Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-12-20
PROF HANsEN's TRIP.
Brought Back Russian Alcohol P0ta
 toes for American Cultivation.

1 preparing for the American farmer
 system of crop rotation that will
 mean more millions of dollars to the
 United States than I would dare to
 estimate"
 Secretary Wilson of the depart
 ment of agriculture made this state-
 ment in the course of a brief discus
 sion of the work of one of the special
 agents of the department. Dr Nels
 Hansen, professor of horticulture in
 the State Agricultural college of
 South Dakota.
 Tt will mean" continued Secre- tary Wilson, "that there will be no
 crop failures in this country from
 causes that we know anything about
 now. It will mean abundant crops
 of various kinds every year. Abun-
 dant crops will insure the continued
 prosperity of the farmer and that
 means the prosperity of the country as a whole"
 Prof Hansen. concerning whose investigation Secretary Wilson made these statements. has been identified casually with inquiries for the agri- cultural department for several years. Eight or nine years ago he visited western Asia and developed some im- portant facts concerning the growth there of farm products. Five months ago. Secretary Wilson sent him to Russia to pursue certain lines of in- quiry. particularly in Siberia. his in- to have definite refer ence to the system of crop rotation which the secretary, with the assist. ance of the experts of the depart ment. Is developing.
 In the northern part of this coun- try. especially in the spring wheat belt. difaculty has been experienced by the farmers in obtaining a crop that would rotate with wheat. The land Is drained Of its substance by the growing on 1t of crop after crop of wheat. Periodically. it must be given. to afford the best results. either rest from all cultivation or be put down" in some other crop. Alfalfa and clover were suggested as rotating crops for the spring wheat belt. but trial resulted in practical failure in the far north. because of the severe cold.
 Professor Hansen, who just re- turned from Siberia, discovered at he most northerly point of his in- 'estigation. kinds of both alfalfa md red clover that are SO hardy they 'annot be frozen out. The alfalfa |i6ers from that grown in this coun- " in that the blossom 10 a bright 1 'ellow. instead of blue. It grows in
 dry soil. needing. in fact, very | title moisture. and is regarded by | Professor Hansen as admirably | dapted to our northern climate and |, oil. The red clover can be grown n the same conditions as the alfalfa. 10th crops make the best of feed or animals and both rest the land nd fertilize 1t at the same time.
 It Is the expectation of Secretary Vilson to experiment with the si- erian alfalfa and clover in the orthern part of this country. and . is confident they will be the so- ition of what. heretofore. has been
 serious problem, in our northern innate or crop rotation
 Professor Hansen brought back 'ith him . half ton of Russian aIco- ol potatoes and 1t is proposed to egin their cultivation in America. hey are large and coarse and con- lin . much larger percentaGe of arch than the ordinary white pota- 'es. They are prolific and yield an quantity of alcohol. 'hile they may be eaten. they are ,t to be compared. as an article of od. with the white potatoes grown
 this country. They are Rrovu mply for the aIconol that may be 'oduced from them Their produc- ,n is very profitable. Secretary Wflson regards Profe~~or lnsen's discoveries as immensely Iluable to the agricultural inter- ts of the country and viIl take mediate steps to put hIs findfurs ld reeounendations into practical 'ecf.