The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-24
G. R. Werner, of Thomas County
Goes to Washington.
Wants Congress to Establish
Experimental Farms.
TO FARM BY METHOD.
Thinks Campbell Plan is the
Way to DO 1t.
Also Firm Believer in Beet
Sugar in Kansas.

G. R. Werner. a prominent Colby
man, was in Topeka last night on his
way to New York and Washington. He
goes east with a two-fold purpose. One
is to present a lengthy petition to con-
gress asking for the establishment Of
five governmental experiment farms in
the semi-arid regions-one in Oklaho-
ma, another in the extreme western part
of Kansas, another in western Nebras-
lxa and the other two in wyoming and
Montana. His other purpose is to Sc
cure immigrants to settle in Thomas
and adjoining counties for the purpose
OF cultivating sugar beets.
Mr. Werner is a firm believer in two
things-sugar beets and the Campbell
method of agriculture. He has tried the
Campbell method himself and knows
that 1t Is a great success. He SAYS he
has 40 acres of wheat in Thomas eoun-
ty put in by the Campbell method OF
farming the subsoil, and it looks a great
deal better than any Of the surround
ing wheat.
He wants the government to estab-
fish an experimental farm in western
Kansas to experiment with the Camp
bell method on big scale A resolu-
ton providing for the establishment OF
an experimental farm in Kansas and
TOUR other localities has been intro
duced in the lower house of congress,
and as soon as he heard Of it Mr.. Wer-
ner got up petitions asking the Kansas
delegation to support the resolution,
and he had them circulated in sixteen
western Kansas counties It is these
petitions which he is taking back 10
Washington.
In addition to being a farmer. Mr.
Werner Is county surveyor Of Thomas
county and is also a real estate agent
He wants to see the beet sugar indus
Try developed in his part of the state.
/ He knows what has been accomplished
IN the Arkansas valley. and he wants
/ to have the same thing done further
north in his section of the state. but he
| believes 1t viii be a still greater sue
/ cess II the beets are raised by the
! Campbell system of subsoiling.
In order to get the industry started
/ Mr. Werner viii visit New York and
4 try to induce colonies of Immigrants to
4 come to Kansas and settle in Thomas
| and adjoining counties for the express
/ purpose of raising sugar beets. There
/ IS plenty of capital to be mad to build
immense beet sugar factories if farm
ers can be found who can be induced
| to take hold of the production of the
beets to keep the factories running. Il
| is hard work, and necessitates getting
! down on ones hands and knees during
4 the thinning season, and this the aver
/ age American farmer dislikes to do; ne
would prefer to ride on sulky pillow or
/ culuVator. If German immigrants
] who are accustomed to raising sugar
| beets in Germany can be induced to
/ raise them in Kansas, Mr.. Werner be-
heves the industry viii at once become
a great success.
DR.. II. w Wiley. chief chemist of the
! United States department of agricul-
ture, admits that perhaps Kansas can
( raise sugar beets that viii do for sugar,
but he hopes it will do much better. DR..
1 Wiley is the individual who has made
reports for several years past, in which
| he has stated that it is impossible to
raise beets in Kansas which viii make
| sugar in paying quantities, and he re-
fused to recommend that any beet su-
gar seed be sent to Kansas, but 1t seems
that he was mistaken.
The March quarterly report Of the
Kansas state board Of agriculture con
| tatns report of the sugar beet opera
| tons in the Arkansas valley in Kansas
last year, and q copy Of the report has
fallen into DR.. Wileys hands He has
written a letter to Secretary Coburn in
| which, after acknowledging the receipt
| of the book. he says:
I am particularly interested IN the
matter relating to beets grown under
irrigation in the western part of the
| state. I note the high quality of the
beets, as shown by their polarization
but hope the farmers will be able to do
better when their experience increases
so that the average yield per acre may
be more than doubled. In this way the
profits of the farmer win be vastly in
/ crpa Sad -