The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-12
MADISON FARMER
 WRITES ON CROPS Wm. H. Johnston Tells of Problems in Alabama MAKE FINE PROGRESS Pending and Contemplated Laws Which Will Be of Great Assist
 ance to Agricultural
 Interests
MAKE FINE PROGRESS
,o the Editor of rhe Age- Herald:


 To the Editor of The Age -Herald:
 As crop correspondent for the agri- culture departments for Madison coun- ty l have been much interested in the newspaper reports of condition of cot ton, corn and other crops in this state and elsewhere.
 My information has been that there has been almost unprecedented dry weather in all territory east of the Mississippi river and south of the Ohio A bulletin issued by the agricultural department within the last day or two confirms this belief This bulletin gives estimates from reports received from every county in the southern states the cotton, pastures and hay crop con ditions are under the 10-year average.
 Corn crop conditions are not men toned in this bulletin, but l am quite sure that This crop has been much dam aged In our state and in some localities will be almost a complete failure. l know of no section of Alabama where farmers are satisfied with the condi- tion of the corn crop. We have suf- fered in Madison county and north Ala bama, but as our planting season is later, should rains come within the next 10 days our corn crop will be much benefited and we will secure an average yield.
 In north Alabama as we'll as over the state generally an exceptionally good oats crop has been harvested. It Is my information that more oats were planted last fall than ever before In the history of the state. This means q. h,,.r 1.oa this year. There is no necessity of our farmers buying corn amounting to $20,- 000,0 or s25,000. 900 each year. No farmer can be successful If he buys corn and hay each year, as we can plant oats and other grain after cot ton and corn have been laid by and this is also true of hay crop, such as crimson clover, red clover, in north Alabama, and other grasses.
 Many progressive farmers now SOW oats and crimson clover in their cot ton and corn in the early fall and in this manner not only improve their land by protecting it against washing and bleaching out during the winter, Sut give them winter grazing for their stock and cattle, and an early hay crop if then supply of hay Is short
 From an agricultural standpoint no section of the country Is making more progress than Alabama and north Ala bama in particular Large numbers Of farmers have purchased the best speei- mems of the different breeds of beef cattle and hogs. Many silos have been built and other Improvements made for the proper care and attention or such valuable stock In Madison county many sales of cattle have been made at prices ranging from to cents. Before the tick quarantine was raised In Mad ison county these cattle only brought from to cents. Every county In the state should assist the government Tn getting rid of the tick. Alabama VIII never come into it's own until we are free of the cattle tick.
 We, in Madison county, are fighting hog cholera by having our hogs innoeu- lated and in this manner insuring agalnst losses from this disease. No disease known to animals is more contagious, or more devastating in it's results than IS hog cholera Government statistics show that during last year losses to farmers from hog cholera were in excess of $oo- 900 GOO, and these statistics also show that where innoculation was practiced, losses In herds so innoculated were less than per cent. My herd has been innoculated, at cost averaging 75 cents per hog and my loss was per cent.
 The next legislature will be asked to make an appropriation for a plant to manufacture hog cholera serum, to be furnished our farmers at cost. It has been estimated that the loss to Alabama farmers from hog cholera last year was ever s200, coo. There is absolutely no cure for hog cholera. The simultaneous or double innoculation treatment gives per manent immunity. hog can never have cholera if it has been given the double innoculation-that is an innocua- ton of both the serum and virus--pro- vided the serum aud virus have been properly prepared, hence 1t is essential that we have plant for their proper preparation.
 Farmers all over the state are espe- cially gratifed over the appointment of MT. ". P. G. Harding to a position on the federal reserve board He has proven his ability as a banker, and he has prob ably given more study and Is better ac- quainted with rural credits than any banker in the south His services as a member of the reserve board will be in estima ble.
 Our farmers, with cheaper rates of in terest as may be expected, not only from benefits afforded under the present federal reserve banking law, but under the proposed rural federal banking sys- tenn, now pending in Congress, will be enabled to secure money at such rates as will prove profitable for the pur- chase of live stock and improved ma chinery.
 The federal government is doing much for the farmer. From recent legislation in Congress there seems to be no limit to the assistance which may be expected from a federal source provided the diff ferent states do their share.
 All farmers are very mucn opposed to the pernicious fee system now in effect and their assistance in the abohshment of this system may be relied upon. The outlook for farmers was never brighter, especially in Alabama, and at no time in the history of the state mas there been such interest by the farmers in progressive methods of cultivation and dversifying of their crops. For these reasons all lands are rapidly improving in productiveness better roads are being built, farm life is being made more com fortable and attractive, and farm land