The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-30
DEW IS NEW AID IN COUNTY FARM WORK Demonstration Plans for
 Jefferson County GOSSIP OVER STATE Turkey Hunting Has Become Leading Sport Among People in Certain
 Sections of Sumter
 County
 
By WALTER HARPER


 Charles Dew of Trussville, farmer and civil engineer has been appointed local agent for Jefferson county for farm dem- onstration work.
 The appointment came from the United States department of agriculture through J. T. Watt of Talladega. who is in charge of the Northern division of Ala bama.
 MT. Dew will begin work at once. His first duty will be to canvess the county and secure the cooperation of farmers and growers who are willing to adopt the demonstration methods of the depart ment on their farms. It is desired that at least 30 demonstration farms be estab- lished at well distributed points in the county, so that all the planters may be benefited through observation and actual instruction on the farms.
 The local agent will be handicapped for a while for lack of funds as the state and federal appropriation is not sufficient to keep him in the field all the time, though he expresses a willing ness to sacrifice some of his own time in demonstrating to the people the vast importance of the work.
 The county Board of Revenue will be asked to supplement the state and federal fund as they have the authority to do under a new state law. The Chamber of Commerce and other commercial inter- ests of the city and county will be inter- ested in the matter, as it is pointed out that a material increase in the produc- ton of foodstuffs in the county will be of great advantage to Birmingham and the other towns of the county. Beslues this there can be no better way to in duce desirable immigration into the county than a thorough and practical demonstration of the productive value of the lands.
 The practical results of farm demon- stration work in all the counties of the state where the system has already been established is proof positive of it's value. Corn and cotton production has been in- creased to the value of more than $60,- GOO a year with an annual outlay of s2o,- 900.
 Something in the soil. the climate, the drinking water or the peculiar contour of the land or the color of the sky seems to have something to do with the form of sport or recreation that is most popular in various sections.
 In Gainesville, Roanoke, Guntersville and Union Springs checkers is the pre- vaiing recreation. In several other towns of the state marbles are all the rage Some other towns engage in pitch- ing horse shoes when the weather is right and the citizens are not pestered too much with business.
 There are a number of other towns where the principal recreation is found in going down to the depot to see the trains go by. Among these latter may be named Clanton, Reform and Fort Payne | have found an entirely new bug" and one that seems to afford some real sport.
 found it down on John Cochranes s new railroad in the southern part of Pick ems county and the northern part of Sumter The town of Cochrane seems to be in the center of the particular n- lection. It claims as victims members of all classes. the rich and poor, the old and young.
 It is turkey hunting.
 pr. T. H. G. Cook, the richest man in Cochrane, in fact, the original citizen, is perhaps the most enthusiastic devotee to the sport. The town of Cochrane was built on one corner of Dr. Cooks large plantation. The negro quarters were moved to make room for the town when the new railroad tipped the plantation three years ago.
 Dr. Cooks home was over on the Tom bigbee river at old Fairfield. about two miles away, but he has built a handsome residence in Cochrane. He has 25 acres the belt and has cattle, hogs, fine horses and everything else that goes into the making of a really prosperous modern farm.
 He also has great droves of turkeys on the place. They fatten on the alfalfa and never call for moments attention or extra feeding. They are not only prof itable money-makers, but they provide all the baked and roasted turkey that may be desired for the table, but still Dr. Cook likes to hunt wild turkeys. He does not need them and l was curious to know why he liked the sport.
 wrhe turkey is the gamest fowl in the world that inhabits this section, and outwitting him is rare sport. He is cum ming and it takes thought and military engineering to approach close enough to him to get shot.
 have worked with one gobbler as long as half a day, and then been unable to bag him. To be outdone by such little thing as a turkey gobbler spurs any man with sporting blood in his veins to the limit of his determination. and to get