Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1911-12-15
LARGELY ATTENDED Farmers institute
Two Days Session in This City Last Week OF
Great Benefit to the Farmers, and
the Most Successful That
has Yet Been Held


out the largest crowd OF farmers and
was by all odds the most instructive
and satisfactory that has ever been
held in Rocky Ford.
From the attendance and interest
manifest it is evident that the "tillers
of the soil'' are steadily growing IN
the knowledge that the teachings OF
experts along different lines OF ag-
riculture, if followed out, will prove
beneficial to all and that theoretical
farming is pretty good thing to mix
with practical soil cultivation.
At the meeting on Friday alter
noon-Prof. Maris, of the U. ). De-
partment of Agriculture spoke upon
the Selection and Management OF
the Dairy Herd" in part as follows:
Before buying foundation stock
for herd a person should make
close study OF the kinds adoped to
his needs. A few. first class animals
are better than many of inferior quar-
ity. Remember that like produces
like and the descendants OF what you
start with may be with you for proht
or loss for many years. .,
The value OF good bull III the
dairy herd is something that dairy
farmers are now giving more atten
ton to. Ii. for example, the gooa
pure-brcd sire improves Nlc milking
capacity of his daughters by only one
and one-half pounds OF milk at
milking, above the production OF
their dams, this would mean all IN
crease OF 900 pounds of milk Tor the
ten months or 900 days during winch
the ordinary COW should give mix;
they would also be much more per
sistent mixers; that is, would give
milk for a longer time in the year, and
would regain their flow OF milk better
lfter an unavoidable shortage OF feed
as in summer drouth. Such daugh-
tiers may certainly be credited on the
average with 1000 pounds more mix
per year than their dams produced.
AT the low estimate OF one dollar per
100 pounds this extra amount OF mix
would be worth $40 per year. The av-
rage COW is a good producer for al
least six years, or until she gets eight
wears old. Each daughter having a
purc-bred sire, will therefore, earn
500 more money in her lifetime be
cause OF the good qualities OF her
sire. ,'s ANS
Accurate records OF each cows
milk yield enables us TO weed out the
herd and retain only the money-mak-
ers. They serve as tab on the
mixers. Ii the cows are not MIXED
clean the fact is discovered. Poor
milking by hired help is discouraged
and the drying off from imperfect
milking reduced to minimum
Another interesting lecture at Fri
days meeting was by p. X. Blinn OF
the Agricultural Experiment Station
at Rocky Ford, who spoke on "Alfal-
ia or Crop Rotation:
Alfalfa forms the basis OF our farm
values throughout the western states /.
its unique adaptation to the semi-arid
conditions makes it an invaluable as
set to our agriculture. Owing to ITS
power to survive a drought, or exist
on scanty moisture, its deep growing
root system enables it to reach a
great but a deep-lying supply OF soil
fertility, that is beyond the reach oi
common plant roots, but which VIII
in turn, become available to any crop
if the proper crop rotation with alfal-
ia is established.
The power OF alfalfa to restore
worn ont lands, and to build up soil
that is deficient in humus and nitro.
gen, is apparent to the most casual
observer, who will compare the crops
grown on alfalfa sod, with those on
ordinary soil, or even where barn-
| rard manure has been heavily aP-
piled. Realizing these facts, 1t is evi-
dent that alfalfa must be grown moft
extensively in Our crop rotation 70
,raintain anu restore the soil tina, rs
being depleted by the large crops OF
sugar beets and other products.
Many acres of alfalfa hay land arc
sacrific ed each year, for TIL. more re-
| munerative returns from beets, ean-
| talounes or potatoes grown on alfalfa
soa. and as result alfalfa hay is be
coming scarce. and the price is ad-
vancing to a point that will tend to
dishearten the stock feeder. Also
the high prices realized for hay has
not encouraged saving the alfalfa
crop for seed. consequently the price
of good alfalfa seed is about equal TO
the cost when it was first introduc ed.
| In the estimation OF some, the high
price of land in the irrigated sections
precludes the use OF alfalfa as prot,
| table crop; especially on the small
tracts and even on the larger farms,
the proper proportion OF alfalfa to
other crops is seldom maintained and
evidently the real merit OF alfalfa is
| overlooked.
When expensive land is occupied
with alfalfa for recuperation. which
sooner or later will become neces-
sary, it is apparent to all that it
| should be made to yield the highest
returns possible, in hay. seed or fer
tiliiy. To this end the alfalfa seed
breeding work has been instituted.
The idea was suggested in 1904, when
investigating the insect injuries and
other causes for the poor yields OF al
falfa seed in the lower Arkansas val