The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-01

reader to northern Alabama as one of the best sections of the south for ap, pie growing, especially the timber and clay lands in that. section.
 After the section of country has been decided upon, the question of location upon the farm should be well consid- cred. An apple orchard is something that is expected to be a fixture for some time on the farm and so should be located to the very best advantage, for mistake in this matter is not easi- ly corrected. The grower should take everything into careful consideration before locating.
 The orchard should be located so tha. the fruit will not have to be hauled far for packing. Again. the location should be where there is sufficient fall to make drainage. Then, again, the orchard sh hould be so located as to show the farm to the best advantage. Also located so as to be easily and oh eaply fenced, provided one should want to use it for pasture for hogs or other stock. All these little details should be taken into account, as vel as the matter of soil.
 Convention of Agricultural Workers.
 It was my pleasure last week to attend the National Convention of the Americfu Association of Farmers Institute Work CTS, which convened in Washington on November 23 and 24. This convention was not so largely attended as some former sessions have been however, we had in attendance 100 delegates representing about 20 states. as well as Canada. The meeting upon the whole was a very en- thusiastc one. Many valuable subjects were taken under consideration and pretty thoroughly discussed Among the many questions discussed were those rela- tive to the qualifications necessary to make successful institute workers, al-- the subject of agricultural extensi, work. The question of movable schoo was given considerable attention. Repor from the states represented show that Il Farmers institute work Is progressii nicely all along the line, and that nut and lasting good has been accomplish' ] within the last year.
 Reports from delegates present shove however, that owing to a very unfavof- able season there. is shortage of nearly ali crops in nearly all sections of the country. While this is true, fair prices are being maintained for nearly all lines of crops in all parts of the country, so that after all the total income or receipts from the soil this year, if all crops are gathered in due time, may not fall below the values of last year as W, pected they would some time ago. ports further show that this years is likely to be gathered earlier in b, condition and marketed in better sl than crops have been for some past
 I found on this trip east the soil dry; in fact. so dry as to render it most impossible to prepare seed beds for fall wheat in some of the states other sections I found large acl of winter wheat sown, and this cro the more favored sections seems tt in a thrifty condition and well devel, zH in growth for this season of the year
 The Corn Crop.
 The corn crop in nearly all states vi ed, including Illinois. Indiana, Ohio, Pc sylvania, Virginia, Maryland and New York, was not as good as had hoped to find it. In some sections, especially Northern Indiana, Northern Ohio and Northern Pennsylvania, the frost did great damage to the crop.
 The oat Crop.
 In all the above-named sections the oat crop is far below the usual average in both yield and quality.
 Fruit and Vegetable Crops.
 Outside of a few favored sections Pennsylvania and New York, there be no apples for market this fall. In u other sections I visited the apple err was almost an entire. failure, and WI few apples there are are of an infer quality and practically unmerchantabl
 The potato crop Is also below the a, Y. age in both yield and quality. There seems to be a pretty fair supply or an other vegetables on the markets In the various cities I visited.
 It is a surprise to the writer to find xxy1an rf predict that some lines of crops are bet ter this season than they were last sea son. I cannot understand from what sources they gather their information. l feel as if I am in position to know something of the real crop conditions over the greater part of our country. have no motive whatever to give facts except as they appear to me, for have nothing to sell, nothing to buy. and am not interested in any kind of grain spec ulation. All the motive that I have in making these reports Is to give to our readers what I think is something near the true condition of affairs so that tney may make the very most from the inior, nation possible. Besides being guioeo by my own personal observation or crops and crop conditions, am in direct con- munication with many of the leadins farmers over a wide range of country, and I have their reports, nearly all which go to confirm my estimates crops.
 Farmers in Missouri are now engaged gathering their corn and find that IL but little better if any more than oo p' cent of last years crop. The corn cr' in Missouri averages a little better tnf in some sections of our neighboring cor growing states. Taking my own com crop as basis for judging the crops oI the state, I find that my crop IS siVins only about 60 per cent of last year crop, My crop last year gave me apout iso bushels per acre; this year the yield !" less than 50. probably 4S. bushels per acre. So we see that the farmer who mas been growing from 10 to 20 bushels Of corn per acre with a falling of of 0o per cent would have very little of crop th son.
 As stated before the hay crop ( country comes nearer being full than any other crop that has come tt sa- turity.
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