The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1913-10-10


Reception With the
Farmers.
Prof. P. G. Holden, director of the
Agricultural Extension Department OF
the International Harvester Company
Of New Jersey, has planned and put
into operation a new method of ex-
tending agricultural knowledge.
Holden was the originator Of agrt
cultural demonstration trains, Of az.
rcultural short courses, and of many
other effective plans, through the
agency of which millions of dollars
have been added to the agricultural
wealth of this country.
The latest plan of Holden is to
place alfalfa upon every farm. There
are three prominent features in his
plan:
% The introduction of a compare
lively new crop into the Corn
Belt. Southern and Eastern
states and the Pacific North
west
90 Going direct to the homes of tbs
farmers, where meetings are
held in the fields, and success
and failure discussed according
to local conditions.
90 The use of the most modern We
hicle-the automobile.
Purpose of Campaign.
The primary purpose Of the cam
paign is to show the American farmer
that alfalfa is the most profitable crop
he can grow; that it can be grown
profitably upon every farm; that it en-
riches the soil; increases farm values:
stimulates live stock growing and dali
rying; produces double that of other
hay crops, and is better feed
Nineteen campaigns have thus far
been successfully conducted in Mich
igan, Ohio and Illinois.
Some of the Results.
For example, some Of the results Of
the Kent county (Mich.) campaign
are
ID Six thousand farmers visited at
their homes during five-day
Campaign.
81 Three hundred and seventy-five
miles travelled by the Alfalfa Au-
tomobile Train.
(4) One hundred and thirty-six alfalfa
talks made by the Holden staff
of alfalfa lecturers.
60 Many applications for similar cam
paigns from all parts of the
United States.
The Kent county campaign has been
followed by campaigns in Allegan,
Barry. Grand Traverse and st Clair
counties, Michigan; Van Vert, Marion,
Fulton, Williams, Paulding, Delphos,
Belmont, Richland, Auglaize and
Champaign counties, Ohio; and Sanga-
mon, Stephenson, DuPage and Kane
counties. Illinois, and several counties
Of Mississippi and Alabama.
Great Meeting In Ohio.
At one meeting in Ohio upon the
farm of Joseph e. Wing, near Mechan-
icsburg, nearly 1000 people gathered
from all parts of Ohio and adjoining
states to learn more about alfalfa. At
this great meeting the Ohio State Al
falfa Growers association was organ
lied. Over 300 automobiles made up
the alfalfa train. 1t is recorded as
the greatest agricultural assemblage
in the history of Ohio. Other Ohio
counties where the work has been
taken up report success on every
hand
Sangamon and Kane counties, ILL.,
nois, have both conducted great cam
paigns. At one meeting In Williams
vile, ILL.,. over 1,20e farmers came to
hear the alfalfa lectures.
In all Of these campaigns which
were conducted within a period Of
about two months nearly 100000 farm
ers have been reached with the COS
pei Of alfalfa.
AS a result also of the campaign
work it is conservatively estimated
that 100000 acres of alfalfa will be
seeded during this and the coming
season.
Such is the result of the initial work
OF campaigning for alfalfa, but vastly
more than this tangible result has
been accomplished. Every farmer
throughout the region where the work
was conducted Is talking about al
falfa. The cooperation of the schools
In the territory is a very important
and effective feature
Professor Holden has expressed
himself as considering 1t the most
wonderful experience and the most
efficient work from the farm stand
point that he has ever undertaken.
But this is not all-wherever the
farmers of any community are inter
ested In the growing of alfalfa. when
possible follow-up man. thorough In
his knowledge of alfalfa culture, will
be sent out to assist them in getting
a start. He will live with tho
farmers and aid them in solving
the problems at home. He will
go from farm to farm upon request
and study success and failure.
Before the coming of 1914, cam