The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-31
KANSAS NEWS.
j. w. Robson, One of States
Big Alfalfa Growers.
Has About l 400 Acres Planted
In Butler County.
FINE OLD SCOTCHMAN
Says This Feed Is Good for All
Animals Save Goats.
Learned a Lesson Years Ago
and Has Not Forgotten.

FL Dorado. Kas.. Aug. 31.-J. w. Rob-
ison Is one of the champions of alfalfa
raising. On his farm in this county he
has 1000 acres in alfalfa and within
the next few days he will finish plant
ing 400 acres more.
But alfalfa has it's limitations. There
are some animals that cannot safely
eat it green, particularly when there is
dew on the grass. Ignorance of that
fact has caused many farmer to lose
some Of his best cattle. Mr.. Robson
studied the subject of alfalfa and never
has trouble with his cattle on account
of it. But he had hard luck once. A
friend sent him some fine angora goats.
The goats did well on scrub oak brush.
They cleared weeds out of his orchard
and seemed fond of things no other
animal would eat. One day they got
into the alfalfa after a rain. A few
hours later Mr.. Robson had no goats.
They died of bloating. Mr.. Robson is
not raising goats now. He believes in
alfalfa as the best feed that grows for
every other animal except goats.
Il think 1 have solved the question
of raising peaches without wasting any
land on them" Mr.. Robson said one
day recently. Il plant the best young
trees l can get in the fence along the
public road. once a year 1 send a man
around to trim them and keep them cut
low. The trees don't make much shade
and don't interfere with the corn in the
least. BY having them close to the
fence. within few inches of abe wire,
they take up practically no room that
I could use Trimmed close the trees
bear the biggest and finest of peaches
and there are so many of them that
1 never miss what is taken by passers
by''
Mr.. Robson is a Scotchman past 70
years of age and a healthy active man.
lie has an unusual way of spelling his
name When the family left Scotland
the name was Robertson. ]. w. Robi-
son bought large tract of land in
Illinois in 1892 Land was cheap in
those days and the Robertson theory
has always been to buy as much land
as possible. After the deeds had been
signed and delivered it was found that
the name had been spelled Robson AS
the old ScOtchman considered its use
IN deeds the most important use he had
Tor a name he adopted the abbreviated
spelling and handed it down to the later
generations.
About twenty-five years ago Mr..
Robson was buying cattle at Spring
Held and feeding them. He had but re-
Gently moved from Illinois to Kansas
one day he was introduced 10. William
II. Phelps of the Missouri Pacific. whose
career as lobbyist had hardly begun.
At that time Phelps was booming Mis-
souri, land
mr. Robson" he said, "how can we
induce some of the rich Illinois farm
ers, who are moving west, to buy Mis-
souri, farms and SETTLE here instead of
going through the state into Kansas ?
We have better soil and are more sure
of rain"
1T would be an easy thing to do
Robson said. IF this state will go
Republican by $4,000 just once, Illinois
farmers with money and experience
will come tumbling over each other to
get home in Missouri"
THAT would be too great sacrifice, -
Phelps said.
Never but once did Robson waver in
his support of the Republicans. In 1898
the cattle shippers had a battle with
the railroads. The railroad commission
ers made an order that the railroads said
they would not obey. Paul Morton of
the Santa Fe. B. p. Waggener of the
Missouri Pacific, n. H. LOOMS of the
Union Pacific, M. A. Low of the Rock
Island and others who had been in at
tendance at the hearing were all de-
fiant. Robson stood up and served
notice that if they refused to obey the
order every Republican stock shipper
would Join with the Populists and help
make the railroads wish they could
move their tracks out of the state. The
trouble was amicably settled a few
DAYS later.