The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-13

truck farming ever known. We have an
advantage in the south for this inductry
anG with proper protection the business
will prosper.
Well, L have not yet mentioned any
thing about field croIs. These, too, are
very promising. Much corn and cotton
has been planted, and 1 saw fields Oh
corn up and ready eor the plow There is
a general disposition to want to lessen
the acreage Of the cotton crop, and this
will be done as fast as conditions will
permit. The winter oats were nearly all
killed by the cold weather, but the spring
sown crop is looking well. Spring seemed
to be wide open all along the line, and the
grass growing green, the woods full of
wild flowers and all nature seemed full
Of life and energy. ! greatly enjoyed the
trip and learned much of interest.
| noticed In several sections along the
line white clover was growing to perfec-
tion and stock feeding on ii and getting
tat. From what | have seen of clover
l fully believe thai both white and red
clover can be grown in and through the
winters to good advantage in many sec
lions OF the south. Then, | noticed, too,
that the Burmudah grass was growing
promisingly over great area of country.
There are grasses suited for all sections
and more grasses should be sown. l saw
some very fine orchards of fine fig trees,
as well as peach and other fruit trees. A
great many pecan trees have been plant
ed this season, and this is fast becoming
a great business along the coast country.
Pecans are paying better than pears.
| Perhaps l have said enough for this
time on my late trip south, and will now
answer in a general way some questions
! on grasses.
| The grass question for this section is a
hard problem, yet 1 believe that there are
| many grasses which can be grown here
| TO good advantage. Now, [ claim to be
| close student of conditions, and | am al
ways on the lookout for new plants, as
well as watching how the old ones grow.
Since l have been here, l have been
watching closely the growth of our COM
mon red clover. I find patches growing
here and there, enough to convince me
that If red clover were sown here with
rye in early fall that IL would soon grow
up and grow all winter and until late in
the spring, affording an abundance of
fine pasture for all stock.
Orchard grass. If properly sown and
managed, l am sure would do well here
On many OF our bottom wet lands red
top grass and AshSe clover would grow
to perfection and these should be largely
used and soWn together.
II is getting rather late now for sowing
this clover and grass, but 1t is just
right time 10 commence preparing the
land for sowing next fall. The lands
should be drained and well cultivated in
crops which can oe taken off in early
September. so that the land can then be
made ready and the grasses sown.
Now, l do fully believe that great
many of the complaints about grasses
not growing here comes from the fact
that tine matter Of properly preparing
the sol, for and sowing the grass in the
proper time and manner. and after SOW
ing manage it right Failures in these de-
tails make the growing of grasses a fail
ure. We will all agree as to the value of
grasses. and the matter of 81 rowing grass
Is one of the most important agricultural
questions now BEFORE U.S. But let me say
here, that to attempt to grow grasses
first understanding how to prepare the
land, when ana how to sow, failure Is
sure to be tho result Let me say here to
the reader that the season for sowing
grasses this spring is about over, and the
next best thing now to do is to cultivate
the land you want to SOW to grass well
this summer and have 1t ready to sow