Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-15
GLFA MORTGAGE LITTER
Dry of How the Hardy Crop Was
Brought to This Country.
'ERILoUs TRIP TO GET IT
CrIp which Adds value to Every
Acre OF Land In Entire western
COuntry-PrOf. Hansen
Lectures.


who have sought and who are seeking |
fortunes in the still new west may rely |
10 bring them a sure and certain income. !
sglne scientists along one line and an
other have been thinking. planning. eN-
perimenting and accomplishing results for
he benefit of men. laborers in the science
OF horticulture have not been idle
The progress that has been made by the
"birdmen' the men who have devoted
themselves to the invention OF new labor
saving machinery and to the improvement
OF old, and the men who have labored for
better methods Of transportation OF prod
ucts OF farm and factory is no greater
than is in it's way the progress that has
been made by those who have spent their
years In research and experiment to know
how productive soil may be made more
productive how the valuable farm may
be made even more valuable.
The story Of alfalfa a story that prop
erly can be described by no weaker word
than wonderful will be told in all its
Interesting details at the Omaha Land
Show. Not the least interesting chapter
Of the story will be that which recites the
experiences Of Prof Niels f. Hansen of
South Dakota in his tours abroad, on the
\ shi> esteppes Of Siberia, on plains in Asia
IN other out-of-the-way places in search OF
knowledge which would enable him to
make alfalfa what he believed it should
be-a hardy plant, a plant that has within
II power TO resist the cold and prosper
when chill northern winds drive over It.
power TO live and thrive in the heat OF
western summer
Professor Tells the story.
How we'll Prof Hansen succeeded-and
that was well-wil be told at the show
by the professor himself; but the visitors
will not have to take his word for any
thing. Every statements proof will he
found In the alfalfa exhibit which will be
one Of the largest and most elaborate to
be seen at the show.
The Northwestern railroad. which is usg-
ing the cultivation Of the plant along it's
lines, will offer the alfalfa exhibit The rail-
road, quick to realize the value Of the
comparatively new product OF the soil, is
especially anxious that western land own
ers, as we'll those who expect to own
western land. come to know the value of
alfalfa as Regeneration of the soil as we'll
as a valuable crop for feeding purposes.
William James of Dorchester, Neb. will
be in charge of the exhibit. Mr.. James
managed alfalfa exhibits at the National
Corn exposition in Omaha. at the Trans
mississippi exposition in Omaha, and at
the Louisiana Purchase exposition. Gus
Renee. of Ak-Sar- Ben fame, will be re-
sponsible for the mechanical effects in the
huge alfalfa booth.
Prof. Hansen's experiments with view
70 producing a hardy alfalfa have resulted
IN success which scientists and agricultural
experts agree means many dollars of in
creased value for every acre of western
lands.
The history of alfalfa in America dates
back to the Spanish conquest of Mexico,
when the plant first was brought from
northern African plains. Years later Harri-
- son Parker Kansas civil engineer saw
the alfalfa fields in Old Mexico. He knew
no reason why there should not be similar
fields in the United States in the west and
in the northwest. He introduced IL there
The plant grew and prospered in many
sections The next great step was taken
by Prof Hansen. In. 1897 he was called
upon BY Tama Jim" Wilson, United States
secretary of agriculture, to go 30 eastern
Europe and western and central Asia in
quest Of drouth-reslstng and cold-resisting
Fl plants Little further instruction was given
Secretary Wilson knew that Hansen knew
just what to do.
Makes Hard Journey.
Much OF the wild region which the plant
explorer had to 'traverse-the heart Of Asia
was almost virgin soil. IL was no picnic
Journey and he knew it.
Hansen hurried to ST. Petersburg and
thence southeastward TO Nijui Novgorod.
the scene OF Russia's great annual fair
Here he thought he might find the hardy
plants. He did, He flew down the volga.
east to the Ural mountains, southwark a
ways, then east and over the south control
Russian plains to Kief. Only little while
he stopped in Klef; then he was off for
Odessa, whence he went to Transcaucasia.
the land of Noah's Ark" that storm
center between Europe and Asia
Crossing the Caspian sea. he plunged
into the land OF the Turkoman Here he
knew he was the tran OF hardy alfalfa.
With the aid Of an interpreter he was able
TO make inquiries that convinced him he
was right. Natives. army officers travel
ers were questioned. Even horses /'were
approached on the subject" Hansen found
they lived largely on alfalfa Onward
across the Oxus river went the explorer
He found that for centuries central AsiatiC
civilization had existed on alfalfa What
had sustained standardization in tn,
east for 80 long time he knew must b,
immeasurably valuable to the people OF an
enlightened west, lie was still more firmly
convinced that he was on the trail OF ar
alfalfa thoroughly hardy-a variety Injured
10 drouth and cold through thousands o.
years OF natural methods Of cross breeding
The signs still pointed northward and east
ward where the climate was stil NOR,
severe.
The man pressed on, stopping only nov
and then to rest or to question some Turke
stan plowman with camels hitched TO crud
instruments hundreds of years benin,
times, according 20 the view a western
farmer would take
Rode in TarnntHas.
long journey was made I'm a tarantass
a crude vehicle like blackboard, onl,
worse. II was a 1900 mile jaunt Tn
traveller went along the Tian-Shan rang
of mountains between Turkestan and Chin
and finally brought up at Kuldja in tn
province OF ne In the flOwery kingdom h
had traced the blue-flowered alfalfa TO IN
very doors OF the Chinese temples lie wa
1000 miles from the nearest railroad: h
had gone months without letters fror
home lie was using three interpreters
one TO translate Chinese into Tartar. on