Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-09-26
BIG VALUE IN WISCONSIN ALFALFA
Single Cutting in Wisconsin Sells for
High Price Unharvested

According to A. D. Campbell, man
ager of the Wisconsin Advancement
association who has investigated
matters throughout the state, alfalfa
is one of the best crops from direct
cash standpoint, although it will
never be marketed to any extent in
that way. Many instances could be
cited where crops have been sold at
from two to four times the amount
usually received for other crops. In
Waukesha county the single cutting
of new seeding sold for SIS an
acre standing in the field.
Fed to Live Stock
But in Wisconsin, says Mr.
Campbell, alfalfa will be fed to
stock and marketed in the form of
milk and meat. 1t is in this form
that it will bring the highest returns.
1t is the premier stock food. Many
other foods have high feeding value
in certain elements, but none are ap-
proachable to alfalfa as balanced
ration. Not only is alfalfa a more
balanced ration, but in that balance
it contains those elements most
needed by growing stock and dairy
cows-elements at once most needed
and most expensive to buy This
situation is we'll supplied by clover,
but much better by alfalfa. 1t is
evident, then, that sections fitted to
the production Of alfalfa have an ad-
vantage over others.
Joseph e. Wing, who first intro
duced alfalfa in Ohio, insists that al
falfa can be grown anywhere-which
is doubtless true, but it is also true
that before growing it in many places
and under many conditions it is
necessary to do many things-things
that may cost more than to obtain
other land originally we'll suited to
the production of this crop.
Average Tonnage
THE average tonnage of alfalfa
per season in Wisconsin is shown by
the United States census to be PIT
tons per acre. But this is largely
the results Of the efforts of beginners
A census of the alfalfa order of the
state, including hundreds Of growers,
showed an average tonnage in 1912
of "A tons per acre. There is little
doubt that this can be made the av-
erage of the state when the produc-
ton Of this crop is better understood
and established. 1t is thus seen that
2 500, 900 acres could well be devoted
to alfalfa production.
The acreage Of hay and forage in
Wisconsin is shown by the 1910 cen
sus to be 3,079,1 acres. With the
yield attained by the alfalfa order
and at the present value of the tom
mage this would add at least $780,
coo 600 annually to the agricultural
output of the state of Wisconsin.
This is more than so per cent of the
value of all the crops of the state as
shown by the 1910 census
A Worthy Achievement
rs not the achievement above
shown possible worth an effort upon
the part of all? Up to date the effort
to secure the general extension of al
falfa has been limited to two or three
Orga nizations-should not everybody
take hold Of the matter? In what
subject could there be more interest
for commercial clubs, bankers, mer--
chants and others? One hundred mil
lions Of dollars added annually to the
agricultural output Of the state
means something material to all. 1t is
a contamination not only worth wish |
ing for, but worth working for. 1t
will double the value of Wisconsin |
land, and while doing so vastly en-
rich the state for all time Far |