The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-13
Experts Will Go Into Southern Counties of the Sixth
 District This Week
CAPTAIN ROBSON TALKS
 OF THE GOOD RESULTS
The Work VIII be Followed up Close ly by the Department at Wash ngton-campaign Closes
 Next Friday.
BY WALTER HARPER.

Congressman R. P. Hobson and his party of experts from the United States department of agriculture, who are en- gagged in making a tour of the Sixth dis trict, spent yesterday in Birmingham. They will resume work at Jasper with a meeting at 1O:9O o'clock this morning.
 The tour will close at Tuscaloosa next Friday night. The tour began last Mon l day morning at Aliceville, in Pickens county, and extended over Pickens, La mar, Marion and Fayette counties. Two and three meetings were held at different places in each county. The other coun- ties of the district will be visited this week.
 Much interest has been shown in the 1 subjects discussed during the campaign, and the attendance has grown steadily at each meeting.
 Captain Hobson Talks.
 In discussing the work at the Hotel Hillman yesterday afternoon, Congress- man Hobson said: q am more than pleased with the success of the first weeks tour in the Sixth district
 T had hardly hoped to find the people so intensely eager for information along the lines mentioned, and the great en- thusiasm is not only gratifying to me but Is a revelation and an inspiration to the men who are with me on the trip. These experts are talking to the people, however on subjects of vital interest to every man in the district. and we found them ready and eager to listen and learn. "The most encouraging feature of the fe. | in the work by the department officials at Washington. They are watching the work very closely, and are offering all the encouragement and cooperation in their power They seem to be greatly pleased with the interest that is being shown by the people in the subjects dis cussed.
 Forest Preservation.
 '"rhe question of forest preservation that is being so ably discussed by Will liam s. Hall of the forestry division is one of vital importance, and will doubt less result in the saving of thousands of dollars to the land owners of the Sixth district. Many people in that section have suffered greatly at the hands of un- scruplous purchasers of timber lands, and Mir Halls timely warning is of great value. The department proposes to fol- low up this warning by sending out man to cooperate with and instruct the people in securing full value for their timber wealth and secure the unnecessary destruction of the forests
 Good Roads Discussion.
 "The good roads discussion so admir- ably discussed by Sam c. Lancaster will be followed up by the building of sec- tions of good roads in number of coun- ties this summer. This work will Joe done by the counties assisted by funds fur nished by the federal government.
 "The great interest that Is being shown in the discussion of cotton culture by R. s. Wilson has induced the department to place a man permanently in the dis trict to cooperate with the farmers in improving their operations in this line. This man will come in September and will help every cotton farmer in the dis trict to improve and increase his yield.
 Dr. J. A. Bonstells discussion of soils has created much interest and will be quickly followed by a complete survey of every county in the district Sumter
 
 in Marion is just now being completed.
 q hope to be able to greatly ir;-H=-->e the educational facilities of the district by the earnest cooperation of the people.
 Is Only Beginning.
 '''rhe tour we are making is only the beginning of a new era of advancement in the Sixth district The people are eager for advancement and I believe will meet the government more than half way in its desire to better conditions along all lines. The object of the department of agriculture is, to better the condition of the farmers of this country and the Sixth district is as much entitled to these ben efs as any other in the country I am going after everything that Is due my constituents and I know the people will back me up in the effort.'
 State Commissioner of Agriculture J. A. Wilkerson will spend part of this week with the Hobson party. Prof, Fred Doy- ger of Auburn head of the state experi- ment station; will also join the party for a few days this week.
 At the close of the tour next Saturday Captain Hobson will return to Washing ton to spend few weeks with his wife, and to work out the plans for advance ment in his district that are being mapped on the present tour.
 Sam c. Lancaster, the good roads man, will return to Seattle, Wash. where he is engaged in assisting Samuel Hill in working out plans for a system of roads for that state
 Dr. J. A Bonsteel will go at once into the Piedmont section, along the Atlantic coast to make a special inspection of soils in that section.
 William s. Hall, the forestry man, will go to Rome, Ga, to organize the special commission authorized by the last Con- gress to investigate the proposed Appa- Iaa nd Ia toIt R. S. Wilson will return to Mississippi where he is in change of cotton culture experimentation.