The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-14
Fertilizers or pIant Foods.

While in the discussion of this question of plant foods, a subject above all others that our farmers should be interested in, wish to quote from another eminent authority on this subject. have before me a paper on this subject from Prof Glenn W. Herrick of the Mississippi Agri- cultural college, which is timely and completely coineides with that which l have been teaching.
 As Professor Herrick says, we are en- tering the era of natural df vegetable fertilizers. l have tried hard to impress upon our readers and have put great stress in all my lectures upon the impor- tance of our farmers saving everything in the way of waste vegetable matter on their farms and working same Into the farm compost heap. 1 never allow lear from a shade or fruit tree to be burned or wasted. These, with all other rubbish and waste vegetable matter. is carefully saved and used for bedding for horses and cows where 1t is prepared ready for the compost heap. Enough time is wasted on nearly every farm to gather and save a vast amount of home fertilizers. Then in nearly every town there are dollars worth of this natural fertilizer going to waste, which could and should be hauled out and applied to the soil.
 There are no subjects in which our farmers are more in need of education than those of plant and animal foods and as the Professor states: Here is great field for educational work" It is only question of time when the grass on our ranches will give out and when our beef will have to be produced on the farms, so that right now is an opportune time to commence an aggressive campaign of education along the lines of feeding both soils and the farm animals. The more we learn of balanced ratipns for the farm animals, the better will we have a knowl- edge of a balanced ration for all our soils. The laws of the vegetable and animal kingdom are very similar in all their workings.
 It me call attention to smaller farms. Small farms, where the owner lives on the farm and looks after every detail are the kind of farms that make good roads. good public schools, good society, good churches and a prosperous country gen erally. Tie man who owns his home is
 free from debt and has his help within his own family is the richest man in this country.
 These small farms, cultivated by inn proved farm implements by farmers, who pay cash for all they buy, will solve the present vexatous labor problems. Important Farmers Convention. A few days ago I received letter from tDe 1GeSluent or tHe Wtslcln Agricultural college, located at Hamilton, Ala. with a kind invitation to attend their opening exercises on Monday May IA. This, as 1 understand is to be farm CTS day, and I am to deliver an address on this date. My subject will be, unless assigned some other by the programme committee, "The Importance of Agricul- tural Education."
 I have made all arrangements for being present, and I certainly am glad of this opportunity to visit Alabama again to mix. mingle and enjoy the hospitality of the most appreciative people in the world. For I have had every evidence to con vince me that our people along our line between Memphis and Birmingham feel grateful for what I have tried to do in helping them to better their conditions When I go among these people I feel that I am among my best friends. l have tried to be plain and honest in all my state ments to these people. both in my lec- lures and in all my writings for the Age Herald
 When I come down I shall get a feeler from the people on a Fourth of July proposition, when I can come down and deliver an oration in some beautiful shady grove. My choice in the matter
 would be to have this celebration in the woods and have it as primitive as pos sible There are several admirable situa- tons on our line in western Alabama. Should anything come of this, our read CTS will be fully advised through these columns.