The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-05
AGRICULTURAL.
BY FULTON s. WHITE.


 In my last I promised to have some thing more to say of crops that could be substituted for the cotton crop, or that could be used on the land taken out of cotton growing. Since my last have been holding meetings continuously day and night and so have hoen brought in direct touch with hundreds of farm CTS. I find that this matter has not re- ceived the careful consideration that it should have received and many farmers with whom l have talked have said to me that really they had not given the matter much thought anyway.
 The whole attention of the farmers seem to be converted on the one idea to hold their cotton and cut down this years acreage. As stated in my last, the one crop above all others that has been recommended as a crop to take the larger part of the acreage that will be taken out of cotton growing is the
 Early Potato.
 In all my meetings of the last two weeks this potato question has been brought up. and, as stated, it is about the only crop the farmers are agreed upon. Of course some feed crops will be used as substitutes, but l am writing more particularly of commercial crops. The cotton farmer who expects to grow | potatoes and who has never had any | experience In commercial potato grow ing would do we'll to provide a good home market for his crop by stocking up with a good stock of poultry, hogs and milk cows so as to be able to market his potato crop If prices dc not suit in the form of poultry, pork and cream. | Now in all these organized associations | of farmers If each farmer or member of | these associations-new begnners-wouid each plant say, not to exceed five acres each of early potatoes prepare the land we'll give good cultivation, 1t would prob ably be a safe investment, ard especially so if the same farmers would plant in addition a good line of forage crops, and root crops, such as COW peas, soy or soJa beans, that may be ground and mixed with corn and oat chop, then cook up the potatoes and mix with this chop feed and | thus produce cheap poultry, pork and cream. The other root crops to be grown | in connection with this rotation and which should enter largely into the cheap | feed proposition Is peanuts and sweet po- | tatoes. both esr recially fine and cheap Tor | both hogs and cows.
 The idea is to have the farmer get into | independent circumstances and not be compelled to put any crop on the market when the market price will not pay for the producing of the crop. Now the question is how can the farmer best get into this independent position? First by so arranging his stock and crops so as to have something to sell every day In the year. He can come nearer doing this with the hen and the COW than he can with any other stock crops that he | can produce on the farm. But l know what the argument is that comes In here, | especially so with the cotton farmers who have had their all invested in cot l ton growing. They say that 1t takes 1 time and money to stock up in these new industries and so it does, but the sooner the farmer makes a start along these lines the sooner will he reach this in- dependent position.
 Another difficulty comes up at all our meetings on this subject. Many farmers say that they owe debts and that they have to have credit. and that cotton is l the only crop that they can secure credit on So it really seems as If some change was needed along this line and that mer- | chants and bankers should place some commercial value on stock and On other | crops as well as cotton, so that these might be used as security as well cot ton crops. However the sooner that the farmer gets freed from this credit system the better 1t will be for them as well as | for the whole country. But there is yet another trouble, and this comes from | the renters, who say that they cannot go into any diversification crops from the fact that they have to plant such crops | as the land owner demands, and renters at my meetings have reported that land owners will not even allow them to keep hog or any other stock on the farm.
 So 1t would seem that it was necessary in order to get freed from this che crop | idea that all these interests should CO., operate together for the general good of the country. The bankers, the mer- chants. the land owners and the renters. This is one of my strongest reasons for holding open door meetings and for bring ing together all classes and all interests. We need not expect to build up any one | industry by pulling down some other equally as worthy. perhaps Neither can we expect to accomplish anything by ar raying one class against another. The | foundation of all wealth Is derived from the soil either directly or indirectly, so that the merchant, banker, and infact all classes should feel a deep interest in the | welfare of the farmer and all work to- gether for the upbuiding of eyery legit- innate industry and for the general good of all.
 Merchants Take Interest.
 And right on this line I am pleased to note that the merchants are taking an unusual interest in this matter and are l Onerlng Tn many SectlOUs to neip tHc farmers out by buying seed potatoes and other seeds and giving them time to make a crop to pay for same. Again we find many landlords who are willing to make some satisfactory arrangements with their tenants. so that they. too. may have something besides the one crop. cot ton. It is largely an educational work. And this Is what Is most needed now all over our country-agricultural education that will help the farmer to better his condition. I give here some valuable in formation on potato growing and will take up other crops later
 Pasturing.
 There is in this. as in all other matters. a difference of opinion as to the value or alfalfa as a pasture crop. Ther' Is no question. however, in the mind of the writer as to its value for pasture for most stock, especially for hogs. horses goats and poultry. It will furnish pas ture for from fifteen to twenty hogs per acre and double the amount of pasture that any other crop will give.
 But where grown for hay or dry feed it should naver be pastured. but if pas