Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-12-09
Colorado's Modern Alchemist." g."

1t is well known that alfalfa find
/ natural home in Colorado. The
Importance of this forage plant Il
The prosperity OF the state is also
well known. \ further impetus j,
20 be given to the growth OF alfalf;
.or seed and forage by the COLORADO
agricultural college. II is bclicvcG
hat the yield IN pure seed and il
.Unnagc per acre cannot only be ma
.crially increased. but that the
purity, hardness. and reliability oil
he seed can be greatly improved.
For i number OF years the Colo.
rado Experiment Station has con
luctcd variety tests OF alfalfa at it,
ubstation, AT Rocky Ford. Colorado
indcr tbs direction OF Prof. =. X
3liEn. graduate OF the Colorad,
agricultural College, who is rccog
Iizcd a. one OF the best western
authorities on the 'suSjcct.
The carly introduction OF alfalf.
nio Colorado from Californi;
marked the beginning OF a most i'm
lortant agricultural era. Fed 1
lmbs, alfalfa nets a rich return i
. tddition to the fertilizing value {
i.hc manure which is returned to til.
soil. The value OF this staple food
Nest cannot easily be imagined. II
: the very basis OF Colorado agricul-
surc.
Alfalfa supplies the liie-giving elc
ncnts most needed for plant growtl
Colorado soil, the rich chemical
md physical properties ri whicl
Colorado inherited from the ages.
Alfalfa j, the one crop we mus
.ultiyaic in Colorado for successful
'rop rotation.
1t is the determination of tn
,olorado Experiment Station to a.
.crtlin the Sarictic. best adapted
he different sections OF the state.
: believed that the feeding value "
he plant. H. well a. the tonnaG
pgr acrr and its Palatlhility As hay
an be greatly improved.
For a number Of years the Colo
ado Experiment Station ha> rccoP
lied the importance OF this. grca
'oragc crop. and has conducted Va
icty tests and experiments in alfali
rcd breeding. The Station ihas re
emily taken means TO intensity il
.ork and to broaden its scope in =
fort to assist the farmers OF Coll
ado in securing greater tonnag
nd a higher food content.
Professor Blinn will give his CT
ire time to- this investigation. He
low en- visit to the Nebraska F.H
,crimcut Station. at Lincoln. I'll
Minnesota Station. at St. Anthon
7rk. and number Of private Sec
rtcding farms in Minnesota. Mort
nd South Dakota. Montana. an
Wyoming. during which he vii
1lhc a thorough study OF siic wor
lone in alfalfa growing at these var
iUu7 stations and farms. sccurIn
lata on the varieties that are hard.
nough to Withstand the climate {
ihc nortlIcrn states and to find on
{ possible, reliable source of see
r these hardy strains, especially th
Grim alfalfa. which has proved to /
Dnc of the best varieties for Colorado
1t is hoped that cooperation be
wccn the growers of the North an
their state experiment stations ca
,c brought about with our own EX
pertinent Station so that Colorad
farmers may buy seed from dcpcui
able sources and be assured of Ii
purity and variety.
The Colorado Experiment Static
: planning to conduct co-CpCrat.v
NpcrimcHts with interested farmer
u different sections of the state ur
Ter the direction of Mr.. Blinu.
j. way. varieties can be tester ar
ccd grown for Colorado. ard even.
Ially the best type established f.
he different sections Of the state :
L. NJ. TAYLOR.
Colorado Agricultural College. For