The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-13
FARMING BEATS ALL
FOR REAL RETURNS
President Thigpen Points Out
It's Advantages
SOME GOOD HOG-RAISERS
Hightower Bros, Near Sylacauga Now
Have Hog Farm That Is One of
the Most Interesting Places
in the Whole State
BY WALTER HARPER

ID w AL
with sound business management and
intelligent cultivation, the farmer of Ala
bama has better opportunity to acquire
wealth, health contentment and all the
other good things that can fall to the
lot of man than the man engaged In any
other trade or profession
The speaker was President George Fl.
Thigpen of the Fourth District Agricu-
tural school at Sylacauga. We were
riding over the school experiment farm
behind his thoroughbred Tennessee MARI.
1t was the day the Nashville boosters
were in Sylacauga and the horse SCENE
to be conscious of his Importance.
Professor Thigpen says he would not
give "Maude' for half dozen automo-
biles for his own use.
The crops grown every year on the
school farm at Sylacauga demonstrate to
a certainty that the lands of Alabama
will produce many times the amount of
stuff that has been the rule under in
different cultivation.
1t pays to plow deep, buy the very
best seed fertiize literally and cultivate
rapidly No business in the world Will
give a larger return for the amount of
money and labor invested.
The average production of corn per
acre in Alabama last year according to
the report of the United States agricul-
tural department was 1875 bushels. On
the experiment farm at Sylacauga more
than 100 bushels per acre are produced.
OF course, II takes deeper blowing and
more fertilizers but the aggregate re-
suit shows that 1t is much more profit
able than light fertilization and a much
lighter yield
1t is also argued by timid farmers that
what can be done on a few selecte1
acres could not be accomplished on i
larger area. This argument is absurd,
and is unworthy of consideration.
To show his faith In the work of the
station President Thigpen has rented a
small farm adjoining the state farm and
is growing a crop of corn and other pro-
duce according to the system used or
the farm. He is putting down fertilizer
blowing deep and cultivating the land
just as 1t is done on the experimental
acres. The corn and cotton on this farm
show up well today does that on
the state farm. The land selected by
President Thigpen is not above the aver
age in the community.
Backing this is the example of othcc
individual farmers in Talladega county,
who have adopted the advanced methods
used on the farm, and are becoming in
dependent with increased crops that show
large profits every year.
Land In the vicinity of Sylacauga is
valued at 500 per acre. We drove out to
one farm a bunch of red hills, the
owner of which has just refused 500
per acre cash. The owner of this 30-acrc
farm is a merchant in Sylacauga, who
declares that the few acres of red soil
give him the surest return on any money
he has invested. If his business fails.
which it may do at any time, he feels
that he has a good and safe support to
fall back to. He has put no price on
his farm.
Two miles out from Sylacauga the High
tower Bros, John ]. and Elton G., have
a hog farm that is one of the most in
teresting and important enterprises in
the state of Alabama
The high price of pork and all other'
food products just at this time makes
the raising of hogs or cattle I'M Ala
bama a subject of live interest
John Hightower carried me out to see
his hogs and his farm. They have sew
eral hundred acres here. Fine, fertile
acres that produce bumper crops of corn,
cotton. hay, oats and other valuable prod
Lcts every year. They are practical
farmers and are as prosperous as the
average merchant or town banker.
They began the growing Of hogs two
years ago and have already demonstrated
the wisdom of the undertaking.
Large clean pens have been provided
with all the necessary shelter, water
Surrounding the hog farm are felds OF
ground peas, turnips, potatoes and SOC
ghum for feeding purposes.
The breeds grown by the Hightowers
sre the Big~ Bone Berkshires, the Poland
China and the Red Durock
More than 100 head are now on the farm
and the number will be increased as
rapidly as the conditions will permit.
We do not want to so into the bus
mess too deeply until we know just what
we are DOING said Mr.. Hightower, as
ne scratched the back of a big grunting
Red Durock SOW. I'VE do not yet know
all the difficulties that may be encoun-
tered in the way of proper feeding. dis
eases that may affect the hogs and other
conditions. Sc far we have had no trou-
BILE of any kind and anticipate none in
the future. but we want to be sure of QUO
foot'Ig.
I'VE feel sure Of success. Indeed the
business has already begun to pay a good
dividend and we will increase the ca
pacity of the farm as rapidly as we think
1t is wise to do so.
There is no reason in the world why
the people OF Alabama should not raise
all the meat that is consumed in the
state 1t would be saving of millions
Of dollars and will provide an Industry
Of countless value to the farmers of the
state who must learn to do something
besides grow cotton. now that the boil
weevil is coming"