The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-20
BIRMINGHAM MAY
EMULATE CANADA
Adams Tells How Settlers Are
Sought
SYSTEM IS NECESSARY
Urges Anyone Having Photographs of
Growing Crops In Jefferson County
to Forward Them to the
Chamber of Commerce

Chairman John H. Adams of the farm
movement committee of the Birining-
ham Chamber of Commerce has written
a communication calling attention to
the activity of Canadian officials in
inducing settlers to go there and points
out the necessity for some such sys-
tematic work in the Birmingham dis
trict He writes as follows:
To the Editor of The e-Heraldi
The Canadian government in connec-
ton with railroad company building
a thousand miles of new track in a
country that already has more rail-
road mileage than any other country in
the world keeps over 800 agents in
the United States at work, seeking new
settlers for the lands adjacent to that
Canadian line So thoroughly in earn
est are these people that 200 towns on
the new railroad have been laid off
and are now being opened up to actual
settlers, and such improvements as are
necessary even to the building OF
homes and stores are being made by
the joint efforts of the government and
railroad at their own expense.
jefferson county, to say nothing of
the state of Alabama or the great eity
of Birmingham, has no one at work
among the people of the congested dis
tricts of the older states, trying to in
int ba dyo nj ,,ae.
of the state or any particular section
thereof; as against that of the rigor-
Gus climatic conditions of the north
west of the United States or of Can
ada. Many of the people who were per-
suaded to move to the Canadian wheat
fields from the United States are bad
1y disappointed and have already be-
gun to move back. The great drawback
to farming, that of a climate whose
winter begins frequently in August, to-
gether with the certainty of some years
of failure in wheat producing enough
to nav expense of cultivation has been
tie clr4ef cause of their dissatisfac tion;
then the further fact of the great ex-
pense of housing and caring for live
to their desires to reach climate
where the conditions are much more
favorable in longer growing season and
mild open winters with little or NO ex-
pense in protecting produce or caring
to bring to her relief such a people
for live stock.
Birmingham Is particularly anxious
who will cultivate the waste lands near
the city and turn them into truck gar
dens and farms, thereby producing some
of the necessities of life for its mar
kets. fresh and at fair prices. To dc
this the farm movement committee OF
the Chamber of Commerce has begun
IFS work in the congested farming re-
gions of the north and west. A great
many photographs have been taken OF
growing crops, particularly of special
ties-lettuce fields, crops of beans.
neach orchards, etc., and some of the
views also show the advantages and
methods of irrigation for increasing
the yield of those crops needing an
abundance of moisture.
we desire the readers of The Age
Herald to aid and encourage In every
way this work and we ask that any OF
them having a picture or photograph
of a growing crop Of this seasons
planting will kindly forward same TO
the Chamber of Commerce.
The soil survey map of Jefferson
county published by the United States
department of agriculture shows the
adaptability of our lands for grain.
cerea1s. vegetables and fruits and
studv of that soil map will show quick
Nv the best locations for the fruit
grower, grain farmer or truck garden
err. By the use of this map also any
nerson owning land in this county can
tell the best crops for his SOIL
The farm movement committee by
nlacine in the hands of the small FARM
ers of Indiana, Illinois and other states
literature showing actual pictures Of
growing crops, together with figures
and facts truthfully stated, expects TO
gradually begin movement OF de-
sirable people this way. 1t Is not ex.
pected to accomplish great results In a
few weeks OF IuOHtn5b ~ - SOH-
hdently believed that the work which
has been started will grow satisfactor-
ilv and all our citizens are invited,
and urged to assist the committee in
every way.
FARM MOVEMENT COMMITTEE.
John N. Adams, Chairman.
Birmingham, July 10. 1910.