The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-18
DETAILED ACCOUNT OF
FIRST DAYS PROCEEDINGS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1OJ

(CONTINU FROM PAGE 100
telligent application of fertilizers is neces-
sarV to enable him to compete with those
whose good fortune is to till soils that
are naturally rich and produetice.
one of the Evidences.
One of The best evidences that the
farmer is making but little progress in
Intelligent and scientific farming is that
the increase in the production of cotton is
due largely to the increase in acreage.
You will observe from the statistics, Tor
Instance, that in the year 1880. with IT,
1e9.000 acres IN cotton, the production was
1881 of lint cotton per acre,-and that
in the years 1902-03, with 26ll4103 acres In
cotton, the production was 1888 per acre
There is no kind of manufacturing
business in the country but what has
made rapid and great strides in reduc-
ing cost by labor saving devices, and
turning out more product to the man. The
only way I'm which the cost of railroad
Transportation could ever have been re-
duced was by construction of larger en-
gines, larger cars and heavier rails,-thus
Increasing the train tonnage immensely
and using no more employees on these long
trains, with heavy cars than was used
formerly by the short trains of small cars.
Indeed the number of employees TO the
train has been further reduced by the
use and application or the air brake,
which controls the train automatically.
that otherwise could be controlled only by
hand brakes. 1t will appear, then. that
while the farmer is deeply interested and
should address himself to the price for
his cotton. NJ should give equal If not
more attention to the question OF cost
of productions Il behooVes MIN to do this,
for however intellgentY aud Industrious
" he may prosecute his work, there are
natural causes which may materially al
feet the particularly as TO the
quantity produced but am strongly OF
the opinion,-in fact ! know that with the
proper preparation and cultivation OF
land for all kinds of crops. the disasters
coming from excessive rains or drouths
would be less frequent and would not be
followed with such unfortunate results as
IS frequently the case. 1t Is not unreas-
orable to any that practically every farm
er,todaN should he producing two POUNDS
o. cotton where he formerly produced one.
and thus increase his output on reduced
acreage with less labor and consequently
much less cost, as he thus would cut in
half at least what is generally termed his
fixed charges. Taking given acreage OF
land to be planted in cotton, or any other
crop. the fixed charges include labor use
of team, seed, etc.
Fixed Charges Are Cut.
'If. therefore, a double quantity is pro-
duced on this land by improving ii in
various ways these fixed charges as these
should be made in year. or in a few
years-but | am sufficiently familior with
the methods as used by the farmers OF
this country To know that If the proper
intelligent attention had been applied
some years ago to farming operations
we would see very different results to-
day ! am sure, however, that these
changes Will never come about If the
present method of tenantry farming
where land is turned over to any kline
of tenants to butcher and destroy as they
may see fit and to be worked without The
slightest degree of intelligence, and alto
gether without fathfulness. 1t is not un
fair therefore To say that in the mat
ter of farming affecting the cost of pro
duction-the farmers of the south have
not lived up to their opportunities-and
wish to say just here that the sooner they
address themselves to these importan
questions of intelligent farming-makin!
use of all the advantages that are OBJ
tainable in the way of studying good, ag
ricultural literature. in profiting by eN
perimental farms and by what their pro
gressive neighbors are doing, the soone
they will dominate the situation an
achieve their independence, and add great
~ to the comfort of their families ant
be the more able to give to them all tn
advantages which offer for better educa
tlOn ana better preparation III ptttS
citizenship. AS the means of obtaining
this end and better equippng the youni
men of our southern country for intelli
gent farming it it patent to me that ever
southern state that has not a strict,
agricultural college should see to it tina
they have one as early as practicable
and more than that. there should be a
experimental farm in every county, 4
which any farmer could go on day
tourney to observe the result on sucl
farms and be able 10 apply the method
used to his own land. These farms. l an
sure. under proper supervision could no
only be carried on without expense, blu
doubtless with some profit-and suc
would hasten the era of intelligent scen
tifc farming more than any other mean
that could possibly be adopted.
Matter of Selling Price.
Nov, leaving the question Of cost c
production, how is the matter of sellin
price to be controlled in such way a
to give the farmer "A fair and reasonabl
profit on the crops which he produces
OF course, in the end, a great controllin
force of prices is the law of supply an
demand Every prudent manufacture
will endeayor TO regulate the output