The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-01-22
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON S. WHITE.

| Importance and benefits to be derived
from the use of the sub-soil plow in all
our heavy clay soils OF the south Here
We have no deep winter freezes TO loosen
up and enliven our under soils, so we
should do the next best thing, snp-soh
and make a deep, rich seed bed. Our
southern farmers will find their best
friend in this work of supplying humus
in our common stock pea.
Prepare for Grain.
Seeding time for our readers of the
south is close at hand; in fact. along
the coast country seeding has commenced,
so that every day now that the soil is in
condition for work should be used in pre-
pairing the soil for early oats, early corn
and other grain crops. 1t is the carry
crops grown on well prepared soils that
give best results and greatest pfonts'
After this thorough cleaning and prepara-
ton of the soil should come the selection
of pure unmixed grains for seed, and there
is no more fitting time than now to select
the seeds needed. Seed, OF course, mas
great influence in the crop, and the pet
ter the soil Is prepared and the bitter the
crop is cultivated the greater will be
this influence in the favor Of the grower
Work for Gardeners.
Fruit and truck groweds who make a
success of their business are always busy
on their farms. The busy season for this
| class of farmers on our southern farm IS
close at hand. Soon the rush OF work
will be upon them. The season for mar
| keting many of the harder vegetables
will soon be here. Hence the Importance
of having everything in readiness for the
rush. Such vegetables as mustard, tur-
nips, radsh early peas, onions and early
| potatoes can soon be planted.
The gardener should get all manure
hauled out and plowed under as soon as
| possible Where hot-beds have not been
provided for the growing OF early plants,
such as cabbage and tomat 90. shuld be
| looked after at once and the beds be got
ten ready The season for hot-bed work
| and for sowing seeds on hnt-beds Is now
on or should be with man of our read
/ ers. In fact, there is a vast amount of
work now demanding the attention of all
gardeners. As for our fruit growers,
| there is always work for them at this
| season Pruning should be looked after
| and gotten out of the way of other work.
The orchards should be fortified with
good top dressing of a well balanced fer
| tlizer. this to be used In addition to all
other fertilizers that may have been used.
| This Is a good season for planting trees
| and many fruit plants The asparagus
and rhubarb beds should be looked after
| and fortified. Our readers live over
such a great range of country that 1t is
| seeding time with some Of them at nearly
not only timely but can be used as the
season advances north for several months
| to come.
Increase From Products.
| Remember now that we have started
out with this new year to make 1t an
other record-breaker. We want to in
crease the products Of our farms at least
a billion dollars over the great record we
made in 1905. This can be easily accom-
plshed without in the least affecting the
market value of our farm products. Now
Is the time the season. when we must
stir ourselves on the farms In order to
| accomplish this result. AS stated in my
| paper of last week, we must enlist in
our army of busy workers many of the
| idlers and make them help US IN chls
great work.
In 1905 we produced $685. 100000 worth of
dairy products, a record breaker, yet
| there never was time In the history OF
this country when dairy products We're
| selling so high or when there was such
a demand for good butter. We can easily
bring our dairy products up to one billion
of dollars and still have market at good
prices for every pound of butter ana
cheese that is produced.
Our wheat crop amounted to only $685.
100000 We should grow at leasto one bill
lion dollars worth of wheat But 1t Is
too latae now to do much for increasing
to commence to prepare for growing a
bumper wheat crop for 1907.
our hogs and sheep only brought $2S3,-
900. O0Oin 1905 We should have s250GeO'OOO
worth of sheep and $5O0,0O0,OO0 worth of
hogs
The Reading Season.
This is the season for the farmer to
read up on all these questions. 1t is also
good time for him to select his agri-
cultural papers, seed catalogues and bull
letins. which are sent out by the Depart
ment of Agriculture and from the differ
ent agricultural colleges of the states.
And again, it Is a good time for the
reader to write me for some of our bul-
letIns We have some on potatoes ap-
pies. peaches alfalfa and grain growing
ALI of which are free for the asking.
In conclusion, want to say to our read
ers. il you will look around over your
farms, you will find that this, like all
others, is a very busy season for the
farmer Let us all pull together In one
great effort to make the new year the
greatest in the history of our country.
If we only perform our part as we should,
at the end of the year the world VIII be
astonished at the results
On Friday, January s. | had the pleas
ure of meeting with the people of Grey
son county Texas, in great dairy con-
vention at Sherman. I had with me w.
state Dairy association, and Mr.. Ander-
SON a leading dairyman of Fort Worth
We addressed the convention on grain
growing, dairying and other practical
farm topics.
Agricultural News.
On Saturday, January 8, we met with
the people of Fort Worth and held a
dairy convention. There is great deal
of interest being taken in dair- ng in
Northern Texas Two creameries nave
been built at both Sherman Fort
Worth. Col r. E. Smith, the alfalfa
king of Sherman Tex, has erected a
creamery on his alfalfa farm and Is now
turning all of his alfalfa into utter He
saws that is far more profitable to sell
butter than 1t Is to sell alfalfa ~ and
that It is far cheaper to haul butter than
hay.
A great deal of rain has fallen in north
ern Texas within the last few weeks
which has greatly retarded '- pick
ing. There is yet some cotton In the
fields. Winter wheat and oats look very
promising We will be in Texas some
week syet.