ALFALFA AS A COMMERCIAL FACTOR 205 



mutton production because of the rapid diminishing of 

 the free public ranges by the forest reserves, irrigation 

 projects, and the like. It was insisted that the farmers 

 could not nearly sustain the meat supply. Possibly they 

 cannot, but alfalfa is doing wonders in helping to solve 

 the problem of cheap meat production. Millions of sheep 

 and thousands of cattle are being fattened annually on the 

 alfalfa of California, Montana, Colorado, Kansas and 

 Nebraska, and in some portions where a few years ago 

 the sandy prairies gave but a scant subsistence to scrawny 

 range cattle. 



E3NHAXCES BAIKX IHTER3E3STS. 



In parts of the East since the introduction of alfalfa, 

 the number of dairy cows in many townships has trebled 

 and the dairy product more than quadrupled. When two 

 acres of alfalfa will carry ten dairy cows through a sum- 

 mer, the day and opportunity of the small dairyman are 

 certainly at hand. When, as is the case, alfalfa increases 

 the rental and selling value and consequently the taxable 

 value of land ; when it increases the demand for and price 

 of labor; when it increases the fertility of the land for 

 other crops that may follow; when it brings enlarged 

 profits to the entire stock-raising and stock-fattening 

 interests, and puts more money in circulation, it is inevit- 

 ably to be considered a commercial factor. 



