The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-05-06
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON S. WHITE.

library building, perhaps the finest build
ling in the world. There is something of
interest to be seen everywhere
When one tires of Washington and de-
sires a rest, a good plan is to run out to
Mt. Vernon and spend a day This is a
pleasant trip We can so out by the
electric car line, stop and visit historic
Alexandria, then stop and visit at Arl-
ington. once the home of Robert E. Lee,
now the great National cemetery. From
Arlington one can go to Mt. Vernon. and
after the visit here return by boat down
the Potomac to Washington. Every inch
of this route Is historic ground and full
of interest The visit to each place can
be prolonged to suit the convenience of
the time that the visitor has at his COM
mand. A day at least at each of the
three places could be well employed
On returning to Washington the visitor
should spend several days in the Ma
tionai museum, the Smithsonian institute
and others of the great buildings In the
Smithsonian institute there Is enough to
occupy the time of the visitor for weeks
There are the great buildings of the de-
partment of agriculture. These and the
trial grounds of the department are full
of interest. 1t is here that we have an
opportunity to see and study so many
new plants Again there Is the White
House. the home of the President, with
{ its fine parks and grand old native trees
= can't take time to mention all the
places Of interest which should be seen to
be fully understood and appreciated OF
course. ] could only stop long enough to
take a bird s-eye view of all these things,
for | had been over them all before. Yet
l never tire of Washington.
After a few hours of visiting with some
of the heads Of the department of agri-
culture and after arr exchange of expert
ences In our work, | passed on out of
Washington and soon came into Balti-
more. Here / was surprised to see the
amount of activity in building. Here are
many blocks of neat brick buildings under
course of construction. Only a few hours
here, and was off for Philadelphia. Here
on account of cold weather, snow and
sleet | hurried through my business and
left for st. Louis, coming back through
Pittsburg. Passing through Ohio on Sun
day I found the ground covered with
snow and ieicles hanging from the houses.
The snow lasted all the way to Indian
apolis | went east with the intention of
spending at least two weeks, but the
weather was such that I did not care to
remain.
On reaching st. Louis / found the
weather cold and here learned of the
great damage to fruit crops of the conn
| try. This damage had been general and
! seems to have reached all sections prac-
tically putting the fruit crop out of bust
ness in many sections Through the east
| the damage was as great as in the west,
| for the favorable weather of March was
general all over the country, and had pre-
| maturely started the growth of all vege-
| tation. AS stated before, the winter
wheat crop in all the eastern states that
I visited is very promising. The farmers
are just now finding out in many sec
| lions how to grow wheat.
In travelling through our older eastern
| states the student of agriculture cannot
| help seeing that things are changing and
| that the great central west will soon be-
| come the agricultural section of our coun-
! try. Next week l shall give our read
ers an outline of crop prospects in gem
/ eral have Just returned from q flying
| trip over our lines in the west, where
went to see what the frosts had done
and what the green bugs were doing. |
found the green bugs. in great evidence,
moving, as stated last week, about fifty
| miles north every week.
There Is another matter that I shall
comment upon in a short time. Last week
| saw a statement in The Accelerate
/ showing the crop shortage in the south
| The reasons for this are obvious We can
| change this condition of farming. The
way out OF such a system Is open to all
| and | will endeavor to point it out onct
more in the near future.