Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-01-05
FARMERS WEEK
DRAWS OLD MEN
AND CHILDREN
Youngsters Of Seven Sit Side
by Side With PatriarChS of
Seventy and Learn New
Methods Of Farming
SPECIAL cospssrosDrner TO MORNING JOURNAL

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE TO MORNING JOURNAL
state College Jan 4.-SeVenty-
year old men going to college? Sew
cn-year- old boys sitting on the same
bench with them and drinking in the
knowledge of an expert? "Impossi-
BILE" one exclaims and yet, this seem
ing miracle can he observed at Farm
ers' week which opened today at the
New Mexico College of Agriculture
and Mechanic Arts What is more.
the lessons taught there viii bring
enormous dividends even this year,
in the state and in time TO come will
transform the commonwealth into
one of the richest of the union.
1t is marvellous. the interest arous-
ed among the men, many Of them
grayheaded, and the women, too, by
these meetings. The scores OF ques-
tons asked demonstrate this. Life
long timidity Is overcome and the
question that the man and the wom-
an on the farm have been aching to
ask and to have answered are fired
at the corps Of experts that the-col-
lege has placed at the disposal Of all
the people of the state, and who can
save the people OF this state millions
right now and make millions for
them, if the people desire to profit
by their work.
President Ladd Strikes keynote.
DR.. George f. Ladd, who made the
welcoming address, struck the key
note in his opening address. 1t was
Service Adapted to the Needs of the
People of the Commonwealth" my
aim is to make this college the great
est manmade asset of the common
wealth." he declared He outlined
plans already under way and even
more far-reaching plans for the flu
ture day when legislatures will rec
ognize that the greatest work any
legislature, any party. any govern
ment can do fer the people and the
state, is to heln the people make a
living from the soil. To make rural
life ,more attractive, farming and
stock raising more profitable. to util
iIe every acre OF available soil in the
best manner and to the best purpose
science and experiment can discover,
are the very work that the college is
doing and that Is making it a "peo-
pies college in the real sense Of the
WI lit hbuil Uut tNCiN lllVlillllN
settler, every farmer, every stock
raiser in direct touch with the col
lege and its work by means of pub
licity, by meetings just like this one
held in various parts of the state, by
every practical method available, so
that every section, every county
could profit thereby.
He outlined the experiments inau-
gurated in sugar beet planting spoke
of the need of a poultry expert, a
state veterinarian and most Of all, an
agricultural survey of the state. An
appropriation from the legislature for
this is the need of the hour, he de-
clared The United States govern
ment and state governments have
spent immense sums for geographical
surveys the past sixty years but the
most important survey of all, an
agricultural survey, has not been
made and yet, It Would be an invest
mcnt that would pay tremendously.
especially If the knowledge gained
could he made available to the people
through channels of publicity. In
this connection, DR. Ladd outlined
briefly and convincingly the work of
the college, its great success. its plans
for the future and its present needs
Sugar Bects and Onions.
Director Fabian Garcia of the ex-
pertinent station made common
sense talk on sugar beets and onions
as adapted to the southern and low
er portions of the state. He pointed
cut that the best sugar bcets are
raised in the higher and cooler val
leys of northern New Mexico. But he
hoped to equalizc this advantage
through experiments he is now con-
Quoting and in cooperation with Me-
silla valley farmers. That Is to plant
the beets earlier. even in fall. so that
they would mature before the hot
weather sets in. This has been done
successfully with table beets and
other cool climate crops like onions,
cabbage, etc He emphasized how
by planting onions carly, fewer culls
and more bulbs are obtained in the
Mesilla valley and similarly situated
regions New Mexico onions had
fine reputation even before the stars
and Stripes floated over the common
wealth but the yield per acre was
comparatively poor until The expert
way TO increase the yield.
Professor Garcia and DR. Ladd
spoke in detail of experiments that
are to be made. shortly to adapt Sou
dan grass TO New Mexico range con-
ditions. They have high hopes of
making sections that now support only !
one steer per acre to yield sustenance !
for four, If their experiment Of SOW
ing Soudon grass on selected areas |
succeeds They desire the co-Opera- !
lion, interest and friendship Of the |
stockmen II will be the last word I
On the adaptabllity of this drouth re-
sisting grass to ranges with a mini |
mum rainfall, such as exists in /
Grant, Luna. Dona Ana and other |
counties.
Chicken Raising "a Mans Job.
That chicken raising is a mans job /
VAS the dictum of one of tho speakers |
when II. S. Tlpmbull, agricultural !
demonstrators OF the FL Paso and /
southwestern, said that on many a |
farm. the farm wife and children, |
cleared $3.50 year from 500 chick |
ems. However, he added. the work |
must be done right An interesting |
discussion is promised when the sub !
jet comes up again on Wednesday
Both Dr. l.add and Professor Gar
Ella declared that more than an aver
age of nine inquiries out Of every ten
received by the college come from the /
tiIers Of the soil The stockmen do
pot realize what the college is ready !
10 save them and to help them make, |
in solving their problems Great
losses that come from stock eating
poison weed. the Tremendous number |
Of deaths from all sorts of diseases
and because Of lack Of cooperation of /
stockmen with farmers. can all be-