Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-04-27
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agricultural extension department. with headquar-
tiers In Chicago, organized for worldwide teaching
OF agriculture After period of great work In
Illinois, and even greater work in Iowa. Profess
sor Holden entered upon the worlds work.
But first there was more work to do at home,
and Professor Holden was not long In deciding
where to turn first. He had long known that the
agricultural problem OF the Northwest was the
one-crop system Great tracts of land had been
seeded to wheat year after year until the soil
was becoming worn out-robbed of the elements
necessary for the growth of plant life He de-
cided at once that the remedy was the growing of
alfalfa, that wonderful plant which is not only
money making crop In itself, but possesses the
magic power of putting nitrogen and organic mat
ter Into the soil. Thereupon Professor Holden
organized the inland empire campaign, and in
operation with six great railroad systems of the
Northwest, started the campaign for alfalfa on
every farm
While the agricultural demonstration train In
augurated by Professor Holden In Iowa a
mighty step forward, he believed there was still
better way of reaching the farmers. At last he
hit upon Il; the automobile in conjunction with
the railroad train. The farmer could come to the
towns where the trains stopped, and thousands of
them did but In many instances this meant long
trip TO and from the meeting places and perhaps
a whole days absence from work The thing to
do then. TO 20 to the farmer to meet him In
the fields. on his own threshold 1t was planned,
therefore, that at every place where the alfalfa
special stopped automobiles should meet 1t and
whirl the speakers to prearranged meeting places
In schoohouses. churches town halls. theaters
barns. out In the open fields. by the roadside.
When meeting held In alfalfa field
there question OF its success, many
good lessons easily driven home by Illus
trations from the growing crops. In the fields
too, the lessons of incubation of lime eradi-
cation of weeds and time of cutting could all be
very plainly illustrated. To supplement this work
the speakers used huge charts which told some
interesting stories In manner that was indisput-
able The big comparative figures shown on the
charts gave every farmer plenty of food for
thought. The results of various tests showed that
alfalfa. whether alone or In combination with
other feeds far and away the best food for
the production Of pork. beef dairy products and
eggs
One of Professor Hodeu's strong points was
that alfalfa viii act as land retainer He de-
clared that II Is given chance 1t will refuse
10 be kept of of land that is considered prac-
tically valueess. Alfalfa Is known to put back
into the soil what other crops take out BY pc
cuar process, the nodues that form the roots
OF the plant extract nitrogen from the air and de-
post 1t In the soil. And nitrogen Is what other
crops need.
The regular schedule of the alfalfa special In
Guided from six to eight stops day, thus allow
ing for from 60 to 100 meetings. according to the
number of speakers employed. After the daily
stops 1t was headed for some town where