The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-01
BOOK FOR FARMERS.
Roland Stone Issues Pamphlet On Fifteen-Cent Cotton; the Way to It.''


 tional and Cooperative Union has issued an interesting little book called Fifteen Cent Cotton-The Way to It." The pub lication consists of several chapters on topics of particular interest to farmers One chapter entitled "The Department Farm" will give an idea of the scope of the work. The chapter is as fol- lows:
 The department store is the mercantile success of the age; why not depart ment farms?' The great department store requires large capital and a multitude Of employees The department farm requires a moderate number of acres (anywhere from 40 to 16O will do) and a family of boys and girls. If they're all boys, or all girls, it doesn't alter the pos abilities, you'll only carry different lines of merchandise.
 The staple, consisting of cotton, corn, cats, hay and field crops generally come under the 'old mans" personal depart ment. The boys all help. those that are big enough, and most farmers boys over 10 years of age can do a part of the work that helps out and does not harm them. If there are no boys the big girls can help mother cook for the hired white help and run the house.
 There's always spare ground for good, big garden, and there should be an orchard of peaches, apples. pears, plums, etc., and at least an acre or so of black berries, ra9pberries, strawberries and ether small fruits. Here's a chance for the boys to become interested in a spe- cialty. Give your son share in the profits and he'll soon settle on the special ty which most excites his enthusiasm; then encourage him. Pat him on the back when he does well and sympathize with him when the results are disap- pointing. Keep his interest alive and he'll triumph in the end. Help make a good, strong man of him-not easily daunted. He doesn't have as much use for dogs and guns as you had.
 His tastes may be in the direction of stock raising or swine breeding. Start him off as best you are able and help him with your wider experience until he can stand alone. Get him a reliable mag azine or other publication devoted to his speciality and let him study success. Don't confine him to the knowledge inn parted to you by your father or gained in your own experience, good enough as fl-r as they go but the world keeps nov ing and the boy should be up-to date.
 In the woman's department are the dairy, poultry, bees. flowers, small fruit culture, and the herbs and finer favors of fha Ixitchan pa rdap. ooppipO pracaryinc and dozen side issues, not so hard to manage as the field work many have been called upon to perform Perhaps their mother had taste of that horror once. If so, she will not want her daugh- ter to share the experience. There's profit in all these items and the girl has learned to be self-reliant capable as a manager and your little men and women early learn the value of dollar. to their lasting benefit through life. Pro- vide helpful Literature. foster their in- terest and they will lead purposeful lives. Foil will not be all drudgery, and their share of the profits will compensate for any overtime or extra exertion em- ployed.
 know of department farms thus con- ducted where the oft neglected side is- sues and "trifies" of farm life carry the burden of the family support, and yet each son and daughter have their little bank accounts and are able to enjoy luxuries and diversions inaccessible to the children of the single crop farmers in their neighborhood.
 Before reaching the mature age of i7 years had won many prizes at country fairs for "the best display, and best specimens of fruits, vegetables and farms products of my own culture. Work? Yes, it necesstated plenty of hard work, long hours of backbreakng toll in the broiling sun. But what of it? It didn't stunt my growth; it developed my frame and muscles and I've never been able to discover where I lost anything by t.
 Then, I got share of the profits-and the prizes.
 That's enough to keep any boyV in terested ii his work
 But I never worked so hard or so many hours day on the farm as I have since those days in business and journal