The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-30
Agricultural Observations.


to know what others In other sections
are doing and how others are prospecting.
Now. as I am making or covering a very
large territory, may by close ohserva-
tlon gather some information that win
be Of interest to our readers. am very
much interested in all the country over
which have Travelled. I have been max
ing close observations of all agricultural
conditions and things in general I wish
to commence with an account Of my trip
from Montgomery by way of the Plant
system to Jacksonville, Fla. This line
runs through some Of the finest farming
lands IN Alabama or in the south. But
what of the condition of this rich farm
ing section. and what does the general
appearance of the country indicate, or In
other words, what impression does the
student of agriculture get in passing
through this rich section? I can answer
for myself, and say that my conclusions
were neglect and failure on the part Of
the people to improve their opportuni-
ties. This state of condition was to be
Eeen every where.
Now I am a very plain writer, and
would not wish to make people believe
that they were doing well when l see
much better and better their present
conditions. So / wish to say that this
rich section. to my mind, has not been
as yet near developed. and is not produce
ing the great variety OF crops which the
soil seems capable OF producing. Neither
is the country improved as it should be.
Buildings fences and all improvements
show a want of attention, and are gem
orally in a run down condition. These
lRF Na4tr ~
about largely from the one crop idea,
which has been the order of things for
years. The effects of the past seasons
drouth was noticea BILE everywhere, and
especially so in the corn crop which is
almost an entire failure Cotton and
other crops, too, suffered from the effects
of the drouth. This is matter which
of course the people could have no con-
troll over. But the matter of improving
and caring for their farms, stock and
farming implements Is matter that
they can control. and there Is room for
Improvement along these lines. Now |
am not saying this in spirit of criti-
cism. but with the hope that I may be
able to say something that may be OF
some encouragement along these lines.
Buildings.
1t seems to me that both people and
stock need better houses and barns than
we see. 1ncre Is kOOQ GCOilDAi9 III
ing both well housed and protected
against our bad weather Where houses
are constructed as they should be 1t Will
REQUIRE less fuel to keep them from the
effects of the cold. Then all houses
should be constructed with an eve to
convenience. Farmers need good houses
with all modern conveniences as well as
city people. Farmers should get out OF
the old idea that city folks should have.
tf.s chi Gn
as they are able, improve their country
homes by first building good, comfortable
houses, with all modern convenlences.
But perhaps one reason why we see so
many delapidated and poor farm houses
is that the owners of the farms do not
live on the farms but rent them out and
consider that most any shack Is good
enough for the renter, and when we
come to consider the class of renters
that these farmers have to rent to we
are bound to admit that there is some
truth in the conclusion. Until these large
farms are sold out and -i4t up in small
homes to people who will live on them
and cultivate them by their own hands,
or under their direct supervision-not I'M
til this change is made will the country
be developed and the people become self
sustaining and prosperous.
The country can never be made pros
porous under the present system of farm
ing with ignorant tenants. The country
has become impoverished under this sys-
tenn. Labor has become more uncertain
and difficult to manage, until IL has be-
come an impossibiity to secure reliable
help. Every where l go farmers make
this complaint about securing reliable
help. The only cure is to sell off the
big farms into small farms to men who
will work them and to men who under
stand how to farm with improved farm
machinery. The day for performing all
the work on a farm by hand has passed.
Then again, the time has passed in this
country when a farmer can make any,
thing out of another mans laoor The
only exception to this rule is that If
farmer Is energetic. willing to work,
owns his own land he may hire a few
good men and make some money by
staying right by and over them, or doing
as l did when I was on the farm-take
the foremost row and make the rest
come up or get out. Farmers cannot af-
ford to hire men to kill time on the
farm But the farmer who makes the
most out of the business is the man who
owns his home, who is out of debt. and
has most of his help in his own family.
These are the farmers who make farm
ing a success. This is true all over the
country and this is the great secret of
the success and wealth of the western
farmer. Out west the farmers do their
own work
Fences.
Now ] want to say few words about
fences. which are the farmers greatest
eye-sore / notice as l travel through
the country the old drop-down, delapi-
dated rail fences. These should be done
away with forever on the farms. Timber
is becoming or has become too valuable
to waste in making these old out of date
fences In fact there will soon be no
more timber with which to build them.
It does seem TO me that this country is
badly in need of q no fence law, similar
to the laws of the west.
Fence In the stock and farm out of
doors. This may seem to many farmers
a hardship, but If the plan is once tested
the farmer will never want to go back to
the old plan. The fences we now see are
only mockery. They do not protect the
crops from stock, and neighbors are al
ways having trouble about stock break
ing in and destroying their crops. l see
this in every community wherever l CO.
Then again. these old fence rows are al
ways full of brush and briars and are
very unsightly.
Then again, If farmers were compelled
TO fence in their stock they would soon
learn to provide good pastures for them
and they would keep less stock, but bet
ter stock, and the stock business would
soon become respectable and profitable
But as it now is everybody can own a
few worthless razor-back hogs and goats
that devour the crops of the country.
Do away with the old worthless fences,
compel every man to care for his stock
and make the stock responsfhIe for tha