The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-23
Agricultural Department
.s.S
 CONDUCTED BY FULTON S. WHITE.

themselves In the growing of these crops for both pasture and hay. They are learn ing that we have grasses and clovers suitable for nearly all soils well as the value of these in rotation of crops. So as we increase the acreage of grasses, we will also increase the fertility of our soils and our bank accounts as well
 Wheat.
 While the wheat crop generally at this time is very promising, yet the acreage { is not large. There seems to be a grad ual decline each year for the last few years in the acreage planted to wheat. As far as I have been able to study the crop I find that where the soil or seed bed was properly prepared and good seed used, there Is promise of a great harvest. I want to say more later on regarding the future Of the wheat crop in our country
 As alluded to before, the acreage sown to oats this year is small and in many sections the crop which was sown was put in on poorly prepared seed beds so that we may not reasonably expect very large crop of oats this year.
 Cotton.
 At this writing, I am not very well posted as to acreage and conditions of the cotton crop. However I know that the acreage in both territories, Oklahoma and the Indian Territory and the upper or new Texas country has been largely increased over what 1t was last year Owing to the high price of last seasons cotton, the crop has crawled further north this year.
 Early Potatoes.
 The crop will be more scattered than 1t has been for several years. In some of the sections where early potatoes are grown for shipment, growers got the usual acreage planted, while other sec- tions were but out almost entirely by the continued late rains. The indications are that early potatoes will bring a good price this year.
 Onions.
 Last year, owing to the bad weather conditions at harvesting time, our Texas onion growers lost heavily on their crops but this year they are reaping rich harvest the greatest yields and the best returns in the history of the onion-grow- ing industry. The crop from Texas alone this year will reach the enormous sum of one-half million dollars. Some growers are getting as much as 800 crates per acre, which sell for $2 per crate, or $500 per acre, so that the net profits per acre is running anywhere from $500 to 5000 per acre.
 The Fruit Crops.
 There is a prospect for one of the great est fruit crops ever grown in this coun- try This embraces nearly every line of fruit from the strawberry to the big red apple. Our readers will do we'll to heed the advice given in these columns last season, and get their cans ready for canning a large surplus, and also have plenty of hogs to eat the inferior grades. This will be a season when 1t will not pay to ship poor fruit. As we have stat ed before, all fruits. especially peaches should be carefully graded, packed in the very best and most attractive pack ages and shipped only to such markets as will pay the grower a profit for his labor. Fruit growers had as well make up their minds now for cheap peaches and begin to provide accordingly. Cheap peaches will give the hogs a start for making pork, and the prospects are that pork will bring unusually good prices next fall. The hog pen or lot will afford a paying market this season for all cheap fruit.