The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-24
Mrs. Mathis Gives Experiences

At the afternoon session the features
OF the greatest and, one may say, most
unusual interest were scheduled Mrs
Mathis, who operates a large plantation
near Gadsden, made q short address about
the work women could do on the farm
Her operation of two large plantations
in this section is known all over the
south. She told the women who gathered
that by watching every channel of waste
and studying the conditions that surround
them as individuals they could contribute
to the general betterment of the whole
agricultural problem in this state
Her address was exceedingly brief, but
was of unusual interest by reason of the
light she gave the part women play in
the great work of agriculture. Mrs. Math-
is followed demonstration of girls to-
mato club work given by Miss Diana
Bankston Miss Bankston told what had
been done in this state in cultvating in
terest in the tomato club work on the
part of the farm girls. She gave some
information about what has been accom-
plished by girls of Alabama and related
the remarkable records that had been at
tanned in that work by the few girls of
this state that had seriously taken up
the work. Miss Bankston asked fur
ther cooperation In the work and prom
sed that the importation of carload lots
of tomatoes would soon cease If the same
care and attention were given the pro-
duction of tomatoes all over the state
by the girls that had been given In a
few sections.
Wallace Speaks Next
John II. Wallace, state game and fish
commissioner, spoke upon the Economic
Value of Fish Culture to the Farmers of
Alabama" In part, he said;
Next to agriculture, fisheries furnish
the greatest source of food supply for
ba of f1a world ,,rf, o;,
food of the pioneer consisted of game and
fish. When Alabama was first discov-
cred by the white man, deer elk, bear,
wild turkey, wild pigeons and many other
excellent game animals and birds abound
ed in our forests, while our streams
teemed with bass. salmon. Dream, cat
fish and many other species of fish that
readily took baited hook. As the state
increased in population the draft on our
wild life and fish supply became conse-
quently greater, improvement In firearms
killed the game off rapidly while the in
vention of nets and seines and the en-
ployment of dynamite depleted our waters
of fish.
.'The American people have proven by
their relentless onslaughts on the treas
ures of natures storehouse that they are
a nation of spendthrifts and wasters So
great has been the destruction of our ma
tive fish in the past that the national
government has by the establishment of
fish culture stations in various parts of
the country sought to replenish our wa
ters with fish AS a practical proposition
it is best to stock the waters of Ala
bama with fish native to this latitude
The basses, commonly known as trout
and Dream are the most desirable species
of fish to plant in Alabama waters. All
members of the bass family are game
fighters, and take any sort of bait read
lily besides furnishing an Incompatible
article of food
Should Have Fish Pond
aside from stocking our streams
with fish. without any great expense
every farm that has running through