Thereupon Professor Holden organized the Inland empire campaign, and, in cooperation with six great railroad systems of the Northwest, started the campaign for alfalfa on every farm. While the agricultural demonstration train inaugurated by Professor Holden in lowa was a mighty step forward, he believed there was a still better way of reaching the farmers. At last he hit upon it; the automobile in conjunction with the railroad train. The farmer could come to the towns where the trains stopped, and thousands of them did, but ift many instances this meant a long trip to and from the meeting places and perhaps a whole day’s absence from work. The thing to do, then, was to go to the farmer, to meet him in the fields, on his own threshold. It was planned, therefore, that at every place where the alfalfa special stopped automobiles should meet it and whirl the speakers, to. prearranged meeting places : In schoolhouses, churches, town halls, theaters, l;arns,_out in the open fields, by theWhen a meeting was held fn an alfalfa field there was no question of its success, as many good lessons were easily driven home by illustrations from the growing crops. In the fields-, too, the lessons of inoculation, use of lime, eradication of weeds and time of cutting, could all be very plainly illustrated. To supplement this work the speakers used huge charts which told some interesting stories in a manner that wasJndlsputjdile. The big comparative figures shown on the charts gave every farmer plenty of food for thought. The results oJ various tests showed that alfalfa, whether alone or in combination with other feeds, was far and away the best food for the production of pork, beef, dairy products and eggs. One of Professor Holden’s strong points was that alfalfa will act as a land reclaimer. He declared that once it is given a chance it will refuse to be kept off of land that is now considered practically valueless. Alfalfa is known to put back Into the soil what other crops take out. By a peculiar process, the nodules that form on the roots of the plant extract nitrogen from, the air and deposit it In the soil. And nitrogen is what other crops need. . ... . ....... The regular schedule of the alfalfa special included from six to eight stops a day. thus allowing for from 60 to 120 meetings, according to the number of speaker* employed. After the dally stops It was headed for some town where an eve-

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN. RENSSELAER, IND.

ning meeting of agriculturists was to bq held. Even the schoolchildren got their lesson from this campaign; not only a lesson on alfalfa, u on history and geographical subjects. It was a diversified program that the versatile speakers, who traveled with the alfalfa special, were able to offer at each stop; but, underlying every talk, whether it was to- the boys and girls, or to the men and women yho had grown old farm, there was the same lesson to be learned: hertllize the soil with brains.” . The result of this campaign was that over *W,000 acres of land in the inland empire, never before in any kind of grass crops, were put into alfalfa the following year. Other farmers were quick to see the benefits received by those who tried it first, until today there is hardly a farm in this great agricultural “section that does not contain at least a few acres of the wonder plant. Thousands of farms which had been deserted b cause of the soil, worn out from constant plant-

system had placed the state at the The North and East, 1 both in buying rf hls cotton crop was sold in 1913 for amount and $12,000,000 more ve . . L een the state to buy foodstuffs which s o produced on the Arkansas farms. Professor Holden realized that it would be tremendous undertaking to change a . system of forty years’ standing to a safe system of agriculture whereby the farmers of an entire state might be induced to raise their ovnfeed and thus make cotton a cash crop. But the greater the odds, the greater the incentive with h , and he entered upon the work with enthusiasm. With a staff of sixty men the campaign was carried on for a period of thirty-five days approximately 1.500 meetings being held in forty-nine different counties, covering the entire cotton belt of the state. The speakers were not eloquent orators. They were men who had given their lives to the study of agricultural problems and knew their subjects from A to Z and back again. Thev pointed out to the farmer the folly of buying food and paying a big profit to someone else when he could just as well raise that food at home and save this big profit. Likewise they told him that-if the farmer up North could raise grain and beef and pork and sell them to the Southern farmer at a profit on lands valued at from SIOO to S2OO an acre, the Southern farmer could make an even greater profit by raising these commodities for himself. According to the Little Rock chamber of commerce this campaign added $30,744,150 to the value of the agricultural products of Arkansas, a fact which is proved by government statistics. But there were ..other benefits .’of_that campaign which are not so easily measured. This huge Increase does not take into account the money “saved and kept in the state by the farmer who raised his own food at home-—money which in other years had gone out of lfhe state, never to return. Nor does it take Into account the fact that by raising his own food, the farmer enjoyed a bettef living than ever before. Thus one by one the states of the Union are being covered" by Professor Holden and his army of expert talent, the campaigns in each Instance being pertinent to the direct needs of the people. They talk about soil improvement, crop increase, sanitation, better homes, better roads, “swat the fly,” fruit and vegetable canning, and a multitude of other subjects—whatever, in fact, that will tend to the advancement of the health and home comfort for the farmer, - his wife, his children, bouse servants and farm help.

EGYPT'S OLD CIVILIZATION.

As early as 3800 B. C. Egypt is known to have first come under the rule of a single dynasty, but before that date stretch centuries of progress. When the Romans swept over Britain after Boadtcea's rebellion they destroyed villages of wigwams arid reed built over circular excavations? when they came to Egypt the pyramids of Giza had been standing for neaHy SO centurtes. ahd Caesar borrowed the Egyptian calendar, which was 13 centuries older than the pyramids. .r ....

ing to one crop, did not yield returns of any sort, were reclaimed, rejuvenated, and the land given a value which it did not possess even in Tts earlier prime; Having accomplished so much for the farmers of the Northwest, Professor Holden turned his eyes to the South. The of Arkansas immediately Invited his attention. The need here was similar to that of the inland empire— crop diversification. The farmers of Arkansas had been growing cotton for nearly forty years —growing it to sell for money to buy fooM for man and animal. The practice of this

Kin Hubbard Essays

Miss Fawn Lippincut on a Sweet Disposition an’ Other Things

Th* follerin’ trite an’ pertinent notes are frornrth’ pen o’ Miss Fawn Lippincut, long regarded as th’ last word on th’ human liver, an’ a wart an’ mole writer o’ marked ability: - Th’ season fer tub dresses, freckles, white shoes an’ goat knee bibows is almost at hand, an’ milady is hereby reminded that a good handy bathtub an’ a sweet disposition are indispensable in successful combatin’ th’ trials an’ vississitudes that go hand in hand with a long tortuous summer. In cultivatin’ a sweet disposition it is first necessary t’ git th’ liver tidied up. While th’ winter’s tangoin’ has-kept that organ on th’ jump, much o’ the actual benefit derived therefrom has >een counteracted by th’ loss o’ sleep, thereby leavin’ much t’ be desired. Nothin’ so rejuvenates th’ liver as iandelion greens interspersed with

Miss Bunnie Pash o’ th’ Optical Counter o’ th’ Ten-Cent Store, an’ Mr. LonMeadows, Night Clerk o’ th’ O. K. Livery Barn.

horseradish tops, lamb’s quarter, curly dock an ‘tender mustard leaves. With th’ bustlin’ activity o’ th’ liver comes a sweet cherry disposition. Then all else is easy. Now is th’ time t’ make up your book list fer th’ summer. Many light, frothy novels suitable fer th’ hammock are shown. Never eat a thick steak or a. Welsh rarebit after a nine o’clock film. If you retire at night sluggish from overeatin’ you awake in th’ mornin’ peevish an’ fretful. Quarrelin’ with your mother wrinkles th’ brow prematurely an’ endanger your chances fer an early proposal. Th’ girl who has Jest finished

In th’ Ole Days When a Wife Followed Her Husband Out t' th’ Sidewalk: Ever' Mornln’ an’ Was at Home t' Meet Him In th' Evenin’ It Wuz All a Lodge Could Do t’ Rake Up a Quorum.

“Languishin’ Home Life” is th’ title o’ a recent article from th’ versatile pen o’ Miss Fawn Lippincut, an’ th’ follerin’ little peppery excerpts are released fer general publication thro’ th’ courtesy o’ th’ author, an’ with th’ hope that they may in some measure encourage, stimulate an’ promote home life in th’ middle west, an’ serve as a controvertin’ influence on th’ general trend: Th’ wild oats crop is alius a failure. ♦ » • Elopin’ daughters come home t’ roost. A girl should alius dance with one arm free. •• • . Divorce Is unknown where ever’buddy’s workin’. The’ easier somethin’s prepared th’ less a husband Tikes it. A father alius wants his wife t’ be responsible fer his son-in-law. Ther’s no longer any doubt as t’ why a chicken crosses th ’road. ...- "7'/ • • • A father never likes t’ give his daughter money after she’s married. • ...• • • It’s a lucky husband that has a mother-in-law in easy hailin’ distance. * * ♦ ». A husband’s fondness fer breakfast foods generally terminates with th’ honeymoon. • ■ • • It used t’ be “Where Is my daughter t’night?” Now it’s "Have you seen my child today?” dear ole grandmother o’ yisterday is th* hole proof sock. ———■ —

SHORT FURROWS

college an’ is eager fer knowledge will find a course in th’ care o’ aluminum ware interestin’ an’ healthful. Only a few weeks left fer June brides’ t’ git ther teeth filled. Nothin’ takes th’ ginger out of a young husband like his wife’s first dental bilk Th’ waistline may use Its own judg- . ment th’ cornin’ summer. It is no longer proper fer a woman, t* drop out o’ th’ game when she reaches th’ port side o’ fifty. Let herdress so as t’ exclude all hint o’ youthful caprice an’ stick around an’ give th’ world th’ benefit o’ her experience. Th’ success o’ a formal luncheon depends entirely on th’ hostess’ ability t’ disguise an’ arrange th’ eatables temptin’ly. Beets are often taken as food when properly decorated. Some folks remind me o’ robins*

They make a great fuss when they git married, then they hustle around awhile an’ then they split up. Mothers who expect t’ lose then daughters in June should begin t’day t' nlan fer a summer vacation. ®h’honeymoon ends when th’ first beauty pin gits stubborn. One helpin o’ warmed over fried p’taters will often destroy a husband’s interest in th’ home. Th’ engagement o’ Miss Bunnie< Pash of th’ optical counter o’ th’ ten* cent store, an’ Mr. Lon Meadows, night ■ clerk o’ th’ O. K. livery barn hasbeen announced by th’ dressmakers. White shoes ’ll Jook as big as ever this season.

Frozen nesselrode puddin’ is not essential t’ an ideal home, but, like ever’thing else, it has its friends. *- * -* A debutante should not let th’ study o’ nursery stencilin’ Interfere with th” many health buildin* exercises in th” open air. • * • Durin’ th’ long, dull, uneventful days* follerin’ th’ honeymoon a young wife may secretly experiment with bakin” powder biscuits. • • « Even durin’ th’ roller skatin’ craze years ago, an’ long . before the aut<*_ arrtved,' a mother at least knew where her daughter wuz. It takes very little more gasoline t*~ enjoy an exhilaratin' season o’ motorin’ than is required in th’ upkeep o’ a pair o’ white kid gloves. * * • If your wants are few an’ you have little occasion t’ spend, a half pint o” dry coffee grounds inz th’ pocket wilt keep your money from rustin'. ♦ —♦— , A young an’ inexperienced wife should alius remember that ahusband will often say things in a burst o’ hunger that he fully regrets after he has bought his breakfast down town. • • • In, th’ ole days when a wife follered her husband out t’ th’ sidewalk ever” mornin' an’ wuztjt home t’, meet him in th 1 evenin’ it wuz all a lodge could do t’ rake up a quorum. * » • With th’ comln’ o’ th’ first warm, sluggish days o’ May It is not uncommon fe* a pre-Lenten bride t’ harbor a little tinge o’ regret. Dandyliqn greens, er any tonic actin’ directly on th’ llver will brighten up th’ horizon. (Copyright, Atoms StrvUaA