The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-24
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON s. WHITE.
SUCCESSFUL ITINERARY.

SUCCESSFUL ITINERARY.
 I will give our readers a short account of our late trip over the line through Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Mis- sourl with the Frisco Educational car got back to Springfield Saturday July l4' after nearly three weeks of hard work.
 The trip was a grand success through all the states named. Notwithstanding that it was the busy season, and that the farmers generally are behind with their work in the crops. owing to the wet weather, they came out in great numbers at nearly all the appointments, But the farmers were not the only ones who came. There were merchants, bankers, lawyers newspaper men and in a num- Der of places I was honored by the pres ence of a good number of ladies. All classes seem very much interested in this educational movement, and I feel that much good has been accomplished.
 During the trip I delivered over thirty lectures besides the lectures at the car, which in many cases occupied an hours time. A large amount of literature was distributed which was very highly ap- preciated, and will be read and In many cases no doubt will be put to practical use. A very broad range of agricultural subjects was treated, a great many of which were new to many of my audiences. Great stress was placed upon the impor- tance of agricultural education. The time has come In this country when farmers cannot succeed unless they educate them selves on practical agricultural lines. l f-fa f,. oil f1Io fo ifaanr n farmers the great importance of building upon a firm foundation That foundation is grass, grain and stock for no country ever was or ever will be prosperous from an agricultural standpoint until they build upon this basis. England, Scotland Denmark and numberof the grass and grain states of the United States were used as object lessons to show the force of this. The growing of better wheat for export trade and for milling purposes received a full share of attention.
 Advice on Grain Given.
 The growing of better graoes of corn as well as all other grains was strongly urged and full directions for preparing various soils were given. Farmers were warned against putting too much faith in stories about what improved seed would do, or had done, in increasing the yields of grains in various sections. The question of good, pure seed Is one of vital importance. and the farmer should be very careful In the selection of his seed for crops. and should plant none but the very best. Yet the seed is not the place to commence This is commencing at the top to build. The place to begin with is the soil. The soil must be prepared for re- ceiving and growing crops from good seed. The greatest burden of my talks was on soil building, soil preparation and how not only to build up the soil but also how to retain it's fertility. The matter of fertilizers for various soils was also given 9 great amount of attention. I took up in order the leading leguminous plants which should be grown in rotation. fully explaining their habits of growth and their usefulness. both as soil renovators and as foods for stock
 The question of winter pastures for stock came up at nearly all the meetings and farmers were fully informed in each locality as to the best plants to use for this purpose and full directions were given as to when and how to SOW seed of all these crops. Stock growing also came in for a good share of attention and the growing of poultry, goats, sheep hogs. cattle and young mules.
 The dairy industry was made prom inent feature in all my meetings l found a vast amount of interest in alfalfa and
 
 ing this crop. I found great interest among the farmers in clovers, grasses and forage crops and had many questions to answer concerning these find that on an educational tour of this kind one has to be walking encyclopedia and must know and stock up with information Tn order to be able to answer the many ques- tions asked. I suppose that on this trip I addressed anywhere from three to five thousand farmers I met with many ex- periences as well as with many high compliments and words of encourage ment.
 Where Farmers Succeeded.
 On the question of education found that wherever farmers had informed themselves as they should on the growing of any line of crops and had worked to- eether in disposing of their crops that they had succeeded. In one instance where an association had followed out the instructions of our potato bulletin they had grown from 150 to 300 bushels or the finest quality of potatoes per acre am teaching that potash is far betetr than moonshine for fertilizing a potato crop. For wheat use nitrogen. potash and acid phosphate in a well balanced proportion The time has come In this country when farmers cannot depend on an almanac to farm by Bulletins on the rotation or crops and on soil building will be better.
 At several of my meetings in Mississippi the cry was Grass Is taking our crops and what shall we do about it?'' My an- swer was in all such cases: Put on dairy cows, turn thls grass into cream and sell It. You have right at hand ready market for every gallon of milk you can produce. I asked this question: Is it wisdom or economy to hire help to de- stroy s25 worth of grass on an acre iD order to produce $s worth of cotton2'