The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-27
A Real School for Scientific
 Farming
DAWN AT MONTEVALLO
Mrs. Reid Writes of. the Potent In- fluence of the Modern Institute in the Lives of the Farm
 CTS of Alabama
Ny MRS. J. E. REID

l W
 meeting of "The Farmers Institute" in store. The crops layed-by, the farmers are In for good time. But our eyes were opened the other day to the reals significance of what this real ly means to the development of agri-
 culture in the state.
 1 Gathered in the chapel of the Mon
 tevallo Technical institute where 100 | sturdy farmers, and their wives, sons
 and daughters to learn something to advance their home interests. The
 meeting was presided over by Prof. s. L. Chestnut. director of agriculture for
 the institute. The lecture was preceded
 by musical programme, and the smii- ing faces of the men who had listened in fields to the sound of the blowing
 winds of the corn stalk or the cry of
 the boil weevil," indicated their appre- citation of we'll rendered symphony by
 Mrs. Davis MT. Jesse M. Jones of Montgomery. state farm demonstration agent. gave an interesting talk on agri- culture He first spoke of the won derful soil resources of Alabama, stat ing that if Chinese wall'' were to be built around Alabama her people
 could Tive long and prosper from her
 own products.
 He frankly stated the farmers of Ala
 bama did not realize the opportunities
 of their soil, and the success of the states resources rests upon agricul- tural development. He predicted with Iproper treatment our land would yield
 a harvest not alone for home markets,
 but with the gulf coast accessible the
 future held great possibilities for for eign consumption. He referred to an
 old man who tiled his worn out fields
 for years, and when failure was about to overcome him, his young son takes the reigns and rebuilds the broken
 down fields, and by study of progressive l methods and confidence he had restored
 plenty in the home. He emphasized the need of productive soil, it may be fer | tile yet not produce profitably. He
 spoke of the souths cotton habit. When they have planted cotton only
 they have one-third of the year idle
 Of New Ground
 Tn speaking of new ground, he told that a northern farmer would not cul 1 tivate field with stumps in it; that land without stumps is worth three
 times as much as the other He visits
 25 and 30 farm homes each week, and he is astonished at the lack of pas tures Lands in central Alabama I seemed dead. the soil had washed away, I and gave a black board demonstration
 of terracing fields to protect them from
 such danger. This was most interest ing-the treatment of the hillside Is q needed theory in this section. He gave a good suggestion fer the improvement iof country roads. His knowledge of | the success and failure in farming was drawn out by questions from the farm | CTS relative to their own condition. h.
 deed he has made this a lesson on the | scientific treatment of soil which will rebound in good to the farmers of Shelby county, in fact he demonstrates the need of soil doctors in Alabama. One noticeable feature was the presence of the 16-year-o boys at this institute, intent on gathering thoughts for their own profit.
 Scales Lecture
 1 Mir R. L. Scale of Livingston gave profitable lecture on breeding-while he is live stock crank he sees the need of introducing new life and only l the best methods for modern farming.
 Mir. Neill editor of the. Naksville agri- cultural paper was among the visitors, as was Mir J. T. Walls. state agent for north Alabama. With such treatment
 of soils and ditches as prescribed by these experts, who have made agricul- 1 ture a life study, Alabama will be a
 blooming field of productive crops We may swing in the grape vine swing" but the old wornout hillsides and the great real clay ditches will have been properly ''medicated." and there will be no hiding in the gullies or jumping the ditches as the huntsmen cross the farm lands for their game. They ably define the course for prosperity and in- l telligent farming.
 Gatherings Very Essential
 l Such gatherings are very essential and | places the life on the farm as work l demanding the best thinking and trained | labor, besides the broadest knowledge of nature cooperating with local conditions. | In talking with the farmers during the | dinner hour we were told that Shelby county had many young couples from the ! west who have recently bought homes i there and were beginning life among l their hills and dales. This introduction | of new life is forward step for the county They tell us also that Shelby | farmers farm" that is. they blow and I hoe and weed their own crops, feed their own stock and what they make is theirs. In more southern counties the white man | is the landlord and the negro is the far
 mer. hence the negro and the mule" | come in for their share of luck or i'll | luck. and new theories are not so much | a part of their labor If the landlords | would attend such an institute as the | one we attended at Montevallo, farming | in Alabama would become a very live art. We referred to the dinner. You can l guess what that really means for it was | an old time basket dinner, served on the l grounds of the institute" amid huge ! oaks, whose waving branches sounded ] tliei. share of the welcome to the guests.
 The table was spread with everything
 that was good to eat and "cold tea" to | drink. and the menu told of the good | things to eat raised in Shelby county. ] After dinner the lectures resumed and. the women, mostly farmers wives, were l assigned hall for the "bread contest"
 The bread was all good. there was none
 bad or indifferent. but the prize was won l by Mrs. 7. E. Wooten, and she says it 1 was the first time she ever attempted to enter a contest While the bread was ! heinz. judged Mrs. T. ". Palmer. wife of the president of the Alabama Technical inetitute. gave a most instructive and helpful talk on "a t in the home" She i erphasized a neeil of greatest care of the surroundings for sanitary precaution, explained how at little cost they could have their own waterworks and bath; how they could better light their homes with the process of buried tank and gem eratiusr their gas for light and even cook ing She pleaded for better cooking and l to, have a boduet on their table if only l sunfower She also suggested plan for {. .reighborhood mothers meetings for home innnrov.r,1 ent a rd in n most gracious way