The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-14
THE ALFALFA KING
HE LIVES NEAR SHERMAN, TEX.
 AND MAKES MONEY.
n. E. smith Has m Annual Income of e100,000 From the Plant
 Tells of Methods.

San Antonio. Tex. June 1s.--(spe- cial. )--Texas boasts of the Alfalfa King" of the world, one single farmer whose annual income from his alfalfa crop is sl00.o0o a year, twice the sal- ary paid the President of the United States. His name Is R. B. Smith and his place Is not far from sherman, Tex.
 He started in life as c lawyer and about fourteen years ago began the raising of alfalfa. His first patch con- sisted of but five acres and the yield was so great that he saw possibilities of harvest beyond that of the law. Consequently, he set himself to the task of learning. by long series of care metho of alfalfa growing.
 He began to increase his acreage year by year, building up step by step as he succeeded in mastering the va- ried influences that affected hts crop. Even when he reached the point of having 100 acres in alfalfa he was looked upon as one of the big growers. Two years ago he had increased his acreage to 1000 and his income that year was $7s,o0o. since then he has added 400 acres and increased his i'm come to s1o0.00o. He places no limit on the acreage that he may ultimately reach as he has a big farm and Is ae- Quirtng land In addition.
 An Interesting thing about this great alfalta farm is that the crop Is grown without irrigation. Most of the al- falfa in the Southwest Is grown with irrigation and there Is an old theory that the plant will thrive only on bot tom lands. On this farm 1t grows not only in the valleys but on the hills and has an equal thickness in both placss
 Alfalfa differs from most vegetation In that 1t enriches instead of depletes the soil Not long after 1t is planted even the barren spots begin to support this kind of plant.
 The first cutting of alfalfa of the season on MT. Smiths farm takes place In April. the last cutting is usually in December. The total is generally four cuttings to the year. The yield will average a ton to the acre for each cut ting and the average price is SIS ton. derived from the yield of seed, 1t sells at 10 cents 6 pound, sixty pounds to the bushel, and one acre will easily average three bushels
 Mr. Smith has also made careful ex- perlnents as to the best methods of feeding and fattenins stock on aifal- fa,
 [. 1T have run" he said, "1,Soo head of hogs on. an alfalfa pasture without single case of sickness, have topped them of for ten or fifteen days on corn and sold them at 6 cents a pound, each hog weighing from 225 to 25O pounds. This is what you call turning alfalfa into money. especially, as In some fields have gRazed 500 head of cattle, 200 head of horses and l5o An- gora goats"
 Mir. Smith claims that as a pasture and forage plant alfalfa is very relia- ble. It Is a legumiuour plant which draws free nitrogen from the air not only for it's own support but fills the son with 1t until. scientists declare that one years growth of alfalfa is equivalent to putting si5 worth of fer. tiliger on the soil. Mfr. Smith says that the wheat he has planted in the fields where alfalfa has been grown is much greener, more virils and produc- tive than wheat grown on other lands.
 Alfalfa Is also being raised very largely in Southwest Texas especially in the territory about San Antonio. Here a milder climate and the equal fertility of soil gives from eight to nine cuttings a year with a ton an acre to each cutting. John Closner, Sheriff of Hidaigo County, is also an alfalfa grower of great skill having hundreds of acres in this remarkable forage plant. During the proceeding year he cut nine times, a ton to the acre and realized an average price of $16 a ton.
 The great success of this plant has aroused interest In 1t in Texas. It is one of the easiest plants to cultivate and if properly cared for one planting will last eIght or ten years. the only work required being to cut it. The plant is an old one In this city, having been grown in Central and South America as far back as 25o years ago; however, the modern culture of 1t Is q recent thing and at the present rate of expansion 1t bids fair to become the chief forage crop of this section of the United States.