The Springfield herald., 1909-04-23
THE RIO GRANDE
POTATO TRAIN
COLORADO AGRICULTURAL COL
LEGE POTATO INSTITUTES IN
WESTERN TOWNS.
TWENTY-SIX MEETINGS
TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF 1925 PEG.
PIE DURING TRIP OF 671
MILES.

The Rio Grande-Agricultural College
Potato Institute train covered the mar
row gauge circle trip OF the Denver
& Rio Grande railroad, from Salida
to Montrose, during the week begin
ming March 30, 1909 The train was
a special furnished free to the Agri-
cultural College by the railroad, and
consisted of four cars and an engine,
all fresh from the shop. In the baggage
car was carried a full line of the ma
chinery needed in growing potatoes.
and many samples of potatoes, show
ing what to grow and what not to grow.
The train stopped at station and the
farmers and their families were seated
in the passenger coaches in which
lectures were given by the speakers
sent by the Colorado Agricultural Col
lege. Following the lectures the ma
chinery was exhibited.
Professor Wendell Paddock, of the
chair of Botany and Horticulture, lee
tured on the diseases affecting the
potato and practical field methods of
avoiding them. Professor e. r. Ben
nett, potato specialist, spoke on the
geenral management necessary to Sc
cure large yields of potatoes; also On
storage houses and potato storage. Mr.
r. s. Herrick, of the Colorado Agri-
cultural College, explained the work
ings of the different machines and
their advantages.
Mr.. II. l.. Edgerton, of Carbondale,
explained the system of selecting seed
potatoes that he had followed under
the direction of the College and thtt
had enabled him to double his net
profit. Mr.. C. l.. Fitch, of Greeley, ex-
planned the methods of rotation. plant
ing, and cultivation and enabled Gree
ley farmers. in 1908, to produce pota-
toes for which they received SO, 100000.
Mr. l. Rothschild, of Greeley, the iarg-
est shipper of potatoes in the state.
showed many samples of potatoes and
told about what the market demands
and how to meet it. Mr.. B. W. Rob
bins, general agent of the d. & r. G..
railroad, represented the road during
the trip, and Professor H. NJ. Cottrell,
charge of the meetings for the college.
The potato special travelled GIL
miles. stopped at twenty-three towns,
twenty-six meetings were held, and
the total attendance was 1925.
The Colorado Agricultural expert
ment station, a department of the col
lege, prepared and published for this
train institute sixteen-page pamphlet
on Potato Growing in Colorado" 4
copy of which was given to each cne
who attended the meeting. Twenty
five hundred copies were distributed
on the train. many of the farmers tax
ing copies home to neighbors who
could not attend.
The interest in potato growing
shown by the people attending the
meetings was surprising. The acreage
planted to potatoes this spring, in the
territory covered by this train, will be
limited only by the amount of good
seed that can be secured, and will
probably be at least double what it
was in 1908. The supply of good seed
is extremely short. Up to within a
few years nearly three-fourths of this
territory was range country, with
but little crop raising, and there was
slight interest in crops demanding spe-
cial culture like potatoes More than
half the people attending the train in
stitutes were new settlers, and both
they and many of the old settlers are
planning this spring to plant large
acreage if seed can be secured.