The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-02
CROP CONDITIONS
 OVER THE STATE Nc Great Increase In Sale ot
 Fertilizers THINKS MIR. WILKINSON Plan of Procedure In Cazalas Im- peachment Matter Will Be De-
THINKS MIR. WILKINSON

opinion of Commissioner of Agriculture J. A. Wilkinson there is no great in- crease in the sales of commercial fertili- gers this spring, though the records show that there were tag sales of $103 S59.5O, as compared to s93, 40084 for the seven months of the same period last year. The apparent increase is thought to be found in the fact that there is now very much closer watch kept on the fertilizer men and more goods are tagged
 Commissioner Wilkinson takes the posi- tion that if there is an increase in the use of fertilizers it has gone under corn and oats. The entries in the prize con- tests of the department for grain and vegetables have reached the great num- Der of over 1000, and the interest is so great that most every county is raising a lot of grain One Montgomery firm has sold 5000 bushels of seed oats, and there will be oats enough raised in the territory of Montgomery to supply the territory if they were all threshed and sold here.
 The oat crop is the best in years. The use of citrate of soda under this product has increased the yield enormously, q would be afraid to say just how it will go," said MT. Wilkinson. Corn is up in many of the southern counties, but not planted in others. and where up it looks well. It is anticipated that there will be the greatest advance in the output of corn this year of any in the history of the state. The interest in the grain crops Is at the highest pitch ever secured, and there Is a hope on the part of all that there is rapidly coming a great day of crop diversifcation
 Cotton Is delayed by the rains. In South Alabama 1t Is up in some counties and not little chopping has been done in isolated sections. Probably 90 per cent Is planted in the lower counties, with 80 per cent in the middle counties and 50 in the northern section of the state. In the main the plant is healthy and promises well. There Is really no need to fear the lateness of the crop, as it is always the case that conditions just now have little final effect, if not followed up. However there is yet to be seen the effect of the cold snap of Saturday
 Impeachments Costly.
 The Impeachment trial will mean a heavy loss to Sheriff Cazalas of Mobile if he is thrown out of his office, for the req son that if he loses he will not only lose his office, but have to pay the costs of the trial that is to be held before the su- preme court. On the other hand, the state Is going to have to pay the cost of the hearing If 1t should lose, hence the delay in getting down to a plan of action. The only way the money can be secured for the trial is to have the governor set it aside from his contingent fund. and as that fund is proverbially too scant for the regular calls, it Is thought careful study will be made of the situation before any trial is begun.
 However. there can be no doubt of the trial, the question hinging on who is to pay the freight, and how. The governor ordered the proceedings and will be called upon to look after the expenses. The cheapest way-that is, the best way, will be the one decided upon when Governor Conner reaches the city Monday. He came to Troy Saturday and from there went to his home place at Conner to spend Sun day. The whole matter awaits his return. In the meantime Assistant Attorney Gen eral Martin, in the absence of Attorney General Garber. is getting all the details of the case in hand
 Bird Day Celebration.
 Many leading states other than Alabama celebrate bird day, which adds interest to the programme that will be carried out on next Tuesday, when Alabama school children will keep this day for the sec ond time John H. Wallace, Jr., state game and fish commissioner who wrote the bird day bill for the legislature, says
 
 in the better knowledge of the natural resources of the state on the part of the children. In thus getting them interested future generations will be strengthened to do well along this line.
 Fifth District School. President l.. L. Vann of the Fifth Dis trict Agricultural school at Wetumpka says that the year just closing has been a successful one. There were 275 students enrolled, of which there are eight gradu- ates. The sermon will be preached by the Rev. G. L. Yates of Decatur, and the address given by State Superintendent The closing exercises, are on May 23, "A and 9.
 After Lammons.
 J. M Lannon's, the missing superin- tendent of education of Geneva county, is not having things his own way, though he Is known to have left the United States. A detective, or several detectives, are his track, and the belief Is that they have a line on his whereabouts As there is an extradition treaty with the United States and Honduras it is thought that he did not go there, but to Ven ezuela, where until recently he could not have been returned. State officers know that the chase Is warm, though they will not discuss it.
 Trustees Named. N. l.. Lee of Brewton succeeds c. P. Rogers of Letohatchie as a. trustee of the Troy Normal. w. w. Lavendar of Centreville and J. Thomas Hefiin of La fayette are reappointed. J. H. Cranford of Jasper takes the place of John F. Proc tor of Scottsboro as a trustee of the Flor ence Normal and A. H. Carmichael of Tuscumbia is reappointed. These appoint ments were announced Saturday at the office of the governor.
 Tags Contract.
 The Ed c. Fowler company of Mont gomery has been awarded the contract for printing the fertilizer tags of next year. the total cost on the 3.750000 to be issued being S1700. Last year the con- tract was had by the Southern Printing company of Montgomery at 50 cents.
 Insurance Figures. Insurance Commissioner +. N. Julian and Deputy Commissioner A. c. Sexton have gotten the first pages of the insur- ance report for the last year. It is shown that during that time business was done as follows:
 Written by fire companies of this coun- try, SIG, 692,37s; premiums. s2,215,9A losses paid, $1,134 116; losses incurred, S1.164, ,229 Foreign companies, business written, $42,- 7S6,262; premiums, s7SS,1sS; losses paid, $39O, ,995.
 C. -fr.cr h1lG