The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1913-09-26
CAMPAIGNING
FOR ALFALFA
Object of the Work and Results
Obtained - Some of the
Prominent Features.
GOING TO THE FARM HOMES
htnstssn Campaigns Have Been Car
Red on In Michigan, Ohio and iii
noIs, Alabama and MIssIssippl-
hoIden's Plan Meets Warm
Reception With the
Farmers.

Farmers.
Prof. P. G. Holden, director of tn
Agricultural Extension Department {
the International Harvester Compan
OF New Jersey, has planned and pu
into operation a new method Of e.
tending agricultural knowledge.
Holden was the originator of ayr
cultural demonstration trains, OF az
r1cultural short courses, and Of man
other effective plans, through tn
agency Of which millions of dollar
have been added to the agriculture
wealth of this country.
The latest plan Of Holden is tt
place alfalfa upon every farm. There
are three prominent features in hill
plan:
% The introduction of compare
lively new crop into the Corn
Belt, Southern and Eastern
states and the Pacific North
west.
(2) Going direct to the homes Of the
farmers, where meetings are
held in the fields, and success
and failure discussed according
to local conditions.
(3) 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 1t 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 a five-day
campaign.
(2) Three hundred and seventy-dve
tomobile Train.
(4) One hundred and thirty-six alfalfa
talks made by the Holden staff
of alfalfa lecturers
go 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
sarm of Joseph E. Wing, near Mechan-
csburg, nearly 1000 people gathered
rom all parts of Ohio and adjoining
states to learn more about alfalfa At |
his great meeting the Ohio State Al
alta Growers association was organ
zed Over 300 automobiles made up
he alfalfa train. 1t is recorded as
he greatest agricultural assemblage
n the history of Ohio. Other Ohio
counties where the work has been
AIKEN up report success on every
and
Sangamon and Kane counties, ILL
OILS, have both conducted great cam
aigns. At one meeting In Williams
lille, ILL.,, over 1900 farmers came to
ear the alfalfa lectures
In all of these campaigns which
vere conducted within a period of
bout two months nearly 100000 farm
RS have been reached with the Cos
ell Of alfalfa
AS result also of the campaign
ork 1t Is conservatively estimated {
lat 100000 acres of alfalfa will be |
seded during this and the coming !
eason.
Such is the result of the initial work
campaigning for alfalfa, but vastly
ore than this tangible result has
sen accomplished. Every farmer t
the region where the work il
as conducted is talking about al {
lfa. The cooperation of the schools q
the territory is very important ),
I'd effective feature.
Professor Holden has expressed
mself as considering it the most
onderful experience and the most
1cient work from the farm stand
int that he has ever undertaken.
But this is not all-wherever the ii
rmers of any community are inter- n
ted in the growing of alfalfa, when h
ssible follow-up man, thorough in =,
) knowledge of alfalfa culture, will
sent out to assist them in getting =
start. He will live with the u
rmers and aid them In solving tt
e problems at home. He will it
from farm to farm upon request II
d study success and failure. 10
Before the coming Of 1914, cam G,
igns will have been conducted In
cry part of the United States and
NADIA. Interest is growing SO rap
Y that many counties have organized
npaigns and undertaken the work IL
,hOut assistance from the outside. u