New-York tribune., 1917-07-31
By THEODORE M. KNAPPEN

DENVER iuv 2sIf the West were pagan it would deity
ID and Alfalfa Corn the universal crop throughout the
Mississippi Valley, up where the rivers grow small
in the highlands
beyond rules supreme 1t food for and beast 30 vast
the devoted and wdely this distributed north
and south and that may be said almost that the corn
crop fails 1t will fail the nation this year even though
lack OF rain the far West reduce the proud promise OF the
July forecast OF crop surprising all its predecessors
In the nation may 1t aiimentary insurance No
other nation in the world has such secondary human TODD crop
which may need be- speedily be substituted for the primary crop
could entire wheat crop destroyed and be sure OF
abundant food for itself 1t eat largely OF corn and be not one
whit the worse for doing and be able thus Notwithstanding
short wheat crop to export copiousIy to the Allies.
What more magnificent the practical man than cornhed
in v Already the sawart plants stand six feet in the fat lands
broad green leaves stately fashion the tsScS are com
mo on, and the nrrnrngs of the rng leaves and stalks
as Of great forest Its fruit food for man and beast
ens cattle better than composite food prepared
good for wheat 1t may be served in many forms
whether On the stalk and with the stalks IN the
o sed cracked ground the stock relish and fat on it.
For is the samebig homny grs cracked or pearl
corn mush breakfast food pone obrcad pudding sweet corn
cob sewed canned and hot cakes Its forms
Of food utilization numerous and tar more variant tan
those of wheat
Corn is the crop of the clean fields the active farmer You
plant wheat and issue the hands OF God You plant corn
you become partner directing its destiny You may not
succeed without God but God will succeed without you
Corn must he cultivated early and late Wherefore 1t IS
crop of much labor and than wheat Your exclusive
wheat farmer can sow his wheat and go fishing for ninety days
with no guilt of Incidence his Corn the farmer has
his Corn also the OF conserved Ter
fIy Mostly il walks off the farm in the shape of sheep, cattle
and hogs Crops that capable OF transporting themselves
market leave behind them OF the substance OF the SOIL ha
in their bodies transformed into meat.
Alfalfa that glorious plant that makes the desert green the
great hay crop the West 1t oushes and keeps its vedancy
even in rouh grows rank and dense under irrigation 1t al
knows 1t keeps growing from frost to frost
1t yields from one to seven cuttings year nan ION 20 TWO
at cutting 1t be used pasture Once soWn 1t lasts
for MANY wears Its the avore home OF the bacteria
that draw nitrogen from the air and put into the soil 1t there
increases fertility In taking gives 1t redeemS poor lands
1t is in itself sufficient food for hogs and cattle 1t supplements
the native grass range nsues food for the wnterng it builds
the frame bulk the animal body that finished OF with
corn 1t is cash crop Baed in the fields sells easily
wheat 1t worth SIS $7 the to-day and there may be five
tons an acre a seasons cuttings.
Alfalfa is like corn powerful Not especially adapted
as human potential power for the animal traction that
still Importance in the supplying OF armies and OF
1 more importance and industries which sustain the
rmv As gasoene the motor alfalfa to the horse when
mixed with certain other elements that potent to produce
through muscle.