46 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 
A JOHN THE BAPTIST OF ALFALFA 
13. The introduction and widespread growth of alfalfa in the 
middle west and southwest gave new life to the gradually waning 
industry of the cattle range in the early nineties. The man behind 
this movement who is almost wholly responsible for the great 
success following the introduction of this plant is Foster DwicHt 
Cogurn, for twenty-one years secretary of the Kansas State Board 
of Agriculture at Topeka. 
Mr. Cosurn was born in Jefferson Co., Wisconsin, May 7, 1846, 
and grew to manhood on a Badger farm. Although only a boy 
in his teens he volunteered for service in the Union Army and 
served the last two years of the War. He was a corporal in 
Co. F, 135th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and upon reenlistment 
was made sergeant-major of the 62d Illinois Volunteer Infantry. 
In 1867 he settled in Franklin Co., Kansas where he secured 
employment as a farm laborer. In 1869 he married and began 
farming and improved stock raising for himself. 
In July, 1880, he was appointed assistant to SecreTARY J. K. 
Hunson in the office of the State Board of Agriculture at Topeka, 
and on September 13, 1881, he was unanimously elected to succeed 
Mr. Hupson, who had resigned. On January 11, 1882, he was dis- 
placed on a technicality, and became president of the Indicator 
Publishing Co., and editor in chief of the Livestock Indicator 
of Kansas City. This position was retained until 1887, when 
he returned to his farming operations and acted as regent of the 
State Agricultural College, following appointment by GoveRNoR 
G. W. Gricx. In this capacity he was twice elected president of 
the State Board of Regents. 
Mr. Coburn’s early interests were with swine, and in 1877 he 
published a volume on swine husbandry which was particularly 
widely disseminated. In 1884 he was appointed sole judge of 
swine at the Cotton States Universal Exposition at New Orleans, 
