The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1911-03-03
Campaign to.
Promote Raising
Milo Maize
Commissioner of Agriculture
Of Rock Island to Work
With Farmers.

H. M. CottreIl, commissioner
of agriculture for the Rock Island
lines, who passed through Topeka
yesterday enroute west, announc-
ed, while here, his intention of
conducting a campaign of educa-
ton through the semi-arid region
of the West in the interest of milo
maze production. This is to be
the most comprehensive farmers
institute work ever attempted in
the West. Experts connected
with the United States department
of Agriculture, and with the var
ious state agricultural colleges
and experiment stations, as well
as independent experts in dry land
farming, will be engaged for this
service.
1t is planned to take advantage
of the present favorable opportun-
ity to impress upon the farmers of
the semi-arid region the necessity
for putting IN drouth resistant
crops. The recent SHOWS and
rains in sections that have suffered
from a two years drouth, has
given the farmers new hope and
the campaign will take place in
March and April, just before seed
ing time.
The territory to be covered will
include the extreme western end
of Kansas, eastern colorado, south
west Kansas from the neighbor-
hood of Pratt south, the Panhandle
of Texas and Oklahoma, Western
Oklahoma generally and North
eastern New Mexico.
Commissioner Cottrell, who was
formerly director of farmers in
stitute work for Kansas Agricul-
tural colleges, expects to enlist
the cooperation of that institution,
as we'll as all other forces in Kan
sas that are interested in the pro-
gress of agriculture in the dry
farming section. The Rock Island
will furnish for the work, besides
the services of its agricultural
commissioner, a train of seven or
eight cars, in which the lectures
will be given. Men, women and
children will be invited to come to
the train at each stop. For the
women there will be lessons in
household economy, especially in
its relation to the dry" farm; for
pupils of the schools the Milo club
work will be presented. Bankers
and merchants of the country
towns will receive information that
will enable them to give better
cooperation in bringing success to
the farmer, and the farmers them
selves will be given the gospel on
drouth resistant in such liberal
doses that it will bear fruit in the
establishment of dairy herds, and
the raising of hogs and cattle. 1t
is pointed out by Mr.. Cottrell that
the great majority of the farmers
in the semi-arid belt are devoting
too much time, money and efforts
to attempts at raising corn and
overlooking the opportunity to
raise milo maize, kaffir corn, stock
melons and sweet clover which
are sure crops even with scant
rainfall. Milo maize has 80 per
cent of the feeding value of corn,
and has been known to produce
40 bushels to the acre with only
6 inches of rainfall for the grow
ings eason. 1t answerse very pur-
pose that corn answers and is the
ideal grain crop for regions having
less than % inches of annual rain
fall.
The itinerary for the Milo
Special" as it will be known, has
not yet been prepared. Topeka
Capital.
W. S. Wolley is in Wichita on
business this week. 1t is rumored