The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-21
BIG farmers MEETING IN
TALLAP0OSA COUNTY

Dudleyville, July 2O-(Special. dudley
vile is situated in Talapoosa county,
ten miles northeast of Camp Hill. As
one OF the oldest towns in the state 1t
is interesting from an historical stand
point. On Monday and Tuesday the
county farmers union was held here
and delegates from all the local unions.
as well as several state officers, were
present.
The forenoon was occupied by routine
business and the afternoon given over to
speeches on agriculture. At noon the
large crowd numbering upward of thou
sand people, repaired to a nearby grove
where a sumptuous feast was served
The two speakers of the afternoon were
j. A. Wade, district agent, and H. c.
Smith of the United States soil survey.
Mr.. Wade urged the farmers to cult
vate carefully. as every cultivation in
July meant several pounds increase in the
amount of seed cotton. Especial empha-
sis was laid on seed selection. The
backward season in Alabama was gen.
eral as the speaker had been in over a
score of counties, and Tallapoosa was
even better than most of them.
The great Importance of raising corn
pork and mules at home was dwelt upon
at length The speaker showed by an
array of statistics that 1t was impossible
to farm at profit If the farmer had to
buy all his farm necessaries, no matter
how high a price he received for his
cotton.
The speaker closed with an earnest
plea for higher education of Alabama
/ sons and daughters, SO that they might
aid the agriculturist and thus help fill
the land with peace and prosperity.
The last speech was by Howard c.
Smith, a soil scientist from the United
States bureau of soils at Washington.
d. C. Mr. Smith had been detailed to
| have charge of the soil survey in Talla-
poosa county, the work being done In
cooperation with the state of Alabama
which will be the first state in the union
to be surveyed. AS the surveyor had
been in the county nearly six months,
mapping and testing the soils he spoke
as one who knew the present conditions
and future possibilities of the county.
In part Mr.. Smith said: THE mechanic
who studies the use of his tools, and
body succeed because they know the pos
sibilities and limitations of the material
on which they expend their skill. For
over 1000 years mankind has subsisted on
the products but 1t is only within a few
decades that men have given serious
study to the origin, capabilities and treat
ment of the soil from which we come and
to which we return.
ut is only decade ago that Prof. MIL
tnn Of h11rn II
of soils undertook the serious study of
the soils of the United States and its
allied possessions, and yet in that time
this scientist and a corps of able assist
ants have made great advances in the
knowledge of our soils, their treatment.
classification, daptabillty to different
crops and best methods of caring for
them in order to preserve the fertility for
future generations
There are two ways to increase our
crop yields one is to breed a longer
ear; the other Is to improve the soil. AS
our population is rapidly increasing our
soil area does not increase In like ratio,
consequently with our lessened yields we
must soon buy wheat from Europe or the
Argentine Republic. But our nation
should be largely self-sustaining and 1t
| is the laudable desire of Secretary VIII
| son to inaugurate a movement that shall
make two bldaes grow where one grew
| before. The soil survey comes to you
| today offering a solution of the problem
| for your consideration.
''Tallapoosa county is raising about
| eight bushels of oats per acre. II BUSH
| els of corn and 222 pounds Of lint cot
| ton. Your production of corn and oats
| has not materially increased during the
| last 80 years, but your cotton yield in
1880 was III pounds per acre, conse-
! quentlv there has been an increase of
/ 81 pounds per acre in that time. This Is
J great gain, as the county has 10000
acres of cotton annually. In other words.
| by careful seed selection, fertilization and
systematic study of the soil the farmers
are on the average raising 81 pounds more
| of cotton on every acre and this means
| TAO bales more on the same land than
| was raised 30 wears ago.
! 'With the soil study now being conduct
ed by the government, the improved seed
being bred. the agriculture taught in the
schools and the general awakening to the
! benefits of careful soil culture now In
| progress I venture to predict that inside
| the next 30 years this county will pro-
! duce 444 mounds Of lint cotton per acre
instead of half thst amount at present.
'r'he ava~a~e of corn in the state OF
| Iowa is "a bushels per acre. three time:
/ greater than T,llanoosa county. Nv
! study of Iowa soils and research into fhe
| hundreds of thorsa nds of acres nf soil
| in your county leads me to nred'ct that
| YOU average corn crop VIII soon Dc
| doubled
"This county raises over fna.onn bushels
/ Of corn annually and imnorts over 1m0N
| bushels each year. " the average yielo
| could he increased three bushels per acre
Won would raise eroro'' corn for horne
| consnmption and he .,rependent Of the
| great western corn belt
''More corn would mean more pore