Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1913-07-25
HOW ALFALFA IS SWELLING
PRODUCTION OF BUTTER

Afalft is making the San Joaquin
Valley like the land Of Canaan, a
land flowing with milk and honey.
The University of California dairy
demonstration train recently toured
the valley from Stockton to Bakers
field over the Santa Fe and the in
structors from the Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station demonstrated from
their accumulated experience the
Importance 10 dairymen and farmers
of improving their stock and keep
ing II IN good health, and Of raising
the standard of dairy products. The
dairy, they said is the cornerstone
of agriculture in California, aud es-
pecially in the San joaquin Valley;
the surest and in the long run the
most profitable aud beneficial in re-
suits of all the specialized agricul-
lural industries And the dairy it.
self Is built on alfalfa, an imported
. forage plant that has found lis ideal
home in these rich valley lands. The
four southern counties of the valley,
according 10 the statisticiun on the
dairy train, had about 10000 acres
of alfalfa ut last reports, and there
Is ample area and good soil to make
| this 100000 acres. The dairy COWS
. 5000 were only about $4,000, and
/ half II million acres of alfalfa could
easily keep rs many cows or more.
| The butter production in 1911 was
| 10, 100000 pounds, and last year
about 100000 pounds. 1t is easily
within the bounds of possibility, says
the man of figures, to increase this
/ product in the four counties named
up to trn-fold. and the market he
insists, cannot be- elullcd. The dairy
men need never lie awake nights
irctting about next weeks price of
butter, for he can figure il out to
half II cent. Not only is the State
rapidly filling up with butter eat
ing population, but the export de-
mand includes the entire Pacific
Coast from Nome to Santiago, and
irpm NIadivostok to Auckland.
Experiment farm experts described
the various kinds of alfalfa and
dwell upon the Importance of test
ing the seed carefully to prevent
fouliup the land with doddcr, John
son grass aud other weeds. lrotr,
>or &. +. Clarke of this farm school
on wheels i, himself an authority on
alfalfa and other farm crops. He
says that for general use in the San
Joaquin Valley numerous feeding cX
prrlmcnl~ and great range of field
studies indicate that the old fash
toned Chilean alfalfa grown here for
many years is to be preferred above
all the newer varieties. The seed of
the Chilean is sometimes sold for
Arizona, Utah, Lake County or Sur
prise Valley alfalfa, but unless def
nitely so stated, with guarantee,
is likely to prove old Chilean alfalfa,
. grown in the locality designated by
. those names. Where the water con.
ditions are not satisfactory and there
) is n shortage in this indispensable
J. element of Of plant growth, the
called Turkestan alfalfa may be d
: to advantage. This will corp on less
. water than will the Chilean, and will
. make better growth in cold wealth
er. The Turkestan alfalfa does not,
; in this locality, make as fine and
clean feeding hay us the Chilean,
The Arabian is especially good for
heavy soils, makes good winter
: growth, and the product is of good
. quality. It is recommended for or
. chard planting, as il begins to
fail in its fifth or sixth year. and can
; be easily plowed out when necessary,
leaving the soil in good filth. All
alfalfa is very resistent to alkali, but
. no one variety, so far as known, is
. especially so. The United States
Department Of Agriculture is send
ing out a Colorado alfalfa for dry
! land, but it has not been sufficiently
tried out to recommend.-Live Stock