The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-21

per acre, according to conditions of the soh. For onions 1t is almost impossible eo nave soil too rich especially if the manure IS well rotted Onion crops are sieeuy Ieeders and so the soil should De wen provided with the necessary plant ioou. Liberal amounts of nitrate of soda snould be used in growing onions. Part or the nitrate can be used before planting. ana more after the crop is we'll up. Sow and work Into the soil. Nitrate of soda, if soWn or used as a top dressing, should be applied just before a rain. However, be- Tore applying any commercial fertilizer lhe soll should be made very fine, so that II may the more readily take mp the plant food and transmit it to the plants in the form of water. which Is the only way that plants can take food.
 As to Canning Outfit.
 Now as to the next or last question, as To whether l would advise the buying Of one of the cheap home canning outfits. would say that I hardly think 1t would pay. My wife who cans a great deal of fruit, gets along very nicely by the sse Of brass and porcelain kettles These If taken care of, will last for life time almost, or at least for years.
 Now l might add a few words more on the question of potatoes, of which the "AANSA ooJS HF lS BOiDB lO PidHls NhcAN there Is no shippers organization and where there is only small local demand for Irish potatoes I wouldn't plant large ly, but would plant more sweet potatoes, as these are fine for feed for hogs and cows also, and when the market does not pay enough for them feed them to hogs. l think that both writers of the above letters would do we'll to plant largely of the Spanish peanuts, and be sure to have stock to eat them on the farm. Hogs, cows and poultry are all fond of them and thrive well when fed on them. An other good thing that both these farmers and many others could do would be to dig up some of the rich. rough places where 1t is too rough to blow. and sow on such places beds of sunfower. These make fine poultry food.
 There are great many things that can be used and many ways by which the farm can be made to pay. The crops which am going to recommend for the acreage that Is to be taken out of cot ton, are grain, hay, forage crops and a long list of crops. such as millet sor- ghum, saccharine and non-saocharine, corn fodder. sorghum and peavine hay, peanuts. potatoes, dwarf Essex rape win ter pastures, fruits, vegetables, poultry, lambs, sheep, goats, hogs, cattle, mules. dairying, etc. With an abundance of these things on hand the farmers will all ways be in a very independent condition, and able to live without going in deb..
 I know that it will require some litce time for the cotton farmers to adjust themselves to these new conditions or new methods of farming but the sooner they start In the sooner will they reach the object in view. The soil is the foiu- dation, and soil study, soil care and soil protection are the first lessons for all farmers to consider, and this is why so strongly urge farmers to establish farmers institutes in every section, in every school house.
 Just think of the valuable things that the writers of these letters could have learned this winter in a good institute.