Omaha daily bee., 1913-11-17
Big BOOST GIVEN ALFALFA
Iowa Dairy Commissioner Gives Out
Result of Tests.
MOST VALUABLE OF CROPS
value of Yield Per Acre Nearly
Three Times rs Large n. Hay
and More Than Twice
aa Corn.


DES MONIES. Nov l6-(Special)--A
big boost for alfalfa Is given In the an
nual report Of the state dairy commits
sioner. as one way Of aiding the dairy in
terests of the state by more intensive
farming The report states that expert
ments conducted for several years have
shown that I'm Iowa, as i'm states that
are less IN need Of dry farm crops, II has
/ been demonstrated that alfalfa is an ex-
cellent crop and unquestlonably will pro-
duce a greater value per acre than any
other crop possible. Statistics are given
showing that the value Of an alfalfa
crop in Iowa is sS1.S2 an acre; tame hay.
.11.16; winter wheat. 1881; corn, sl422
an acre
The department has been aiding I'm tho
spreading OF the alfalfa gospel I'm Iowa
and has included a presentation OF the
matter in the lectures that have been
given all over the state The depart
ment gave aid to the special alfalfa
/ trains run through the state last year
where thousands OF farmers were reached
and instructed. The department believes
that Il Is absolutely necessary for the
farmers to figure closely and secure the
| greatest amount of valuable crops from
the highest basis.
At the same time Prof Kennedy and
others OF the state college at Ames are in
the east attending a meeting where this
same subject is presented and where they
have advocated that the farmers must
| plan for producing beef at the lowest
| possible expense in order to compete with
the world in beef production and mako
/ 1 faI lie ha IL hat In
there will next year be a much larger
acreage OF alfalfa than ever before be-
cause OF the interest taken in the SUBJ
ject by both the dairy cattle gfowers
and the beef cattle interests.
Progress I'm Road Building.
! The making Of a record speed trip
driver running an Iowa-made car over
Iowa-made roads has served to call at
tentIon to the fact that great progress
is being made in preparing the Iowa
roads for the ultimate surfaced condition
contemplated by the new Iowa highway
law. 1t would not have been possible,
so the automobile people say, to have
made any such remarkable run across
Iowa a few years ago as that OF the
last week. The fact is that a great many
laid out. the bridges and culverts put into
excellent condition, grades changed and
improved and much dragging done to
prepare a good roadbed Most OF the
work being done now, especially on the
main travelled roads, is of a permanent
CHARACTER and will be used when the final
road building is done.
Instruct in Road Making.
The State Highway commission has ar
ranged for q short course In road build
ing at the college at Ames, commencing
December %. when it is expected that
very many of the people of the state who
are interested In good roads will attend
The instructors will be: A. Marston,
chairman OF the Iowa Highway commits
sion; A. r. Hurst, state engineer of Wis
consin; A. n. Johnson, state engineer of
Illinois; T. II. Macdonald, state en-
glneer of Iowa; Lawrence l. Hewes, chief
of economics and maintenance office OF
public roads, Washington, ID. c.; ]. T..
Kirkham. associate professor in charge
OF structural engineering, Iowa State col
lege; T. r. Agg. assistant professor in
charge of highway engineering, Iowa
State college; John E. Brindley, professor
of economics, Iowa State college; John
Starr Coye chemist good roads section.
Iowa State college experiment station;
John II. Ames, office engineer, Iowa
Highway commission. and C. B. McCul-
Tough. designing engineer, Iowa Highway
commission.
Proportion of Local Taxes.
Evidence is multiplying that there is
under way a well devised scheme to dis
credit the state republican administration
and secure the election OF a Democratic
legislature and democratic state officials
by sowing Misunderstanding as TO the
actual condition of the state in regard
to taxation matters. In southern Iowa
it is being generally circulated and Is
largely believed that the governor and
his associates are responsible for an in
crease in the aggregate amount of taxes
that will be paid next year. The state
executive council, under direction OF the
court and following out the plain letter
of the law, increased assessment OF all
property In the state, though not to the
extent contemplated by law. But they
reduced the state tax levy very much
so that for general state purposes less
money will be raised next year than last
year. But the local taxing boards raised
! lhtN leNltS anu ICspoHeibio Abi "
per cent OF the increase in taxes that will
be made An effort has been made TO
raise a discussion on the subject and to
mislead the people on the subject II is
believed, however, that no great political
capital can be made % the situation.
To Enforce New Iowa Law.
DIR. G. H. sumner secretary OF the
state Board of Health, today requested
Dr. G. Hardy Clark OF Waterloo. Ia,
the author Of the black plague" law to
meet with the State Board OF Health
November % TO plan for the enforcement
of the measure. Some OF the health Of
, ficers OF the state have taken the stand
that the law Is valueless as II only re-
! ouires physicians to report cases by
number and not by name. The secretary
, of the State Board of Health declares
that the law shall be enforced TO the
, letter and the state board will probably
J prepare a special bulletin to be sent over
the state in a short time, giving the loca
, boards Of health Instructions how 20 pro
ceed The law becomes effective Jan
usry /.
Report on Iowa CreAmeries.
o II Is regarded as possible that Pau