The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-14
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FL LION S. WHITE.

| teaching hog growing in the south. This
man went on to say that the receipt of
hogs now at the large packing houses are
inadequate to meet the requirements of
the packing houses. |. greatly fear that
our people are so elated over the high
price of cotton that they will overlook
the value of the hog and things that can
be grown without robbing the soil.
Look After the Poultry.
This is another very important indus
try and the hen houses and nests need
to be looked after at once. Clean out the
hen houses, cleanse the roosts. white
wash the hen house inside and out. II
there are signs or danger of lice or other
vermin, fumigate well with sulphur
fumes by closing the house tight and
burning sulphur inside. 1t Is also we'll to
scatter or sprinkle a little carbolic acid
about the roosts and nests.
TO make the poultry business profitable
the chickens should have free range, plen-
ty of clover grass and green wheat or
rye. Also provide plenty of gravel clean
water and pure food and when these rules
are observed, there is nothing that will
pay better on the farm for the amount in
vested than hens
Haul Out the Manure.
Here is something that should have
been attended to before this, yet there
are many farmers who have delayed this
work This should be hauled out right
away and spread and plowed under as
soon as hauled. A great deal of plant food
is wasted every year on the farms and
in towns. This should all be saved and
turned to good advantage. During the
winter months many farmers idle away
enough time that if used in hauling out
| this fertilizer from the towns, they would
soon make their farms rich. There is
,,,f.
' ger in this country than anything else
We must wake up along these lines.
Prune the Orchards.
The other day drove twelve miles out
| into the country through what is called
one of the greatest apple growing sec
| tons in our country | was surprised at
what | saw of the crude efforts that were
being made at apple growing l saw many
/ fine young orchards all grown up In
! brown sage sassafras and persimmon
| brush Others had been cultivated in
corn. There bad been no drainage pre-
pared, no fertilizer used and but few or
chards had been pruned. / saw orchards
where the trees were thick with water
sprouts When these appear on fruit
trees it is an indication that the trees are
| not thrifty or in a healthy condition.
! They are sick and need a DOCTOR the wa
| eSl spiOhtS al tdhtil Ollf the SOIL exam
ined as well as the tree, and the proper
medicine applied. The medicine most
| commonly needed in such cases is plant
! foods made up of nitrogen, acid phos-
| phate and potash. Cow peas should be
grown In all young orchards, as these
will supply the nitrogen needed Well
rotted stable manure would be fine for
many of the young orchards / saw on
| this trip.
The Garden.
The work of preparing and planting the
| garden should be pushed now, in fact
| many of the early varieties of vegeta bles
/ should have been planted In many sec
\ tons before this. Plan the garden so
| as to have a good supply of fresh vege-
| tables all the season. Asparagus and
! rhubarb beds should be cleaned Of all the
| old last years growth and highly fertil-
| lied. The rose bushes should be looked
J after thinned out and fortified in order
| to have them produce beautiful flowers
| The farmer who gets into the habit of
! looking after these matters and who has
| learned how to do things at the right
| time and in the right way not only sue
! ceeds, but he finds great pleasure in his
! work. There is no excuse In a man not
| living we'll and having great abundance
! of the good things of this life on a
| farm