The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-03
MEETING OF FARMERS
MONTGOMERY AGRICULTURISTS
 IN SESSION.
Association at Noon Yesterday Dis cussed Fertilizers, Rural Tele- phones and Other Matters of
 Interest to Farm Folk.

The Montgomery Agricultural Associa- tion held a highly interesting and instruc- tive meeting at it's hall on Commerce Street yesterday at F o'clock.
 There was a large attendance of repre- sentative farmers and much interest was manifested in the proceedings.
 The following persons applied for inem- bership and were unanimously elected: John W. Underwood. F. B. Fisk, J. H. Higgins and H. Jones.
 The Committee consisting of Mcqueen Smith, O. B. Mastin and J. A. Sellers. appointed to investigate the subject of fertilizers, made 6 report submitting grades, prices and other information as to their value and cost. The subject was declared to be one of great interest and importance as the farmers of Alabama paid out about three and a half million dollars for fertilizers during the past year.
 The various elements of plant food con- sisting of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, the per centage required and the most economical form in which to pur- chase was ably discussed by Mcqueen Smith, Dr. A. 8. Tennille. J. A. Barnes, J. A. Sellers, P. B. Msstin. Dr. H. L.. Stone, A. R. Harvey and others.
 Hon. R. R. Poole, Commissioner of Ag- riculture and Industries, declared that a
 
 CTS would do their own mixing, a saving of $5 per ton. or 25 per cent in the cost.
 Many of the farmers present eagerly asked for the formula and will avail themselves of the information.
 J. A. Barnes and Jesse c. Adams were appointed a committee to prepare and public from the information obtained the best formulas and the cost of the ingre- dients. The conclusion reached was that kh1s Co Oat of their fertilizers and save the immense profits heretofore going to the fertilizer trust.
 J. A. Sellers, Chairman made an in- teresting report showing the cost and value of a rural telephone system, show ing such system would be of incalculable value to the country people and could be constructed at a reasonable price
 The committee will continue to dis subject.
 Hon. R. R. Poole was introduced by President Houghton and called on to make the speech he failed to make at the last meeting, on diversified farming, a State fair for Montgomery and fertilizers.
 He eloQuently urged the farmers to learn lessons from the past. make their farms self-sustaining and raise their own mules, cattle and hops. He told of his visit to the Georgia State Fair at Macon and how he was overwhelmed with the lavish display of agricultural products from Georgia soil, making one of the fin- est exhibits he ever saw.
 He said the people of Montgomery should aid the farmers fin holding a State fair in Montgomery and that he would give all the assistance in his power.
 Charles Thigpen and W. IT. Vaughn made interesting talks on the value and cost of shredding corn stalks for hay. The conclusion was that the process add ed $S to $1O per acre to the value of the corn crop with but small additional cost.
 Charles Gay gave his experience with cassava. a specimen stalk of which was on exhibition in the hall. It was only adapted to deep, rich. sandy soil, but was of great value as a feed crop.
 J. A. Barnes, Chairman of the Com mittee on Machinery and regulating the hay trade of Montgomery. reported prog ress in the Investigation of the subject. The Committee delieved that the storing, grading and handling hay by commission men was desirable and profitable both to the farmer and the public.
 President IIoughton expressed the thanks of the Association to MT. Poole, Commissioner, for large number of val uable bulletins and also to F. P. Chaffee of the United States weather bureau for some bulletins from the Agricultural De- partment at Washington.
 The State Live Stock Association which , convenes in Montgomery on January 15, was invited to hold its sessions in the Associations rooms and the members were urged to attend.
 Attention was also called to the meet | ing of the State Horticultural Society in Mobile in February.