The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-30
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON $. WHITE.

I
now and then small field of sugar cane.
As stated. the corn crop was very poor
and has been about all gathered.
The cotton crop, though some better,
/ Is also a light CROP and II too has nearly
/ all been gathered. The late rains has re-
vived this. or come IN time to start top
/ growth of cotton, but 1t seems to be too
late for this top growth to mature. Most
of this section seems to depend largely on
the cotton crop for revenue. Next in i'm
portance of the crops is the sugar cane
This too has been cut very short. The
cane is now ripe and Is being ground up
and made into syrup. Strange to see in
this rich country so little grass-no tame
pastures in sight saw some few fields
of rye growing green and looking fine.
which shows that rye can be grown here
to great advantage, and why all farmers
do not SOW more rye for fall pasture Is
a mystery to me. They not only get the
pasture, but the rye is a great plant to
hold the soil and protect 1t against the
heavy winter rains. Farmers should SOW
rye vet for pasture. The crop of COW
peas is very short and few are being
sown in this section. They are hardly
worth gathering. Cow or stock peas are
going to be scarce and high again, and
would advise all who have any to
save every one they can for seed.
In the matter of fruits and vegetables
l was surprised to see that so little ef-
fort had been made to provide these come
forts. / saw a few patches of sweet and
Irish potatoes, some turnips and now and
then a few collards. These comprised
about all the vegetables l saw, and these
were few and often far between as we
would travel for miles, pass farm after
farm, without seeing even these
But what of these ] did see was suffi-
cient to convince me that they were
thrifty-perfectly at home in this soil
and that the soil Is capable. with very
little effort or expense on the part of
man for growing a very large line OF
vegetables Fine gardens can and should
be growing on ali these farms. Vegeta-
bles are not only healthy, but they great
~ reduce the expense OF living.
In the matter of fruit this section is
even much worse off than they are on
vegetables. About the only fruit trees
saw was the pear tree. which is so COM
mon everywhere. Some time ago the
whole country got the pear fever and
thousands of trees were set which have
proven worthless. People were badly mis-
led on the pear question I was surprised
at not seeing more peach trees. saw
several fine young peach orchards over In
Georgia, but none In Alabama. These
orchards IN Georgia seemed to be doing
well. The trees all looked healthy and
In fine condition. But taking the whole
line there were but few fruit trees or
fruit plants to be seen. saw some eff
Tors being made In Georgia at growing
strawberries. Wherever I saw trees or
plants that had received any care or at
tention they were looking well, and
proved conclusively that the fault is not
in the soil or country. but In the care
lessness of the people l do not think
that apple growing can ever be made
a success in this section We have a
large section of country which will not
produce apples, hence the Importance
and advantage of north Alabama as an
apple growing section. Every acre of
our fine mountain apple growing lands
should be set to trees at once, for there
Is going to be a great demand for fine
apples. The people seem to use the
sugar cane here as we do apples further
north. But there are many people who
regard the sugar cane as a poor substi-
tute for apples. I was surprised at not
seeing more peach trees, as we'll as
plums, grapes and other small fruits
! But | suppose that one reason why We
| see no more of these things is that the
! greater portion of the country is owned
| IN large bodies by men who live In the
towns, and who cannot grow fruit for
renters But as shipping facilities are
secured more fruit will be planted.
Forage Plants.
through this section very few forage
plants were to be seen growing ana
what people have to feed their stock on
the coming winter | could not see But
shall have more to say of forage plants
later on.
Timber.
Nearly all the timber has been cut In
this section, but little left that is valu-
able for lumber.
Turpentne.
The turpentine industry Is on a boom
again, and men tell me that there is M
better paying business now In the south
than the turpentine business. But of
this shall have more to say later.
Business Towns.
Ihere are some very fine business
towns along this line. There is Troy
Ozark, Dothan. and when we get over
into Georgia we find a number of good
towns, saw mills and quite a variety Of
industries, mostly new, springing up all
along the line. Among these noticed a
large factory where they were making
baskets and crates for packing fruit and
vegetables
Weather.
The weather has been fine everywhere
nave been-no frost as yet and every
thing is green and nice Stock are far
on the wild grasses, which are unusuaIIv
fine at this season. Roses are blooming
away yet, the same as in May, and there
are great many roses, as well as other
flowers.
But l must close for this time. This
letter brings me to Jacksonville, and In
my next shall have something to saw of
New Jacksonville, and also something of
the Florida state fair which I had the
pleasure of visiting I was very much
interested In the exhibits. especially the
products of the farm, and shall write ~
them next uvaak -