The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-06
RAISE TOBACCO AND
 MORE LIVE STOCK The Farmers Fight Weevil By
 Abandoning Cotton CROP VERY PROFITABLE Police Department and Postofice Make Good Monthly Report-Petition Is Sent to the Governor in Be-
 half of Mabry
CROP VERY PROFITABLE

Selma, November 5.-(Special.)- belief that the culture and sale of to- bacco and the raising of live stock will be the mode by which the farmers of central Alabama will fight the boil weevil when that pest reaches this sec- ton.
 Just few years ago there were but one or two patches of tobacco to be found in any part of Dallas county or central Alabama. Today nearly every farmer In this section of the state has given some study to the raising of to- bacco even if he has not yet attempted to grow any. Upon a number of farms
 in different parts of the county during
 the past two years tobacco has been
 raised successfully. In most of these
 instances two crops have been raised and in one or two cases as many as three crops a year have been gath cred
 The success with which those who planted tobacco this year met is causing other farmers to take notice of
 the new crop which can be grown upon
 much of the land of the county. The
 next year will see the planting of more
 land in tobacco by those who have been
 successful and it will also see new ex- perimenters in the field.
 Some years ago the department of agriculture at Washington had a sur vey of the land of Dallas county made
 and revealed that considerable of the land could be used successfully in the
 growing of tobacco. Perhaps not 10 pounds a year of tobacco was grown
 in Dallas county five years ago. But it is estimated roughly that during the past year there has been grown and
 cured nearly 5000 pounds of that staple The majority of the farmers of Dal- las county who have attempted to raise tobacco have been novices at the bus | iness They knew little of the plant except what they read in newspapers and farming journals. A few others had formerly lived in the tobacco rals- ing section of Kentucky and these gave the amateurs all of the assistance that they could in the cultivation and cur ing of the crops Now there are a number of farmers in different sections of the county who are well versed in the way of culti- vating and curing the plant The to- bacco raised in Dallas county has al- ways found a ready market and 1t also brings good price. It has also proven an easy crop after one has learned how to care for it.. The majority of the tobacco which has so far been raised in this county Is of the white burley variety. But other grades have been
 grown very successfully, some of
 which has been used for cigars and
 which confirmed smokers have stated had good flavor.
 That the boil weevil is just about year removed from Dallas county and central Alabama is the opinion of ex- perts upon the cotton pest. ' But in that year the farmers of this section will have made decided steps to fight
 ing 1t and these steps will prove to their advantage. Many who have suit able land will go in on a larger scale next year in tobacco culture.
 Others who have not land suitable for the growing of tobacco are making prepara tions for the raising of live stock and diversified crops. The next
 two or three years will witness but a small acreage of land devoted to the growing of cotton but instead great fields of corn will be seen as the large corn crop of the past summer has dem onstrated with what success that grain can be grown. N