The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-24
FARMERS BECOME MORE INDEPENDENT. Boil Weevil Ravages Lead to
 Diversified Crops MORE CORN IS PLANTED Ginning Record at ThomastOn Is Ahead of Last Year and It Is Thought
 That Mnrengo County Will
 Yield More
MORE CORN IS PLANTED

Thomaston, October 23.-(Special)-A.- though many people firmly believe that they are now harvesting their last crop of cotton without the presence or the boil weeviI. very few are exhibiting much concern about that fact. but are pre- parins to so diversity their farming as 10 be independent of the cotton crop as means of livelihood. Some will take up cattle-raising, which is a proven success in this county while others will branch out in other lines. One farmer in West Marengo has stated his intention Of rais- ing at least five acres of rice to each one mule crop on his place next year.
 If has long been believed that the flat woods land in Marengo county was suit- able for little else than cotton, but eX- periments in the last few years have demonstrated it's value as grazing land, as corn land when nitrate of soda is used. and for many other purposes.
 The Thomaston Cattle company, an in corporated company, owns over 15Oo acres of fiatwoods grazing land near this place which will support one head of cattle to the acre the year around. and net handsome profit on the money invested This company has dipping vat on their propsrtq, modelled after the vat recom- mended by the United States department of agriculture, and dip all their cattle about once in three weeks, and as a re- suit they have practically no ticks at all on their cattle.
 The cattle can be dipped at a very rapid rate, from 200 to 300 per hour. and
 ttx,,a ertxr trouble This dipping increases their mar ket value, and the cattle will put on flesh faster than those infested with the ticks.
 The farmer must stop going 1t blind and must begin to use the brains that he is endowed with, but there is no reas- on why as great a profit cannot be made in farming in the black belt of Alabama with the boil weevl here as with him absent One blessing that his presence will bring will be the abolition of the present credit system. which has doubtless done more to keep the aver age white farmer of the south in debt than any other one cause.
 No merchant will be willing to advance credit to a farmer unless he knows that farmer is going to raise enough cotton to make the merchant safe, for no other crop has yet to the merchant proven its value as a debt payer, as noi other is
 
 tice. Although many merchants and some farmers will suffer severely, yet in the end 1t will prove beneficial to both as the business of the south will be on a cash basis, which is known as safer and more profitable than the pres ent system.
 So far this season the ginning record has run ahead of that of last year, and should frost be delayed for another 30 days it is thought that this part of Ma rengo will have a larger yield than last year. Both the local gins are busy all the time, and cotton seed buyers are meeting the farmers before they get into town. This town has been at the head of the market both for seed and for cot ton, for the entire season thus far.
 Realty is active in Thomaston and vi- cinity. several sales of farm lands and