The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-20
REPORT ON THE WORK OF
AUBURN EXPERIMENT STATION

/ the proper answers to them win proye of
| incaiculable benefit to the 90 per cent of
our population in this Industrial pursuit
Your attention Is directed to the recon-
mendation Of Prof. Duggar and DR.. An
oerson Tor more extensive experiments in
tesung the soils In the different sectiona
| OF the State thereby determining the fer
tilizers and methods of culture best adapt-
ed to different localities. The plan sug-
gested Is entirely possible, and IL carried
| INTO execution will awaken much interest
ana stimulate much inquiry among the
| farmers.
Animal Husbandry or Stock Raising.
In view OF the low price of cotton and
the nigh price of meat the farmers Of
Alabama must necessarily look to other
than cotton for a legitimate return for
their iabors. Today 1t takes about two
pounds OF cotton to buy one pound of
meat NO country has ever been pros
porous that relied upon ony one staple
crop. This Is an axiom Of political econ
| omy. Our people cannot AFFORD In their
farming operations to be producers of
| only the lowest and crudest forms of ag-
ricuitural products, This is not the place
TO argue this point, but 1t can never be
out OF place to assert It. and to empha-
size IT. The agriculturist and the veterl-
marian both Join IN applying for an In
creased appropriation for developing in
Alabama the great industries Of dairyine
ana Of cattle raising.
Careful investigation has been made In
regard to the value of Department of
Animal Husbandry and your attention il
invited to the following statements re-
ceived from the leading authorities in the
| United States:
Director w. A. Henry Of Wisconsin
says, Animal husbandry and dairying are
the easy leaders in both our college and
station efforts. This Is because our State
could not prosper IL we were to attempt
TO sell the raw products of our farms. To
sell corn. wheat. oats, barley, hay, etc.,
and keep little or no live stock would
soon ruin Wisconsin farmers and sWiscon-
sin soil. Instead of selling food products
cotton seed, hay. corn. etc. grown on the
| farm the farmers should feed them to
live. stock (cows, steers. pigs, Sheep, and
the animals sold leaving practically all
the fertility on the farms. As result of
feeding all the home. raised feed and all
we can buy, Wisconsin farms are actu-
| ally growing richer year by year."
| Prof. c., 8. Plumb of Ohio University
| says. THE live stock interests OF Ala
| bama amount to about $S,0O00O0. A De-
, partment Of Amman Industry at the A.
and NJ. College and Station should be able
| to teach such lessons as would very
| greatly add to the valuation of the live
| stock Of the State. Students brought in
touch with breeding and feeding expert
ments and practical stock work should be
able to go back to their homes and Inn
prove the methods of breeding and feed
| ing animals in their respective localities"
Vice-Director Hays Of Minnesota Uni
versfty and Station says, Animal indus
| try is of great Importance to an agricul-
tural college and experiment station. 1t
should not be omitted In any State. It Is
the best means for keeping and improv-
Ing the fertility OF the soil.'
| Vice Director Soule OF University of
| Tennessee says. "I consider a Department
of Animal Industry more essential to the
| welfare OF an agricultural and mechan-
| ical college than any other department. It
prepares students for successful breeding
and feeding Of live stock. II enables the
station to conduct Investigations along
lines that are vitality related to the well
fare of the State"
Prof. Lloyd of Mississippi A. and NJ
College and Station says, Animal indus
try work has attracted more students TO
the agricultural department than any
other feature of the department. Ala
bama needs such q department and hope
the state win enable you to get It."
An Animal Industry Department at Au-
| burn Is necessary:
| l. Because (a) It viii prepare young
| men for the stock business on the farms;
| Cb) 1t will test the relative value Of home
grown foods in producing meat products
and as fertilizers; (c) 1t will test new
foods and new food plants.
| q It will induce Alabama farmers to
raise more and better i've stock and thus
| get a double use OF all the feeds pro-
duced on the farm and all that are
bought.
Third-It will more quickly and perrna-
nently improve the poorer lands than in
any other way. Animal manures add to
the soil humus nitrogen, phosphoric acid,
| and potash, and increase the water hold
ing and water retaining capacity Of the
soil: also improve the mechanical condi-
| ton of the soil.
Fourth-By stimulating the stock indus
| try OF the State, 1t will bring about di-
versity of crops in farming without cut
| ting down cotton production; 1t will re-
duce the requirements of the land for
| commercial fertilizers; 1t will give the
farmer all the meat he needs and some
to sell; II will make the farmer more sue
cessful and more independent.
The Cost.
Wisconsin spends $4,000 in the work.
| Illinois spends 81, 900 in the work. Pro-
lessor Soule says we ought to have $4,000
annually, out BlArL ulBuL De maze Win
81. 600 per year.
1t will require 1850 to 5000 to get a
good man to head the department
Horticulture.
On September 10th, Mr.. c. F. Austin
resigned his position as Assistant Horti-
culurist of the station to accept a more
remunerative position in the A. and M.
College of Maryland. At a meeting of
the Executive Committee in Montgomery,
December 9th Prof. r. s. Macintosh,
Manager of Agriculture of the University
of. Minnesota, was elected as Professor
Of Horticulture and Horticultural to the
station. Mr.. Macintosh comes highly
recommended, and has already made an
excellent record. He was raised on the
farm, and is acquainted practically with
all phases of farm work. He engaged for
years in truck gardening He took an ex-
tended course in agriculture in the Uni
versity of Minnesota. and for ten years
has been Assistant Horticulturist Of the
station. He has been inspector of nursesy
stock in Minnesota, has been prominently
identified with the State Horticultural
Society lectures in farmers institutes.
and is a successful teacher in college
work.
It seems that the field Of horticulture
offers excellent opportunities for develop
ment and for affording substantial aid to
the farming interest Of the State in i'm