The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1906-12-15
TESTING DRY LAND
ALFALFA
A NEW KIND OF ALFALFA FOR
THE ARID LANDS
If 1t Is Successful Would Be of High
Economic Value to the States
of Utah, Nevada and Cal
ifornia.

Some two months ago, says the Oak
land Tribune, a very interesting arti-
Gle went the rounds of the press relat-
ing to the discovery by Professor Ham
sen of the agricultural department of
the United States, of Siberian al
falfa Indigenous to the dry lands of
that country.
Professor Hensen's experience in in-
vestigating tho vsaiae Of this plant and
his description of the region to which
it belongs, indicated plainly that On
arid forage plant belonging to the
family of trefoil and of great value
had been discovered and that its in
PRODUCTION ON this coast would possess
a very high economic value.
William Fl. Mills, land agent of the
Central Pacific Railway Company
Immediately upon reading this ac-
count addressed the attorneys of the
South rn Pacific Company at Wash
ington with a request that when the
seed of the plant discovered by Prof
essor Hansen reached the agricultural
department at Washington for distri-
button, the Pacific coast should not be
overlooked. Mr.. Mills assured the ag-
ricultural department, through the
attorneys of the company, that if the
Southern Pacific Company was en-
trusted with the introduction of the
plant to the dry lands of Utah, Neva-
da and California, that the matter
would receive every adequate atten-
tion.
Mr.. Mills letter to the ATTORNEYS
were forwarded to Secretary Wilson
who answered in a personal communica
tion, of which the following is copy:
81 have your letter of the 2Sth en-
closing an inquiry from William H
Mills in regard to the new dry-land
alfalfa.
Owe had need of leguminous plant
to grow in rotation with our dry-land
wheats in the dry-lands of our coun-
try, and accordingly / sent Professor
Hansen of the South Dakota expert
M MT station to see if he could find it
He has found it. in Northern Siberia
The seed is on the way, but I doubt if
we shall be able to distribute any of
it for some little time, because we
must grow it under our own supervis-
ion long enough to find out it's posi-
bilities. We think it is suitable for
dry lands, as Durum wheat is, so that
the farmers who raise this wheat need
not summer fallow-that is, plow for
a year without crop, while nature is
forming her own plant foods, but can
get crop of this alfalfa. Hansen also
reports that he has found a clover
and some grasses up there. Our prob
lem is the problem "above the ditch, =
and we are pursuing it persistently.
You may assure Mr.. Mills that it will
be distributed eventually in the dry
lands, but what little seed we have
been able to get viii probably be re-
tanned for the present In the hands of
our own scientists. As soon as any.
body gets sample of it, Mr.. Mills
can be ia favored
Before Senator Perkins departure
for Washington, Mr.. Mills had per-
sonal interview with him in which the
Senator agreed to give the matter his
personal attention and see that seed
of the Siberian alfalfa was furnished
to the agricultural department of the
Univt rsity of California and to the
land department of the Central Pacific
Railway Company for introduction.
The land department of the Central
Pacific Railway Company, if the seed
can be obtained, will see to il that an
exhaustive seriaes of experiments
shall be made with planting and cul-
tivating in veriety of environments
on the arid lands of the Pacific coast