The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-19
HOBSON'S WORK IN
 SIXTH DISTRICT Many Demonstration Farms
 Are Established FIVE EXPERTS EMPLOYED More Than 15oo Farmers Cooperate With the Government Men In Making Practical Demon
 strations.
FIVE EXPERTS EMPLOYED
BY WALTER HARPER.

Tuscaloosa, July 1S.-Just a year ago Congressman Richmond Pearson Hob- son, newly elected to the Congress of the United States, and. eager to do something of a practical nature for his constitu- ents, carried a party of agricultursx de- partment experts over his district, the Sixth of Alabama, on an educational tour.
 These men, the best that could be se- cured in their respective lines, talked with the farmers in every county of the district on practical methods of farming, forest preservation, road building, edu- cation and other subjects of everyday im- portance to the people in the rural dis tricts.
 The practical work of Captain Hobson on this tour not only attracted the com mandatory attention of the department officials at Washington, but other con gressmen and public men all over the country sat up and got busy along sili- lar lines for the benefit of "the constitu- ency at home"
 One year has passed and it will pos- sibly be of interest to know just how the work In the Sixth district has been fol- lowed up and what results have been at- tained
 Captain Hobson was not satisfied to merely lecture to his people, but he se- cured men from the department and sent them to the district to stay and show the farmers how to put the suggestions to practical tests.
 J. l.. Burgess, a soil expert was sta tioned in the district and for 12 months he has co-operated with the farmers in interpreting the character of soils and making demonstrations of soil utilization
 There are now five government men in the district cooperating with the farm CTS through the Farmers Cooperative as- sociation, which was organized under the direction of Congressman Hobson and the department experts. All bulletins and demonstrations are given free of charge to the members and every farmer in the district Is a member that cares to be.
 The cotton and crop men have estab- lished within the year 237 demonstration farms in the district conveniently chs- tributed over the various counties There have also been established 1895 co-opera- tive farms in the district
 iiV ldTIllS 4T6 operated by citizen farmers who have agreed with the department officials to cultivate certain areas each year, according to di- rections of the experts and to make faith ful report of results at the end of the year for the benefit of all other farmers These farms are visited as near as possi- ble once each month by one or more of the field experts and suggestions are made as to the best method of prepara- tion fertilization and cultivation. By this means some wonderful improve fnents have been made and every farm CT in each community has been bene- fitted by the experimentations and dem onstrations. In most cases the demon- stration farms have been furnished care fully selected seeds by the department officials.
 The cooperative farmers are those who follow the methods of the demonstration farms in a general way. They also make reports of results and receive free of charge all bulletins and exchange of ex- periments. As 1t is impossible for the experts to visit all the farms the latter class meet the men at the demonstration farms and at other public places at stated meetings, arranged for the con venience of those interested. These meet ings are valuable as a means of exchang- ing ideas, making verbal report of prog ress made on the various farms and in various communities.
 MT. Burgess the soil man, has not only visited more than 400 farms, making an- alysis of the soils and soil conditions. but has handled many problems coming to him from individual farmers and has published many special articles and bull letins on questions of practical import ance to the farmers of the district He is man of practical soil education who works with his coat off. so to speak. and takes special delight in helping the farmers get better results from their work. The same can be said of the quality of every other special man that has been sent to the distAict.
 Soil surveys have already been com pleted in three of the nine counties of the district and 1t is believed that the work will begin in a majority of tho other counties during the coming year.
 One or two counties have taken ad- vantage of government road engineer and all the counties have taken more interest in the building of better public highways
 More than 2000 citizens of the district have been induced to take an interest in the breeding of fish in the ponds and ftredniS anu nave aSKed to be furnished with fish for breeding purposes. These requests are granted as rapidly as poss,- ble. Over 5O0 people have been supplied It is said that one-fourth as many appli- cations are received from the Sixth dis trict as come from all the rest of the country put together Captain Hobson s training his constituents to ask for things and they are taking to the idea wonderfully. The federal departments seem to like the interest that is being taken by the people and respond wher- ever possible and most cheerfully.
 The rural free delivery service is heinz improved and extended under the Hob son plan of district cooperation.
 A practical forestry man accompanied Captain Hobson on the original trin A year ago and saw as many peopIe as could be reached. August R. E Recl, nagel of the forestry bureau will bego q six weeks tour of the district making practical suggestions as to the hest methods of preserving the timber wealth of the several counties He will visit as far as possible individual tracts of timber Lands and make demonstrations This tour is now being mapped out by the experts already in the field and Edgar l.. Clarkson. Congressman Hob sons private secretary, who Is now sta toned at Tuscaloosa personallv su,,ervis ing the various demonstration nroiects in the district
 The five men now interested in tbe dis trict assigned to the work by the denart ment of agriculture at Washineton with | their present postoffice addresses. are ns