Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-27
PROFIT IN FARMING
Railways Devote Attention to
Agricultural Work.
GIVE TIME TO EDUCATION
Increases Traffic Along Their Lines
and Keeps Patrons Busy.
CULTIVATION OF WASTE LANDS
Series Of Lectures to Farmers At
tracts Thousands-Sche1nes Adopt
ed and the Results.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTN
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
Several of the great railway corpora
lions in the east have taken up agncul-
tural education in an enterprising and
effective manner in order to increase the
local traffic along their lines, and in self
defense to keep their patrons at home
by showing them how they can make as
much money as can the farmers OF the
Pacific coast and other sections Of the
west. The Hartman lines have been cir
culating immense quantities OF fascinat-
ing literature among the farmers OF the
eastern states concerning the advantages
and attractions OF Hood River valley
Rogue River valley, tho Snake Rivor val
ley in Idaho, and the wonderfully fertile
fields Of Washington and California, and
the consequent desertion of the agricul-
tural sections of New York, Pennsylvania
and New England has become so alarm
ing that the New York Central, the
Pennsylvania and other railway compa-
MES have awakened to their danger and
are taking practical means to protect
themselves.
w. c. Brown. president OF the New
York Central railroad, who was brought
up on an Iowa farm and still cultivates
one, has keen appreciation of the dan
ger. and said the other day that the
agricultural districts OF New York and
other states contributory to the line for
which he is responsible could produce as
much profit as could be raised on the
new soil OF the west il tho farmers were
properly educated.
Ninety years ago" he said, 1.-The rich
ness and fertility of the soil OF New York
state and the production Of her farms
awakened the wonder and admiration of
European travellers. In 1860 this state
was among the first OF the great agricul-
tural states OF the Union. Today the
state Of Maine, lying further to the north,
with its rocks and its forests, raises more
per acre OF the cereals than we do. and
her potato crop averages 225 bushels, as
against eighty-two bushels per acre in
New York.
Information by Bulletin.
1.-The department of agriculture of the
state of New York publishes a bulletin
containing a list Of farms for sale, and
the man who can read and appreciate the
full significance Of this list without
feeling OF humiliation is lacking in that
state pride and loyalty which every citi-
zen should possess.
"Sixty-three thousand four hundred
and thirty-two acres Of improved farms,
with fences, houses. barns, etc, are now
average price Of SITS per acre. and
nearly 100000 acres at an average price
of S25 per acre.
I'm the year 1908 a friend OF mine,
who. some years ago bought 5000 acres
Of land In New York state, raised 200
acres OF corn. which yielded fifty bushels
of shelled corn per acre. His potatoes
averaged $50 bushels to the acre: hay,
four tons, and beets, thirty-fve tons per
acre. This was the result not of inten-
sive farming, but OF simply intelligent
farming, and these crops were raised In
the extreme northern part Of the state
twelve miles from the Canadian line. at
the northern end of Lake Champlain.
The same intelligent cultivation will pro-
state"
In order to remedy these conditions
the New York Central Company has pur-
out sections of that state are called, and
will endeavor to demonstrate upon them
to the farmers along its main nne py
pr acticai object lessons, how the land can
by Intelligent cultivation. There will be
no scientific school or experimental re-
search. 1t will be simple demonstra-'
ton OF practical farming, by which a
soil that Is now producing forty to fifty
bushels of potatoes to the acre. can be
made to produce 300 bushels. The efforts
Will be concentrated upon the ordinary
crops OF that part of the state. potatoes,
cabbage. alfalfa, wheat and fruit: an
IN attempt will be made to show how a
yorn-out orchard can be brought into
bearing.
One of the farms is near Rochester,
another in the Mohawk valley. and the
bird on the western slope OF the Adiron-
dacks, and they will be in charge Of T.
.. Martin of Genesee Valley, who has
cen remarkably successful in reviving
rundown farms in the western part Of
the state.
Pennsylvania Company's Plan.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
has recently been conducting a campaign
sor the same purpose. Cooperating with