The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-14
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY Fu LYON S. WHITE.


 saved this season.
 In the Ohio and Wabash river bottoms m both Indiana and Illinois about the same conditions are found. The valleys along both these rivers are noted for be- ing great corn producers and the floods nave destroyed many crops Crossing out of Indiana into Kentucky. we began to get back into the drouth stricken country. few sections of Indiana and some of the country in southern Illinois has suffered by drouth. also. But in Ken lucky the effects of the drouth was to be seen on every hand Crops burned up grass dry water low. fruit and vegeta- bles scarce and of poor quality. The to- bacco crop in Kentucky is very late and small, and a poor crop generally, suffer- ing from the effects of dry weather. Early last week this section had a few light showers which cooled the air and gave temporary relief About the same conditions prevail through middle Ten nessee as we find in Kentucky. Corn has been badly damaged and cut very short even in the Cumberland river bot toms. We stopped at Nashville for two days and made trip of sixty miles up the Cumberland river In great corn growing part of the state and found the crop badly damaged. There will be very light crop of corn in Tennessee as well as a short crop of tobacco. AS we came south we reached the cotton grow ins belt in southern Tennessee. We found this crop also badly damaged by drouth. Passing out of Tennessee we came into Alabama and we all know of the dis dressing tales that have come from the northern part of the state, and how they have suffered for rain, and so I was pre- pared for seeing the whole country burned up and the crops an entire fall ure but instead of this condition I found the north Alabama crops about good as those of Tennessee. in fact the condi- tions are about the same. I saw some very good fields of corn and cotton in the northern part of the state and the crops generally are better than one could have expected considering the severe drouth
 In summing up the general crop condi- tions as we saw them in the ten states through which we passed and from re- liable reports from others sections, we are led to conclude that there will be plenty in this country to feed all our people abundantly. The only question is how to equally distribute the surplns
 there was only some way to bring the cheap potatoes of the west to Birming- ham and other southern markets where they are needed, and if they could only be sold cheaper here 1t would be a great help to our people. The difference in the price in the fields and In our market seems to be too great, and 1t does seem that when potatoes can be bought from the growers at from ten to twenty cents per bushel that they ought to be sold in Birmingham for less than sixty cents per bushei. Then think of one head of cabbage selling in our market for what a dozen sells for in some of the western markets. l saw cabbage that the heads would dress out twelve to fifteen pounds each selling for thirty cents per dozen. l While we are complaining of drouth and short crops, the farmers of the west have so much that it will bring them out in debt to take care of their crops. Aside from the advantage of plenty of grass and water for stock, I think that the crops of the west was worth more to the farmer last year than this years crops. T.is, think especially so as regards small grain, hay and the corn crop.
 But I want to talk little of some crops that our home farmers are more directly interested in.
 Fall Crop Potatoes.
 This crop Is short in all the country through which I passed and in Tennes- see, where this is one of the main crops the crop is poor. A poor stand generally late and small. This is also about the condition of this section Then the Col orado potato bugs are almost as bad as they were in the spring and they will de- your the crop unless they destroyed which can be done by the use of Paris green, the same as for the early spring crop Of course, the failure of this crop
 
 very much, but the main value of this second crop Is that many growers of early potatoes regard them as the best for seed purposes and TOT this they gen orally bring a good price regardless of other stock.
 Cow or Field Peas.
 This is another crop that will be very very good field of corn and cotton in short all north of us, and very few seed will be saved In Tennessee or Kentucky, and in both these states the crops are very late and poor. very little effort is made north of Kentucky for saving any seed of this crop, the supply being fur nished from the south Last year, on my return from the north, urged upon our farmers the importance of saving every bushel of pees possible, and I now re- peat the same advice, for bushels of peas this winter will be like silver dollars; they will be in great demand.
 Timely Hints.
 Not only will it pay our farmers to take care of their peas, but they should care also for all crops and save everything on the farm that can be used for feed Not only this, but our farmers should prepare plenty of winter and spring pas ture for their stock. as this will greatly reduce the feed bill. Now is the time to SOW rye for winter pasture, and we gave full directions in recent issue for sow ing and managing a crop of rye for pas ture, but many have failed to read the advice and we still have calls for infor- nation about the value of rye for pas ture. To state the matter again briefly, will say that the better the soil and the better the soil Is prepared before seed ing, that much better will the crop pay. The crop should not be pastured until 1t has stooled well, and when eaten low take the stock off and allow the crop to grow up again. Never pasture the crop when the land is muddy I was very much surprised at a farmer who wanted to SOW rye for winter pasture and only bought a half bushel When asked how | much stock he had he said about thirty head of cattle and sheep and over 100 chickens. The half bushel of rye would make probably enough pasture for the chickens. Do not be afraid of sowing too 1 much. Sow all the waste or idle land l to some winter crops. These crops are no disadvantage to the land, but rather i a benefit.
 There are other crops which can be sown this fall, such oats barley and grasses, and in fullilIment of my prom | ises these crops will all reveive attention ] right along now. October is the best month for sowing fall or winter wheat, and I shall give our readers some point CTS on the sowing of winter wheat in due time.
 Crimson Clover.
 Now is the time for sowing this clover for winter and spring pasture. This clo- 1 yer Is an annual and must be sown every