The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-04-27
RAILROAD TO
run A farm.
New York Central Buys Rundown
Property For. Demonstration
INCREASED YIELD ITS OBJECT

Practical Experiments to es Made on
. Farm at West Bergen, N. Y.-crops
Of Potatoes, Cabbage, Alfalfa and
Wheat to b Raised to Encourage
Husbandry.
Not content with merely showing
how two blades Of grass car be grown
where only one has grown before,
but to show how to produce four Of
Eve bushels Of potatoes where only
one has been obtained before and 9th.
produce in proportion, the New
York Central railroad has purchased
the first Of the demonstration farms
it will establish throughout the state
of New York.
This is the first step in a compre-
hensive campaign for agricultural ex-
tension which has for its purpose the
education Of the farm owner as to
how the greatest yield at the greatest
profit can be obtained. William G.
Brown, president Of the New York
Central; James j. Hill and other rail-
road men have been foremost among
the advocates of the movement for
the increase of the yield of farm prod
ucts, which would alike increase the
profits of the farmer and decrease the
S Of living.
The raising of potatoes will illus
trate what Is sought to be accomplish.
ed. The average yield an acre in New
York state is IS bushels, and in Ger
many, Belgium and Great Britain it
is $50 bushels. Experiments in New
York state have shown it is possible
to increase the yield to 800 and $50
bushels an acre, but if the yield could
have been increased to 225 bushels
Oh the crop of 1908 more than $52,-
100000 would have been added to the
bank accounts Of the farmers.
To Build Up Rundown Farms.
The first farm property obtained by
the railroad is in Monroe county, a few
rods from the station at West Bergen.
1t is a so called rundown farm, and
it is proposed to show by practical ex-
ample how, with a reasonable expendi-
ture, by fertilization and intelligent
cultivation the farm can be made prof
table. There will be nothing like a
scientific experimental farm, but COM
mon sense methods will be employed,
and the cooperation Of the farmers Of
the neighborhood is invited.
This is one Of three farms which the
railroad will establish. One will be in
the Mohawk valley and the third will
be on the western slope Of the Adiron-
dacks. When the farms are developed
to the highest degree of efficiency they
will be sold and the railroad will start
in to build up other rundown farms.
7. E. Martin Of West Rush, N. Y,
will have charge of the Central's new
enterprise. He is a practical farmer,
and when he took his GeneSee valley
farm several years ago it was yielding
sixty bushels Of potatoes an acre. BY
common sense methods he brought the
yield to 300 bushels. The farms will
be put in charge Of practical farmers,
If possible those who have taken one
OF two courses in agricultural colleges.
Four Crops to Be Developed.
On the West Bergen farm. which is
a "less than average" farm, efforts will
be concentrated to develop its four
present crops-potatoes, cabbage, alfal.
ia and wheat. Experiments will be
conducted with and without fertilizers
and spraying, Sc as to show the great
est possible cash yield in proportion to
actual expenditure.
Tina ,.lit;.c1 nnnlnanv ic onvfor1c
that the experiment shall not be re-
garded as faddish or eXtravagant. and
the expenditures will be within reach
of the average farmer. The purpose
of the railroads is to point the way to
the farmers Of the particular section
in which the demonstration farms are
located. Neither does the railroad COM
pany assume that it is inspired by an
altruistic motive in making this test.
May Be Tried by Other Lines.
prosperous farmers along our lines
would increased traffic." said Mr..
Brown In discussing the new plan.
There is no altruism about that. It
means that it Is good business for the
railroad to do all it can to increase the
products Of the farm and better farm
ing conditions. If the railroad by
moderate expense and thought can
make these conditions radically better
for the farmer 1t is plainly in its
own interest to do so. That Is why
we have planned the three farm sta
tons in New York state.
MI. Brown admits that he is an en-
thusiast on the subject and believes
that the movement will be continent
wide in its scope. The results of the
experiments will be carefully watched
and tabulated. and If the results are
at all like what the railroad antici-
pates |; Is believed that other lines in
all parts of the United States will take
up the work Is a practical business
plan for increasing traffic.
The experiment is of particular in
terest to all the DeODle now in view