The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-18
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON s. WHITE.

so are disposed 10 nDlu tnelr GOTH. be- sides home spectators are taking the ad- vantage of the situation and are buy ing up all the corn that can be had. There are always a few farmers who are compelled to sell their crop at gathering time, but this class of farmers in the west is becoming scarcer every year. Soon this class will all be sold out on corn, then the price will go up. The farmers of the west can all borrow mon ey, if necessary, and hold their crops Missouri has never been counted on as a state for shipping much corn, and while she may have more this year to ship than usual, she will cut but littel figure so far as affecting the market is concerned. The, again, we must remember that the corn crop was almost an entire failure all over the entire south. Then, again. the bad crop came and found nearly all the cribs of the great corn states empty. There is no old corn to fall back upon. With all these facts before us, I fall to see any indications of cheap corn the coming season, and those who buy had better lay in their supply at the earliest convenience.
 This is another crop that was badly weather beaten in some of the greatest oat growing states. This is especially true Of Iowa, the greatest oat producing state we have. Here the crop was un- usually heavy, in fact the biggest crop ever known, but the crop. was nearly all lost and what was saved Is so badly weather stained and damaged that they are not merchantable or even fit to feed to work horses. The same conditions pre- vailed in nearly all the great western oat growing states. Good oats, when good ones can be found are bringing a good price and will continue to remain high until another crop is made. One of the great grain dealers of the west said to me that 1t was just impossible to get a good quality of oats. So we need not look for any cheap oats to help us out the coming season
 The hay crop of the great hay pro- dueing section was also very ;arge and promised an abundant yield, but thous- ands of tons of fine hay was lost by the great floods and storms. Besides nearly all that was saved IS more or less wealth CT beaten and damaged. Illionis Iowa and Nebraska were the heavy losers of hay. Missouri fared some better and so did Kansas. yet both these states also suHered fearful loss and damage of the nay crops. Hay was selling from $8 to Sl5 per ton right in the great hay pro- ducing states. This would bring the price up, and make hay very expensive when shipped any distance
 Potatoes.
 There Is great shortage also of Irish potatoes In the west. The early crop was sooo' put It IS the late crop that the west depends upon for shipping south This late crop in many of the large potatoe growing sections was a complete failure. Ihis is the first time in the history of our country when Irish potatoes are cheaper In Alabama than they are in Iowa. Be- Tore l left Alabama for the west I saw potatoes selling by the car load at 65 cents per bushel. On reaching Iowa, round them selling at 70 cents per bushel NOW, there is big lesson in this which our people should profit from. I have re- peatedly stated that there was no need whatever Tor our state, Alabama to buy potatoes from the west. This will also apply to many other farm products, Ala bama can grow all the corn, hay porlt and poultry that we need and some to spare besides There is no need of our people having to purchase all these things rom the west There may be. however seasons of drouth, as was inc case lo e, year. when our crops may be cut short put the people should learn to prepare tnelr lands so that even in these drouth seasons we could produce enough to live on. l have said, and fully believe that 1T a wall was placed around the state of Alabama with pipe through 1t to run our coifee In to us, that we could come as near hVlng independant Of the world as can any other state in the Union. We have the climate and the yarIous sojIs TOT producing great variety of crops. ana we can grow right at home nearly everything that we need. While in ST Louis the other day, one of the ofriciais of the Frisco system asked me what oo you think or that country in Alabama along our line? What Is it good for ar ter the timber and mineral wealth is gone? Why, l answered. this is one of the finest sections of the south for large line of fruit and vegetables. This section Is one of the best in the south Tor peaches, apples, pears. grapes and slrdWberries, also, well as for a good line of vegetables. This section will all be brought into cultivation some day as 1ast as market can be found for it's crops. only one evening the past week on my way over from Birmingham to Memphis. I met four families on their way to Texas They formerly lived on the hill country of Alabama. all north of Birmingham. They had been back to visit and spend the Christmas in their old homes. I got to talking with them. and, like all people who go to Texas. thev began to boast of what crops they could raise in Texas, and to tell of the wonders of this great state I asked them to be honest and answer a few questions for me. My first question was. Have you ever seen such crop of turnips in Texas as you saw in your old state, Alabama7 Can you grow as fine sweet potatoes in Texas as you did in Alabama? Can you grow as good apples and grapes in Texas as you did in Alabama? Is your water and health as good in Texas as 1t was in Alabama? The answer to all these questions was 'No." And thia was the