The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-11
BESSEMER WORKS ALONG NEW LINES Sterling Is Man With Right
 Ideas PLANS FOR TRUCKERS
The Farmers Are Showing More and More Interest and the Movement Promises to Be of Benefit
 to Whole District
By WALTER HARPER

The Board of Trade of Bessemer de- serves the credit for the first movement along practical lines to organize and stim- uate the growing of food crops and their systematic handling in Jefferson county.
 The truck growers and small farmers in the vicinity of Bessemer have become greatly interested in the effort to improve the conditions for marketing their pro- duce and the offer of assistance from the board of trade and it is believed that the work started in a small way this year will have far reaching results for the future. The movement should spread over the entire district.
 F. w. Sterling the new secretary of the board of trade, who came to Besse- mer from Greenwood, Miss, on January l, Is the prime mover in the organization of the truck growers of that section of the state into a truck growers associa- ton.
 He is being assisted by others who have cial line of work.
 Something like 30 farmers with a total
  able truck of different kinds have all ready joined the association. A general manager for handling the crop, market ing and taking care of the correspond ence of the members is yet to be select ed. MT. Sterling is looking for a man of experience in this special line if he can be found.
 The total estimated value of this years s crop already planted is more than s21, ,Ooo though the association has only been started since most of this years crop was planned and before there was any idea of an association.
 With the association permanently or ganized 1t is expected that the acreage per grower will be largely increased Through an association where one ex- perienced man is charged with the plac- ing of the products much of the lost time and worry are eliminated and the planter has a much better assurance of profta- ble operation. Better prices are received when some one man of experience who is in touch with all the markets has charge of the placing of the stuff. Another strong advantage of cooperation is that the produce goes to market in large quanti- ties and can be handled to better advan- tage by the commission men. Individual consignments, necessarily small, are worrysome and uncertain and Morris ave nue dealers cannot depend upon them to supply their demands.
 The Bessemer method is the modern H.l,z tt,, k ing prosperity to the German farmers of Cullman, the planters of Baldwin, But Ter, Cuba, in Sumter county, and all other sections of the United States where truck growers are really making money.
 Bessemer is to be commended for the pioneer work that it is doing in one of the great essential factors in the real prosperity of this district
 The recent soil survey of Jefferson county shows that the soils are wonder fully well adapted to the growing of veg etables and all other food crops. The people have been slow to recognize this fact Scientific demonstration Is doing much to prove the value of the soil and the advantages of extensive truck grow ing The market is unquestionable. Business method in handling and market ing the produce is the only thing that Is necessary to make Jones valley, Cahaba valley and Shades valley the finest and most profitable truck growing section of Alabama.
 The board of trade is going still farther in it's efforts to stimulate profitable farming. The large auditorium of the club hall has been given over to the free use of the members of the association