The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-12
HOW The JUNIPER
TREES ARE KILLED
Auburn's Experiment Farm
Doing Great Work
WITH PLANTS
Over One Hundred Acres in Plants
and Every Stalk and Seed Has
It's Pedigree Recorded In
the Books

Its Pedigree Recorded In
the Books
By WALTER HARPER
Auburn, June u.-(Speeial.) -"Notice
that clump of dead juniper trees a,
the foot of the hill? Their death is one
OF the triumphs of farm experimentation.
You cannot rid your farm of juniper
trees by uprooting them. A few spoon
fuls OF ordinary kerosene applied at the
base of the tree does the work effect
uaily."
Prof John Frederick Duggar, NJ. g..
professor of agriculture In the Alabama
Polytechnic institute, and director of the
Alabama experiment station, and myself
were driving over the experiment farm
at Auburn.
1.-THE problem of the best method OF
signed to one of the students In the
agricultural department OF the Polytech-
mic institute" continued Professor Jug
gar. He worked and studied Industrious
.ly and was finally successful. His thesis
on the subject and the results obtained
secured notable distinction for him.
1.-The value of his research did no.
stop with the killing of the juniper trees.
There are thousands of pestiferous weeds
and other growth that interfere with tho
growing of other valuable plants. 1t IS
often necessary to Kill these foreign
growths. How to do 1t and not injure
the valuable plants on the ground is 9.
problem of no small importance. Ths
combining and tempering of certain
chemicals in such a way that they will
kill one plant and not injure another is
a scientific proposition that can be readi-
~ appreciated. That is one thing we
teach the boy who wants to be an edu-
Gated farmer"
Interesting Plant
This farm experiment station is one Of
the most interesting establishments In
the state of Alabama. 1t is as inter
esting as the process of steel-making or
the generation of electricity.
The station at Auburn has reputation
throughout the country as the most effl-
Client In the southern states. The peo-
pie of Alabama do not appreciate this
fact but 1t Is known and recognized
by farm experts in the north, east and
west.
I am told by men from the middle west
and the east that the experiment station
at Auburn Is the only one In the south
that has attracted the attention of the
country TO any considerable extent. The
experiments here are thorough, up-to-
date and sometimes in advance of other
stations in the entire country.
The extent of the experimental work
that Is being done here Is simply mar
velous and is bewildering to the man who
is not to some extent familiar with such
operations.
When it is considered that on more than
Ice acres planted to almost every seed
adapted to the southern soil and climate
every stalk and every pod of seed has
its history and pedigree recorded In the
books of the farm director something OF
the extent of this work may be appre-
ciated.
Plant breeding
The crossing of one variety of cotton
with another Is carefully recorded. In
dividual characteristics are kept track
of and watched with scientific skill. The
new characteristics developed by the
crossing of varieties are made a part
I saw cotton plants with established
pedgrees running back for five years.
These plants are isolated In such a way
that there is no contamination. Every
defect is watched and trained out of the
plant just as you would correct a bad
trait in the disposition Of your child.
The same system is used in the grow
ing and care OF corn. oats, wheat. po-
tatoes. grasses and other farm products.
After a variety of cotton. corn, oats
or other product is perfected the seeds
are distributed to progressive farmers
over the state who are instructed as to
the best methods of caring for and cul-
tivating the plants.
Boil WeeviI Problem
The great problem that faces the cot
ton planter of Alabama is that of the
boil weevil. which pest will cover tha
entire state within two or three more
years The experiment station and Its
cooperative qualifications over the state
are bending every effort to meet and
combat this inevitable scourge. Plants
with fruit that natures rapidly and early
seems to be the only remedy How sci
entifc cultivation, study and research are
developing these required qualities I.
within itself meet compensation for thu
painstaking and expensive work that Il
being done at the Alabama experiment
station.
The experiment station is not alone fol-
the benefit of agricultural students a
the Alabama Polytechnic institute. 1
co-operates directly with the farmers o
the state Every farmer in the stat
is offered the full and free advantage o
every discovery, every Improvement tina
| Is made on the farm.
The farm Is established and maintaine'
| by the United States and the Alabami
| governments for the benefit of the people
For long years after the establishment
value was not appreciated, especial.
| In the south.
Value Not Appreciated
But the value of these scientific ex
perimentations Is now coming to be az
preciated. The experts in charge of tn
| various departments of farm experiment
tation are constantly on the road, visit
ing all parts of the state holding Inst
tutes with the farmers The farmers ar
listening and are being proflted. Nc
many years ago the book farmer wa
laughed at He could not assemble
respectable audience. He had uphill wor
bat lie Is winning out at last
The farmers who are listening and al
willing to cooperate with the scientif
experts are growing more than 80 busf
els of corn per acre, where before tn
average production In Alabama was il
bushels per acre The same proportion
ate increase is secured In all other crop
Weevil Is blessing
.'The coming of the boil weeyil wi
prove a blessing to the people of IL
SOUTH" said Professor Duggar. I'm h
enforced fight against this inevitabl
pest the farmer will be benefited throue
improved methods of cultivation, see
selection and fertilization. He will ais