The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-30
ALABAMA IN
 BOOK FORM Resources of State Ex-
 plotted. E JUST OFF TIE PRESS D Work of the Agriculture De-
 paftment. zAe Book Was Compiied ana rnsIish- sa sy Commis.,easr wlikinssa s.d Hi. chsef Clerk, Jadse
 W. F. wlIkin.ea. 
JUST OFF TIE PRESS

Alabama, Its institutions and It's in dnstries. it's resources and its people. tts history and It's wealth--are all 9fvon ample exposftion in the Alabama Handbook. published by the Depart ment of Agriculture and Industries. and fresh from the press of the publishing house.
 The book, compiled and published by Commissioner Wilkinson and his chief elcrk, Judge w. F.. Wilkinson. con tains sS7 pages. each full of articles on Alabama, its various products, its tnstitutions and its promise The ar- ticies are contributed by various prom inent men of Alabama, men who are authorities upon the subject to which their name is attached as author. Some of the contributors are Governor Coz mer. Commissioner wilkinson, pr. Ea- gene A. Smith, State Geoiogist, who writes on the mineral resources of the state and on the States soils. W. (. Swanson, of the Department of Educa- ton, and others.
 The book Is probably the largest and most complete presentation of the Statess resources ever published. Each County of the 5tates Its history. its re- sources and its institutions. is given big fndustries. the steel and mining plants. are described In full. Alabama's minerals, the composition of Aiabama's s many different soils. the list of Ala balna's 100000 cotton mill spindies Alabama's bonded indebtedness--in fact every conceivable information re1- stive to Alabama is contained within the pages of the book.
 The book was issued at the direction of the Legislature, to the effect that such handbook be published by the Commissioner of Agriculture and In- dustries at some time during his term. Similar works are thus issued every four years. but none have been com piled so large or comprehensive. This one has been in process of publication for the past year.
 Illustrated articles are published. dealing with the schools of Alabama. with Auburn, the University of Ala bRfna. the Girls Industrial School at Montevailo. the State Insane Hospital. and few others. in detail.
 The statistics included In the book gre especially valuable, they being the most comprehensive ever combined Tn one volume They cover every phase Of Alabama life. from the taxable vai0e of personal property, at S264.lob.60 607; to the number of acres of land liable to taxation, at s3,119.221; to the bonded indebtedness of the State. at s9.0B7. 900; to the estimated coal supply, at 6S,- 903. 0O000 tona, of which only 164.734.- 900 tons have been mined; and to va rious others.
 It is shown that tfTs value of the an- nual cotton crop of the State Is 4.000.- ooo. as comprised in It's 100000 bales.
 II is shown that Alabama possesses in the Daniel Pratt gin works. at Prattvfile. now a part of the Continen- tai gin works, the oldest and largest Rtn factory in the world.
 II. Is shown that Alabama produced i, ,14.250.454 tons of coal in 1907. valued at $500, 900; 1.674.s73 long tons of pig iron. at 32s, ,4s0. 900.
 It is shown that the Alabama soil contains gold silver. copper, pyrites. mica, kaolin, corundum, asbestos, talc graphite, Iron ores and a variety of other more or less important ores and minerals.
 The book covers exhaustively every natural possession of Alabama and its value is expressed in figures. It is an exploitation of Alabama and Alabama resources. and the greatest publication ever issued along the lines.