The morning journal-courier., 1907-12-19

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 deah ,all,g of Virginia" MT smith soii. Here I have looked down up- CT l,5t. head of hogs, u,t nc of which ever died of cholera. l have taken these same porkers trrna that alfalfa pasture at six months and al ter topping them for ten or fifteen l days ca corn sold them at slA ents per pound, each porker weighing from 225 tc 2ru pounds. The hogs make their growth from alfalfa alone. feed- ing through the dense mass If il, al- most hidden from view. They dtsdain all other feed"
 The first seasons cutting Of alfaltl on MT. Smiths farm takes place in April Tie ast cutting is usually mace in December. The lowest number of cCt 'iIes n year is four and some seasons it i; five or six Inc yield for eath h cutting IS never less than one ton per acre The Trice per ton is never be- lew SIC, and will average abuut SIS per ton.
 In addition to the income derived through pasturage and its sale for for 1 age one crop of seed is harvested The yield of seed is on a low average three bushels per acre. It sells for 10 cents per pound and at six pounds Ia the bushel one acre will bring a revenue of SIS.
 But little calculation is required to show that an average yield of four tons per acre and at an average price of S15 per ton, the 1.400 acres bring in an annual revenue of $S4.000 from the sale of the forage crop, while the seed crop at SIS per acre shows an additional revenue of $25,2OO. or a to- tai of $l09,200. No calculation is made of the amountsof money received from the sale of the hundreds of head of hogs, cattle and other live stock that are fattened upon the alfalfa pasture
 The marked success which MT. Smith has had in growing alfalfa is largely due to the interest and enthus- asm which he has manifested from the very beginning of the industry. He has made it scientific study and he has done more than any other one man to encourage farmers to raise this profitable forage crop He is in great demand as lecturer on alfalfa and when he finds time to get away from his farm duties he enjoys att tending meetings of farmers and in telling of his methods of raising the plant Most of his time is taken up, however, in attending to the multitude of affairs upon the big farm It is no small matter to be the manager of the biggest alfalfa farm in the world. Be- sides the work of planting and har- vesting the crop the marketing and shipping has to be carefully looked af- ter. Then there are hundreds of head of hogs cattle, horses and goats that need watchful care.
 In the busy season. from April to January from fifty to seventy-dve men are employed in the various labors about the farm. A large number of eight-foot mowers are kept running constantly during the cutting season. The mowers are followed by machines which turn the thickly fallen plants up so that they can dry quickly. When cured the alfalfa is either raked up to the balers and baled immediately or is raked to the stacks and put up in that | form to await the huller or to be baled later on. The most modern machinery is used in all this work, and the sight is an interesting one to stand upon one of the eminences in the big field and witness the numerous steam balers. hullers, automatic ralses and stackers in operation
 The farm laborers are a contented lot of men. MT Smith has left nothing undone that would add to their com fort. Good houses are provided for their living quarters and large storehouse is kept upon the farm where all kinds of supplies are kept, from needles to farm implements and from matches to lumber and building materials.
 Many farmers and other people from various parts of the country visit MT. Smiths farm in the course of year. The alfalfa king" and his wife al- ways accord the visitor a cordial wei come and are liberal in their hospi- tality. Mrs. Smith is no less interested in the work of the farm than her hus- band.
 MT. Smith has taken the pains to trace the history of alfalfa back to its earliest origin. He found that if en- tered the United States by way of