The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-01
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON s. WHITE.

, Many bolls were grown. The crops of corn, peas, peanuts, and in fact all the crops at the station were looking re- markedly well and showed clearly what Texas soil is capable of producing under strictly improved methods of farming.
 Received object Lessons.
 The farmers who attended surely got some object lesons which they will do well to remember. Several counties had fine exhibits of farm. garden and orchard pro- ducts and l was greatly surprised at sec ing such fine exhibits at this season of the year, the first part of July
 The state had made provision for pay Ing the expenses of lecturers to go out and hold meetings among the farmers and teach them better methods of farm ing. l was there to secure some of these lecturers to assist me in my work on the Frisco lines in Texas and had the promise of good help for a series of meetings which will commence at Brownwood in August. We expect much good to result from these meetings.
 After spending the day most pleasantly and profitably at night l took the train for Houston, spent the night there and had few hours next morning in which to see this enterprising, hustling city. Here I received the eourtesies of the Houston and Texas Central in an invitation to re- turn 10 Fort Worth over their line, on what is claimed to be the finest and fast est train that runs through Texas Be this as it may yet l can say that we had fine trip and the distance of nearly 300 miles was made from 11:3O a. m to s:S0 D. m pretty good time. This Is a new. fast train, running through seepers from Gal weston to Denver. This trip took us through one of the richest sections in the state. At Hampstead we run in a great watermelon section. Here we found ten cars loaded with melons for Denver. The crop Is fine.
 At Ft. Worth.
 Reaching Fort Worth Saturday night I stopped here over Sunday to rest and an- swer my mail. By the way my head quarters when am at Fort Worth Is with an Alabama family by the name of Han cock who are closely related to our genial attorney. John shugart of Birmingham.
 On reaching Fort Worth l learned that the cantaloupes along the Frisco in Tex as were ripening and ready to ship and the growers wanted some information So Sunday night 1 left Fort Worth on an inspection tour of these crops and put In Monday July IS on the line between Fort Worth and Brownwood, returning to Fort Worth Tuesday morning in time to get the fast train for Colorado
 Now l have a great deal to say about Texas and this has not been said be- cause l have any more interest in Texas than l have in other sections, but from the fact that l see and know that this great state Is destined to largely con- trol the market on all early fruits and vegetables. We see ample proof of this now on every hand-the handwriting is on the wall. People are just beginning to realize something of the possibilities Of this great state. However l would not have anyone conclude that Texas Is a paradise. The water supply has been question but the matter of irrigation and the use of deep wells is now being discussed and no doubt this will help out wonderfully in developing the truck farming industry. But the great advan- tage is in earness. as they can get on the market so early.
 Texas Fruit and Vegetables.
 Now l am not ready to concede that the fruits and vegetables of Texas are as fine in quality as are the Tennessee and Alabama products. but the cheap ness and earliness in growing give Texas l wonderful advantage. As it is the early crop that brings the fancy prices, so in this respect Texas has the advan- 1 tage.
 On Tuesday morning. July A. I left Fort Worth over the Fort Worth and
 
 through the great Panhandle country of Texas and the plains of New Mexico. made this trip in the day time in order that l might see the country, and so was the better part of two days crossing the plains. This Is wonderful country and in many sections the wheat crop is fine and thrashers are operating everywhere. Wheat through this section is the main crop. The grass is getting dry and cattle wi ba h bea of this country looks to me like a lonely dreary desert and especially what they call the Bad lands. The weather was extremely hot and the sand flying, and we had to keep our car so close that it was like being in an oven. On reaching these Bad lands there we dropped down several hundred feet, which increased our already over-heated condition. But quite good many towns and various in- dustrles have sprung up all along the line, and then there are a variety of crops growing. But it seems that the one thing needful for this section Is more l water. This is a great cattle and sheep country; however. not many sheep were seen until we reached New Mexico. Through this country there is no end to the prairie dogs They have their towns everywhere
 Prairie Dog Habits.
 
 like to know of these interesting little animals. They are about the size of a l common house cat when fully grown l They belong to the family of rodents and | live entirely on vegetable matter, roots and grasses. Many erroneous stories are told about them and a common one Is that they allow owls and snakes to live with them. This is partly true. Rabbits He~d owls share their hospitality. but whAn a snake goes Into their holes he goes for business. to eat their young. When a, snake enters their den they car ry dirt aud pack it so compact on him that he does we'll to ever get out. They live in towns and are socialists. They have all things in common and espe- cially their well of water, which Is pro- vided for before they build their town. They select la place, dig for water and if a good supply Is found then they build town. Avery den has a pathway un- deaggUlind leading to the well. Some times these wells are deep. They are harmless The greatest trouble which they give is the danger incurred In driv- Ing stock over their towns, as a horse may stumble into one of their holes and throw his rider sprawling.
 Then there is quite a complaint about their eating up crops of wheat and oats. But out on the prairies they do no harm other than that mentioned. It is unsafe to ride over their towns, especially at nights. They are quite docile and slow to give up their towns to man. In some 1 of the new towns out in western Okla homa the houses are built right over those of the dogs and they hold on until killed off. l have shot them right in the