The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-26

crops of oats in Texas and Oklahoma were good and these are the best crops of oats we have this year, and, unfor- tunately, the acreage of these crops are small.
 Rye.
 This crop is fine where It has had a show, but the acreage seems to be small More rye should be grown all over the southern states.
 Hay.
 There has been a vast improvement in this crop, and the promise Is that there will be a very big crop of fine hay saved this season. The crop is now being cut over a large scope of country, and both the wild and tame crops are giving heavy yields and most of it is being put up Tn fine condition. There Is a great increase in the acreage of alfalfa, and this crop is fine, and especially so up nere in the upper Arkansas valley where the crop IS one of the greatest grown. There will be an enormous crop of wild hay cut this season also This big hay crop will help out very much in reducing feed expense.
 Forage Crops.
 Forage crops, such as sorghums, kafir corn, milo maize, and millets, all are very promising, and there is an unusual ly large acreage of these planted, and planted over a very large territory. These, too, will help out wonderfully in reducing feed expenses.
 Potatoes.
 This crop is poor, a very short supply and what I have seen are of poor quail ty generally. I trust that our southern farmers will take my advice as given in last report and plant a good acreage of late crop potatoes, for they will bring them a good price. Then, I know that we have the land to spare for growing them. The only question may be that of seed I met q farmer in Mississippi who said that he planted twenty-five acres of early potatoes to ship north, but that he would. not sell one, but was going to plant every one for a Tall crop am sure that 1t will pay ana pay we'll to grow a large fall crop of potatoes.
 Cow or Stock Peas.
 I am pleased to be able to report a very largely increased acreage planted to this valuable crop. Then, too, the crop is unusually promising and in many sec tiorH the early plantings are ripe and ready for gathering At the Farmers congress in Texas there was a large ex- hibit of fine peas ripe. The demand for this crop has been increasing fast for the last few years, and there has been great shortage. The crop this year, while unusually large and promising, will fall below the demands so that every crop should be taken care of, should be gathered and saved I was very much surprised on finding here in Colorado farmers growing whlpporwill peas under irrigation. The crops are fine and prom ising and no doubt but that the experi- ment will prove a success. And, as predicted some time ago. if the southern farmer does not look out these western and northern farmers will soon be sell Ing them seed stock peas. The south Is the home of the cowpea, and the south should grow not only all they need at home but seed for all the balance of the world.
 Fruit Crops.
 Fruit crops of all sorts are short. and there Is a great demand all over the country for fne fruit The peach crop will be even much shorter than we had expected, and the quality poor. The crop l got so badly damaged by late frosts that they never got over 1t, and have dropped badly all season. The same thing can be said for the apple crop
 | Then, the vegetable crops in many sec tions are short, and most vegetables are bringing good prices all over the country. Colorado markets are now supplied large " with Texas-grown vegetables and mel ons The homegrown crops are just coming on the market, and 1t seems strange to see such vegetables as let tuce, radish and bunch onions now on the market. These things were out of date months ago in Alabama and Texas. Green beans and peas are selling here in Denver at $2 per bushel. We have a great country, and no doubt but what we will have plenty of most all crops and much to spare. Conditions change fast in this country on crops, and our har- vests may yet, in the end, like the wheat, be larger than we expected.