The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-06-29

factory where every bushel OF extra
stock can be sold. I had call only the
other day for fifty thousand tomato
plants, and could only gather up about
ten thousand. The dry weather nearly
destroyed all the plants.
Timely Hints.
Farmers generally have taken new en-
couragement from the timely good rains
of last week, and are planting every
inch Of available land to some kind of
late crops I have been out in the coun-
try and find the farmers working like
beavers, planting peas. beans, millet
corn and sorghum, as well as new gar
dens.
The demand for seed since the rams
has been unusually heavy for this season
of the year. The high prices the past
season have had telling effect on our
people, and our farmers realize the i'm
portance of growing more OF their feed
at home; so that more of these feed crops
than ever before will be planted. There
is time, yet to plant many crops and all
look for a fine season from now on. Far
mers are already beginning to inquire
for seed wheat and rye, as we'll as for
clover and grass seed, and we may expect
more of these to be sown this fall than
ever before. We will have something to
say right along on the sowing or all these
fall crops, and hope to be able to assist
and encourage the work. Remember,
however, that now is the time to SOW col
lard cabbage and rutabaga seed. and
turnip sowing time is nearly here and
then the fall garden will soon be to plant,
but do not plant too early, it is all right
to plant summer gardens now but the
general fall garden should not be planted
yet. Still, 1t is well enough to have the
land ready and have everything needed
IN han xUh 10 nj nj irne rriv
l will have an article next week on when
and how to plant some of these crops
and shall try to advise the planting OF
all fall crops right along in ample time.
In the meantime, 1t would be well
enough to plant seed for crop of late
cabbage right away. These may be
planted in hills the same as mentioned
| for the late tomatoes, only they will not
require so much room. Rows three feet
wide and plant two feet to thirty inches
| apart in the rows, will be about the right
| distance.
Among the many good varieties of late
cabbage which may be planted now, I
would recommend Late Flat Dutch, Late
Drumhead and Hollander. But do not fail
| to plant also of Drumhead Savoy.
| Collards may also be planted same way
| as the cabbage and planted at once.
| Don't fail to plant few Georgia Cabbage
Colards. Another bit of advice and 1
it dry again in July don't quit working
the crops on account of dry weather, but
work them regular and keep them clean
and ready for the rains which are sure TO
come. Those who failed to work their
| crops during the late dry weather will
suffer for their neglect
An Example for Alabama Farmers.
In his annual report just issued, Com
missioner Of Agriculture Koiner of Vir-
ginia, shows that during the nrst eight
months of last year there were shipped
| from the two Eastern Shore counties of
the State 507. 29S barrels of potatoes 1884,
| SIG barrels of cabbage 1f4,S60 half-barrels
| of snap beans, 76. 979 boxes and 24613 bar
rels of cucumbers and 43S43 boxes OF to-
| matoes, in addition to large quantities
| of kale, spinach lettuce, radishes and
| berries. He estimates that the sale OF
| farm produce within a radius of a few
miles of the two counties mentioned will
annually amount to $6.000.000. Ills i'm
| mense industry in truck farming in Vir-
ginia has been built up since the close
| of the war in 1866 At the time 1t was be-
| gun the people were reduced to the verge
of poverty with nothing left but howl
| ing waste of lands. What was done in
Virginia In this way may be as success
| fully done In Alabama.
The farmer who uses lime on his lana,
| should not use superphosphate within
| the same year on the same soil. it being
| unnecessary to do So as the effect of lime
| Is to make all other mineral elements
| available In dissolving the silica by which
potash may, magnesia ana phosphoric
| acid are held in combination, and thus
otherwise inert phosphoric acid is set
| free.
| In former times 1t was the habit OF
| farmers calling themselves practical
| farmers" to speak disparagingly of what
| they derisively called scientific OF book
farming" Unfortunately for the cause
| Of agriculture, there remains a few such
persons. but they are happily few and
gradually growing less, ror the great
| mass of cultivators of the soil now feel
and know that there is not a farmer in all
| the land who can longer ignore the
| science of the art Of agriculture any more
| than other practical workers of all other
| kinds find that to know the reasons for
| a thing which belongs to their respective
| industry, is ar amazing nolp to them,
just as a MONDAY sun is help to find
ones way as compared to cropping in
| midnight darkness.
The fertility of the richest lands IN
many portions OF the State, as we'll as
| in most of the States of the South, has
Dten greatly impaired ny the IuelnOuS
used in cultivation. These lands should
all be restored to their original fertility
which can readily be done by following
the ways of nature. Nature put the hui
mus where needed and we must do the
same, which can be done by breaking up
the subsoil and planting to clover and al
falfa wherever they can be grown, and
when the soil is too poor, put in peas
first ard follow with clover and alfalfa.
1t is easier and less expensive to re-
claim worn and wasted land than to clear
new land and get rid of the stumps, roots
and wild growth of SUCH
All hillsides should be seeded to grass
as soon as the forest growth is subdued.
There is ample level land to work and
save the hillsides for pastures.
Some farmers. so-called. never sow
clover until the land gets too poor.
1t Is time the devastation of new land
is stopped Let us reclaim our worn and