The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-04-06
To MAKE REPORT
ON THE CONVICTS
President Carmichael to Sub
NIT it to the Governor
NEWS OF MONTGOMERY
Commissioner of Agriculture Gives
Comparative Statement of the Sale
of Fertilizer Tags-rhe sales
for the Present Year.
NEWS OF MONTGOMERY

Montgomery, April Especial. )-One of
the most interesting quarterly depart
ment reports to be filed with the governor
for the quarter just ended will be that
of President ]. NJ. Carmichael of the con-
Wet department. This report will be made
especially interesting because 1t will
show the earnings of the eonviets worked
in the mines under state control. This
system was inaugurated January 1.
While the report will not reach the gov
ernop before Monday, Judge Carmichael
acknowledged today that the conviets
working in the mines were earning for
the state about $40 per month, as against
$14 under the old lease system. Under
convicts, the first being leased at s14 per
month, second $40. third 81 and fourth IS.
Fertilizer Tags.
Commissioner of Agriculture and Indus
tries Poole today made public compare
tive statement Of the sale or Fertilizer
tags, and the sales for this year are
shown to be the greatest on record The
be 1,925,110, this more than doubling the
sales of five years ago, the sales for 1890
having been 911,79O. In 1900 they were in
creased to 1,464747; 1901. 1,SS4,650: 1902, l.
1865.
From the viewpoint of the progressive
farmer, this big increase in the sale of
fertilizer tags Is difficult to explain. Ten
tags represent ton of fertilizer, and 1t
therefore shows that in five years the
fertilizer tonnage in this state has more
than doubled. The crop production does
not by any means show this increase, and
the question, therefore, arises what is
the matter with the farming methods in
the state? In 1899 the cotton crop of Ala
bama was in round figures 1850, 600 bales,
while the crop of 1902 Is not expected to
reach figures greater than $50, 900. 1t is a
well known fact that commercial fer
tilizers are used very largely on the cot
ton lands of the hill section. For the
last two years the crop in this state has
been termed "a failure and this should
have some bearing on the figures of fer
tiizer tags sold and cotton production.
There is another fact which should he
inquired to some extent upon the eompar-
atiVe figures. Within the past few years
the department of agriculture has been
much more aggressive in the investigation
of fertilizers, and consequently the Gus
tom OF carrying the stock over in local
has been practically wiped out
But with these explanations IT ia esti
mated that the use of fertilizers by the
farmers of the state is largely increasing
however, former comparisons show that
the increase In the sale of tags for 1909
does not necessarily mean an increased
production of cotton.
The Oil Tag Tax.
State Chemist B. B. Ross of Auburn
was at the capital yesterday and had a
short conference with the auditor rela-
tive to the new oil tag tax. The oil tags
Will soon be ready for distribution, and
placed on sale by the treasurer of the
Alabama Polytechnic institute In the
meantime Mr.. Ross is proceeding with his
new duties analyzing oils found in differ
ent towns in the state.
Few samples of oil so far examined
come up to the required test of 12O proof
Mr.. Ross yesterday secured several sam
pies from Birmingham.
Under the former arrangement mine
operators clothed and fed the convicts
and paid for the guards, and the state
now clothes and feeds and guards them.
1t Is possible wa may realize more under
our present contract with mine operators
than the figures given, but these figures
are approximately correct. The amount
will not fall under but may go over these
figures.
1.-The total number of convicts employ
ed in the mines is about co., From Flat
Top mines the state received last month
$561 81, and from Pratt mines $21, 1872
have not all the figures before me. but
this will give a fair indication of what
the state is doing under the new system
adopted in the management and employ
ment of its state convicts."
The forthcoming report will show that
the state is now receiving from the con-
victs employed in the mines about $1,000
per day. 1t will also show the health of
these convicts in excellent condition,