New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1910-09-28
Practical Experiments to Be Made on
Farm at West Bergen, N. Y.-crops
Of Potatoes, Cabbage, Alfalfa and
Wheat to Be Raised to Encourage
Husbandry.


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
cost 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 So 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 300 and $50
bushels an acre, but if the yield could
have been increased to 225 bushels
on 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, few
rods from the station at West Bergen.
It is so called rundown farm, and
it is proposed to show by practical ex-
ample how, with reasona BILE 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 when 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.
T. 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
or two courses in agricultural colleges.
Four Crops to Be Developed.
On the West Bergen farm, which is
'less than average" farm, efforts will
be concentrated to develop it's four
present potatoes, cabbage, alfal-
ia and wheat. Experiments will be
conducted with and without fertilizers
and spraying, so as to show the great
est possible cash yield in proportion to
actual expenditure.
The railroad company is anxious
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 mean increased traffic. said Mr.
Brown in discussing the new plan
'aThere is no altruism about that. Il
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 cal
/ make these conditions radically bette
for the farmer it is plainly in it
own interest to do so. That is VIII.
we have planned the three farm sta
tons in New York state.
Mr.. Brown admits that he is an er
thusiast on the subject and believe
that the movement will be cOntinen
wide in its scope. The results Of th
experiments will be carefully watche
and tabulated, aud If the results al
/. at all like what the railroad antic
I pates it is believed that other. lines j
= all parts Of the United States will tai
up the work as a practical bushes
j. plan for increasing traffic.
= The experiment is Of particular i
terest to all the people now In vie
Of the agitation over the present hie
price Of food Experts have declare
3 that the most reasonable remedy al
g perhaps the only one for the hie
n prices is the increase in the productit
d Of agricultural products, and as the
+ Is little chance for this incrta
Q, through increased acreage 1t must
q by more intelligent methods and alol
g the lines proposed by the New 70
: Central.