The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-09-12
Wealth In Alfalfa;
History OF Cereal


more of it as ration for every ami
NAL on the farm. There is not a
farm in the world that will not grow
it under proper conditions. It is
found in the frigid north and the
torrid south and everywhere, it is
the same rich food. The early his
tory of alfalfa begins in the year
400 B. c., when the Persians invaded
Greece. They carried it with them
as forage for the horses of war. The
early Roman writer's mention in
some of their writings, methods OF
growing and curing the plant for
stock food purposes. In the year
100 A. D., the seed was first grown
in Italy. The forepart of. the six
teenth century, alfalfa was first in
! troduced into England and during
| the latter part of the same century,
! it was first brought to the United
States and an attempt was made to
grow it along the New England
coast but not with much success, at
|: first. In 1854, the first alfalfa seed
was planted near San Francisco on
the Pacific coast, having been brought
!: there from South America. 1t quick
! ly spread eastward and up and down
the coast, and in the spring of 1882,
the first seed was planted in the
Black Hills district Of western South
Dakota from the original California
seed. It was introduced there by
Captain Seth Bullock, at present
United States marshal of South Da-
kota. ~. ~
introduced In Minnesota.
In the year 1857, young German
named Grimm brought twenty pounds
Of seed from his old home in Ger
many, to his new farm in Carver
county, near Excelsior, Mimi. BY
persistent effort, this young farmer
built UP by selection a hardy alfalfa
plant which today is recognized by
the highest authorities Of the coun-
try to be the best variety for the
cold northwestern states. 1t seems
to be the only variety that will not
winter kill 1t carries the name OF
it's originator, Mr.. Grimm. The old
fields planted by him many years ago
are still growing as luxuriantly as
| ever. 's,s s @f
7 Alfalfa will do well on any soil
| that will grow corn or any of the
| common crops, The most important
thing is to have the soil well drained,
for alfalfa will not thrive in wet or
| sour soil. There are many ways of
| preparing the soil, sowing the seed
/ and taking care of the field A
| possible before starting his field,
| should buy nothing but Grimm seed
and should plant the first year only
a small patch as an experiment.
| When once the farmer has learned
! how 2 to grow it successfully, he
! should put every available acre on
his farm into alfalfa. On every farm
of $50 acres, there will probably be
an average of about twenty-five
acres that will grow alfalfa success
fully. This part of the farm planted
to alfalfa will prove to be the most
profitable. a..
/ Base of All Foods.
! Alfalfa carries more protein, which
; is the base of all foods, than all
/ other stock foods. 1t is not con-
sidered a fat producer but instead,
makes muscle and bone. 1t will pro-
duce larger bone in a hog and
: better meat than corn. Western
| hog growers feed alfalfa as steady
diet until about two weeks before
marketing, then finish on corn.
To feed alfalfa to people is but
another step, forward in the history
of this marvellous plant. 1t has. in
larger quantities than any other
food the three elements, protein, fat,
and carbohydrates, which are neces,
sary in all foods. Besides, it carries
j a medicinal element which is very
active on the kidneys and all organs
! of secretion and excretion. 1t is
this medicinal element that aids in
the building up of livestock. Nc
other food has it SO strong.
z Uses F9r Alfalfa.
Out in the Black Hills of South
! Dakota, the first real attempt te
| make alfalfa foods, drinks and medi
cine for people was commenced about
/ four years ago by Mark c.. Rich, an
expert on alfalfa growing. About
two years ago, he was Joined by F
1 w. Bower, who has been responsible
! largely in placing the many products
manufactured from alfalfa, on a
commercial basis. For the past two
/ years, some form of alfalfa has been
served in the homes of these two
men at every meal. The alfalfa
i -four makes an excellent bread
cakes. biscuits or anything that flour
is used for. The alfalfa tea has
4 been sold by these men all over the
country It resembles very closely
the ordinary imported green tea in
favor. There are something like
| twenty-five products, all lnade from
alfalfa, which have been brought
out by these two men, 1t would be
difficult to find more palatable
candy or table syrup than that made
from alfalfa and sugar. The alfalfa
extract, when prepared in their way
makes delicious drink which ha.
been named "Alfa-Lusa.i 1t is now
/ on sale in 112 of the best drug ant
confection stores in Minneapolis al
i the present time and can be had al