The age-herald., 1899-01-08

the public gaze long enough to set. As consequence, she safely count on more than 300 eggs per annum from each of>her hundred producing hens. She gets about 30,0oO eggs per annum from her one hundred hens, or 2,500 dozen salable eggs per year. Any one of intelligence who buys eggs can figure out for himself her annual profits.
 
 If half much attention was given the agricultural condition of Alabama as is given to the development of the mineral resources, Alabama could be made the most prosperous state in the union. There are tremendous areas of srass-producing lands in this state. Instead of Alabama cattle being shipped west and there fat tened, killed and shipped back as chilled beef, they could be kept in this state and the profits remain here. Hay can be as well and profitably produced in Alabama as in almost any state of the union. And hay when cut at the proper time and intelli- gently cured will make cattle fat and sleek and in perfect condition for beef Many Alabama farmers object to Johnson grass because they think they can't get rid of 1t after they once start growing it. Many of them don't seem to know that they don't want to get rid of it. Johnson grass makes excellent hay if cut before it ripens and gets tough. But Johnson grass is not fit Tor nay after it gets old. There is too much silica on it's stalk at that stage for cattle to feed upon it.
 Nothing makes better hay than the old fashioned crab grass if 1t Is cut before it goes to seed and Bermuda also makes an excellent hay.
 A few intelligent farmers in the south are introducing vetch in this section. know of a farmer over in Georgia who has but 360 acres, and upon every acre of it he grows only hay. He told me a short time ago that for six years past he had cleared on an average 5000 year on this farm On it he has sewed together vetch Johnson grass, orchard grass, and a spe- cies of timothy-different however from western timothy. His first spring crop is vetch. It begins to grow in the winter and gets up in the early spring fully four feet, growing so thick that even the John son grass is kept down beneath it. It is of such prolific growth that few weeds can beat it. The weeds, however, which do come up, are pulled out of his field by hand during early growth, and consequently his vetch crop is pure. It is cut just as it be- gins to flower. It is cured as is all other hay, and a few weeks thereafter he Is en- abled to get cutting of Johnson grass and other grasses. Then later in the sum- mer he gets third cutting of grasses.
 Vetch is very similar to that which used to be known in this country as partridge grass. The nourishment in it is said to be as 100 is to 80 compared with the western timothy This is the analysis of it made by the agricultural department at Wash ington, which has for several years been endeavoring to have it largely introduced into this country. It is said to be a Rus sian product and Is known by many as Russian vetch' Where it is known it sells for S21 a ton, when timothy is selling at $16. Its nutritive qualities are said to warrant this advance in prices. Informa- tion can be gotten about it by any one who will write to the agricultural depart ment at Washington.
 If the farmers of Alabama were to turn their attention to hay and properly bale it they would soon find that the home demand would be greater than they could supply It is said that there are now more bales of western timothy hay hauled by the rail roads into Alabama annually, than are bales of cotton hauled out of it annually. Jefferson county alone at present consumes more bales of hay annually than are packed in the entire state of Alabama.
 If Alabama farmers would raise that which is and must be consumed in Ala bama, and would turn their attention 10 these products which are now shipped into the state, they would be much more pros porous. I doubt if there is an acre of ground in all Alabama which would not produce more profit to the farmer in hay than in cotton.
 NED BRACE.