Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-10-23


pf different varieties Consequently
alfalfa not only means more stock
raising but more crop-raising, and
greater prosperity wherever It can be
grown. 1t has been proven that the
Russian and Siberian alfalfas can be
grown on the high-and-dry nplands
Hence the effort to extend the alfalfa
areas over these regions, II success.
fui, moAns immensely increased pros
perity. 1t is little wonder the people
Of the Middle Northwest are interest.
ed.
4 The campaign is Ia charge OF Pro-
lessor N. p. Hansen. who has made i
comprehensive study Of the alfalfas
" tbs world N their native habitats.
In Russia, Siberia. Manchuria, Tu-.
kestan, the Mediterranean countries
and in the United States. and is the
nations foremost authority on the
whole subject Professor Hansen Is
and horticulturist Of the
South Dakota Experiment Station
connected with the South Dakota Col
lege Of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts
Of BrookingH. It was he who brought
from Siberia and Russia the alfalfas
on which South Dakota is basing Its
hopes of solving the great forage
problem OF our Northwest
Professor Hansen believes that even
rough lands Of the hgh-and-dry kind
In the northwest OF our country can
be made valuable possibly worth one
hundred dollars an acre--if they can
be made to grow aifalfas. The sue
cess Of South Dakotas campaign
which already Is assured through the
cooperative work of some fifteen hun
dred farmers under the Professors di-
rection, will, therefore, point the way
to the profitable use OF millions upon
millions of acres Of uplands in the
vast region between the Mississippi
and the Missouri rivers on the east,
and the Rocky Mountains on the west,
and from the Panhandle OF Texas on
the south far to the northward. This
will mean reclamation OF high or
der and on an immense scale, where
irrigation is quite out OF the ques-
ton.
Alfalfas for such areas had long
been dreamed Of but never realized
in this country. From the Panhandle
of Texas, from Oklahoma, from west
ern Kansas, from Colorado, Idaho.
Montana, and elsewhere, came the cry
for something of the kind, but In vain.
The common alfaifas would not do.
Ueless provided with ample moisture
in the Summer and covered with 4
,blaE It Ut snow In the winter they
would die out A harder variety
must be found. Then came Professor
Hansen with a new philosophy OF
plant life and the discovery OF hardy
alfalfas In Russia and in the heart
OF Asia, giving promise of vast ex-
tension OF the alfalfa belt on this con.
tinent and of drouth.resistant and
cold-resistant forage for the highland
dry uplands. 1t Is upon experiments
with these new alfalfas that men and
women who have been trying to sub.
jugate dry, cold areas are now buiid-
ing their hopes.
Professor Hansen is the kind Of a
man who, having set himself task,
never let's go until the work is finish
&c. He is a quiet man, but his mind
teens with problems, and he talks
readily enough with those who show
a genuine interest, now and thed
flashing out an epigram to clinch a
point. Thoroughly logical, he is yet
finely imaginative. He grasps facts
quickly, correlates them, and then
draws original and sometimes start
ling conclusions. Along with all Of
this you find a Keen sense Of humor
and splendid large-heartedness an
in the general welfare that Is
and strong without being
depressingiy serious. Yet his deyo-
lion to his work as applied to the
needs of his fellow-eitizens Is alto.
gether evident. In other words, you
read in the man an unfailing conae..
,ration to service. He might make
.ortunes. with his stores OF scientific
knowledge and his inventive genius
a the field Of horticulture. Instead,
le practically gives the use Of these
.hings for the common good. Then,
90, he is possessed Of an unwayering
vii that can be patient to the limit
where patience is needed and much
s required Of 1t in such work as his
but that is fearless and facing new
ssues and quick to surmount or to
mt through obstacles.
There, then, you have something OIL
he problem and Of the man. How
he two came together is one of the
omances Of modern science as ap-
,lied to agriculture. In order that
'outh Dakota's problem may be the
,etter understood, the story must be |