The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-24
Agricultural Department
coNpucrEp eY FULTON 8. WHITE.

think that now Is an opportune time for some writer to write and start to circu- latng through the leading papers of the country an article on agricultural non sense, for there is certainly more of this now than at any previous period of our history. I hope to be able to find time to write up such an article. for it cer- tainly is badly needed. l shall however have to defer this for the present, as I want in this letter to give an outline of crops which it will be safe for orr readers to engage in growing, and then follow this up with information on how to cul- tiyate. harvest and market them. This think. is the kind of information that our new converts to diversifcation need first and most of all.
 There is no advantage to the farmer in constantly advising him to reduce his cotton acreage unless we have something better to offer, or unless we can advise him in the way that he may be benefited. Crops Which Are Always Safe. As l have before stated the shortest and cheapest plan for building up soils and for preparing them for growing grains, fruits and vegetables. is by the growing of stock and grasses. These are the foundations of agricultural wealth in all countries This Is the way to re- duce the fertilizer bills and make the farm pay. The following line of stock may be grown at good profit in Alabama, as well as in many other of our cotton growing states@
 Live Stock.
 Horses. mules cattle, hogs. sheep, goats and poultry-all these may be grown not only in sufficient numbers to meet all home demands, but most of these could be grown at good profit for shipment.
 But as in the. case of starting out to grow fruits and vegetables, the soil must be prepared so that it can be made to
 produce ain ample supply of the right kind of feed for the stock for there is no pay whatever in keeping of stock that cannot be fed, kept fat and made ready for market when needed.
 Of course some expense will have to be incurred in preparing for engaging in the stock growing industry. Fences will be needed, but these can be had quite cheap | ly Then some arrangement must be made for an ample supply of pure. fresh water Bear in mind that stock need and should have as pure water as is needed 1 for the household supply. Then next comes the question of pastures and feed, and certainly there Is no country where so great a line of forage crops may be grown at so small an expense as here i in Alabama will give here list of hay ! or forage crops that may be profitably grown for feed for the stock mentioned ! above.
 Hay or Forage Crops.
 In grains l would mention corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, and long line of sorghums and millets, COW peas, velvet beans and sunflowers All of these, ex- cept the sunhower, will give both grain and hay feed and all can be grown to good profit in the sections mentioned. Root Crops.
 In addition to the forage crops we have a fine line of root crops, which also may be grown for feed at great profit. Of these I will mention potatoes. both Irish and sweet. peanuts and artichokes Of these the sweet potato and peanuts will both give hay for feed in addition to the value of the roots. Regarding the arti- chokes, I will explain their purpose in this rotation later on.
 Grasses and CIovers. So soon-yes, even before we engage in stock growing very extensively-we will need to prepare something in the way of pa sture. so l will give here a list of clovers and grasses which it is possible to grow in these sections for pasture. How ever in order to succeed in growing these the soil should have the prepara- ton and treatment, such as have rec commended from time to time. See article