The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-15
BLACK BELT Is NOT | ANXIOUS SAbOUT THE COTTON SITUATION Are Depending on Cattle and Alfalfa, Says Al c.
 Garber BANKS ARE ABLE TO CARE FOR CUSTOMERS Steady Influx of Farmers From Mid dle West-Rapid Progress Being Made in Raising Cattle ani
 Hay Products

Although in some quarters there is an air of speculation and anxiety as to what measures will be taken to pro- tect the cotton crop, that apprehension is not felt in the black belt accord ing to Al c. Garber, the we'll known banker, who returned home yesterday after vacation in that section He said that the people in De1hopolis. iaunsdale, Uniontown. Newberne and Greensboro owed their protection from the present condition to a start in cattle <aising and in alfalfa and hay products.
 MT. Garber is interested in pronertv near Demopolis. He said that the boil
 "eevil had cut the cotton production down 40 per cent and that he had de-
 termined to raise cattle, alfalfa and the like, and go very slowly on the cotton hereafter. He also said that
 live years ago every farmer in the
 black belt would have been ruined bv
 the present situation. but that now
 they are not at all fearful of the re- suit
 Tt has rarely been my pleasure to see section so extremely fortunate.s said MT. Garber. Although the boil weevil has cut down the cotton pro- auction 40 per cent that is a blessing at this time. It is going to make of the black belt the home of cattle and the place where alfalfa with five an ntal crops can be raised. l am con- vlnced that hereafter the production lof cotton will be reduced to 8 very marked extent in the counties where spent my vacation.
 Banks Have Plenty of Money Tt may be stated with every cer- tainty that the banks in that section are well provided with money. They are going to take care of their peo- pie and there is not going to be any real trouble about financing the cot ton crop in that section. In Sumter county there has recently come a great number of new citizens Land, is being sold to farmers from Kentucky. In- dlana, Illinois and other states of the middle west
 T am informed that one broker of real estate in Demopolis-Mr C. C. Ciay-has succeeded in selling during the past year $400,000 worth of alfalfa land. He is said to have done more won derful things for that county than perhaps any citizen of recent years and am informed there is a movement on loot to publicly acknowledge the debt There has been sales amounting to over $2,0O0,000 in that section during the past two years and l am informed taat Mr. Clay would have personally sold over S1,000.000 worth of land this year but for the unfortunate money situation reflecting the war conditions l1 Europe. In Demopolis there come from to 12 visitors every day who gre there to buy land and who hail from distant states. The results of these visits will undoubtedly mean a long continuation of land sales In une section.
 Turning to Cattle and Hay
 The people there are, as said. turn ing from cotton to cattle and hay. They are coming to the realization that i've crops of alfalfa per year beats cot ton hundred ways, and that sho t horn, Black Pole and Hereford cattle are in brisk demand on the hoof by keen buyers of St. Louis and elsewhere. noticed statement awhile back that the North Birmingham Packing com pany bought its stock to be slaugh- tered in this city from agents in St. Louis, Louisville and elsewhere. 1 an. here to say that such will not be the case very long for Alabama is going to participate to very marked extent in that business by reason of this ac- tivity in the black belt.
 Perhaps the man who has donc as much as anyone else to bring about this change Is Frank Derby, the moet widely known black belt rancher He has on his place at this time over 5000 head of cattle, and is reaping a reward that is commensurate with his remark able business operations. He has short horn Hereford and Black Poles that arc delight to the eye when observed grazing over that remarkably level land. There is one millionaire farmer in that section who has recently planted his entire plantation in alfalfa. The country is level, and I want to venture the opinion that nothing like that sight has ever been seen in Ala bama before.
 The entire black belt by reason of the wonderful prosperity that has re- gently come to 1t and by reason of the fact that the present conditions are 50 substantial and the outlook for the fu- ture so bright. I was able to talk wi,h the president sof a large bank at De- mopolis, and he assured me that the situation was completely under control. and that the people dependent upon the financial houses of that section wou/ be taken care of in the best of shape. The bankers and the people are very naturally and properly eau tious about the way finances are han