, 1914-10-17
A DANES DISCOVERY FOR AMERICA.
WASTE Or TIE OLD World BECOMES WEALTH
Ii HE New.

The future prosperity Of q great part OF
the population of the American continent
may depend in no small measure upon expo-
rlments now being conducted with "a cult
waited weed. The production of cattle has
been steadily declining in the United States,
while the population has been increaslng.
A new food for cattle was needed ut the
time that more and more land was going out
of cultivation, and by a romantic series OF
events it may prove that one and the same
act win restore fertility to the fields, pro
vide food for cattle, aud give q cheap food
supply to the people.
In new lands, such as the United States,
it ia impossible pioneer farmers to ~fertiliae
their soil properly. They grow as much as
they can as long as they can. and then, when
the soil shows Rigus of exhaustion, they move
on to fresh ground, leaving sterile soil be
hind, and repeat the procesa 10 place after
place. This has happened over great areas
IN America, so that much land hus gone out
of cultivation.
Now, there is in America a natural growth.
really a weed, called alfalfa, a sort of lucerne.
which is a cousin Of clover. This growth,
unlike most others, restores to the soil the
properties which other vegetation takes
away. Certain growths about the roots Of
the lucerne collect nitrogen from the air
and give it to the soil, SO making it album
dainty fertile. But |lucerne will not stand
the p~arching heat and killing cold, and Pro-
frssOr Nlels Hansen, q clever Dane settled
in America, thought the right kind alfalfa
would. He thought of the wild alfalfa OK
Russia and Asia, where through thousands
Of years Nature has slowly accustomed this
plant to endure the hardship which the
American plant cannot bear. For Thousands
of years wandering tribes Of Asian pastoral
lists have been feeding THEN cattle and Aocks
on this food, and the Danish professor set
cut in quest Of the hardy plant.
1t is a long and romantic story Of seeking
and finding. He went again and again,
sent now by a college, now by the Govern
mcnt. The farther north be went the better
was the kline Of alfalfa he found. He braved
all sorts Of perils, terrible blizzards in the
wIda, cholera and plague near human hobi-
%ta'ions, and he collected a little seed here,
a little seed here, OF one kind he got but
a spoonful Of seed to reward him for a ire
mendous journey. Of another he saw but
two flowers il bloom, and got the seed Of
only these, which proved the very kind he
wanted. Little by little he get supplies, and
he planted his seeds, c~ross-fel tiIised home
grown alfalfa with the pollen of the plants
from Asia, and now scores of farmers. act.
ing under bis directions, are growing the
new and hardy alfalfa which can bear the
drought Of summer and the terrible weather
Of winter on the dry uplands Of South OAK
ota and other parts.
Magnificent results are being achieved
with this weed brought from a far land.
The alfalfa is hardy and fruitful. 1t pro-
yides q generous fodder for the cattle at
half the ordinary cost Of foodstuffs, and,
best Of all, it restores fertility to exhausted
lands. The Importance of these results may
be judged from the figures Of the American
cattle trade. In 1907 100000 cattle were
exported, most OF them to British domini-
ons. Last year the United States we're able
to export only LIE, 900. Seven years ago
they imported only 10000 cattle; last year
they had to buy from outside 5000.
They lave not enough cattle for their own
needs. But the coming of the new alfalfa
may remedy the deficiency of cattle, and
enable America once more to send us cattle
to feed our poor, and enable us to share in
the new supplies which science places within
her reach.-LihIe Paper.