The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-16

A trip to Montgomery, the automobile way, gives one fine opportunity to see
 what many Alabama farmers are doing Leaving this city at 5:25 Sunday morn ing we, a party of four, climbed over
 Shades mountain on the Columbiana road, driving through some of the most beau- tfu sections of Jefferson county Al this early hour we found the folks asleep the one day in the week when they do relax through the day from routine labor In the sun. man who farms, and cul- tivates successfully, must wrestie with the sun and toll before old Sol rises to wilt the tender plant with his forceful rays.
 The macadamized roads on this route, winding over mountain ways. ledged with pointing white rocks amid the green fol- iage. and deep dsles below, is picturesque
 and the roadway good. The little farm homes on the waysde are situated in fields of cotton. notwithstanding we are reading 80 much of its dangerous future. and the admonItion to diversity your crops" The south idolizes cotton and needs the corn and these two compan-
  ties are mere side lines, and In small
 patches though we did note sweet pota- toes seemed to be planted more plenti- fully. The road leading from Birming- ham to Calera was excellent. long. straight drive of beautiful country. After
 we had crossed the Cahaba bridge we left Jefferson county behind us. and entering Shelby we Just realized we were on our neighbours soil-there was nothing to tell
 us,. no sign or guide post. But there was an intuition and even a little difference In the soil, the growth and style of homes.
 and crops. There some new. modern homes built on farms in Shelby county.
 A good many western farmers have moved
 among the people. and one can readily d's- tinguish the touch of their hand and home making. They have methods peculiar to their progressive farming habits and equipment there is a western look on the
 premises. a something that indicates the
 yankee thrift" Farming with them
 means hard work; they have been trained
 to plant, cultivate and harvest the year round, and they are doing 1t with mod
 ern methods and machinery in Alabama
 today.
 The south has been born to believe In the
 life on farm one of luxury and rest
 while the hired help. and the present day
 renter" did the work, and often in
 too leisurely way for profit.
 The trip to Calera consumed one hour
 and 25 minutes and was made without a
 stop. except at railway crossings.
 From Calera to Clanton we found the
 roads bad and indifferent. There was no
 real good road on the way, but they are
 being worked in a primitive country style,
 with little brush and mud thrown in
 holes, but they are on 'the highway.
 Few homes were passed on the. roadside
 to Clanton except in the small towns. but
 everywhere you met people. They were
 courteous and cordial. Many children were along the country roads with their
 Sunday clothes on-we presume on their
 way to Sunday school and church, as
 nearly every fork of the road had a church and schoolhouse near Later in the day carriages and buggies filled with
 grown-ups appeared. We passed only two automobiles between Calera and Clanton, and were fortunate enough not to get
 stuck in the mud" but twice. and these stops delayed us on the way about one hour and half.
 We reached Clanton Just as the bells rang the church hour. It is a beautiful little town, with broad shades and hand some, comfortable looking homes. At Clanton we had our curiosity gratifled. Along the way we had seen painfully few guide posts but after leaving Calera it was so many miles to Upchurch's drug store. We found the man who believes in signs was located in Clanton. and for this we give him thanks: through his en- terprise we got our bearings.
 Those church bells ringing poured into our ears a glorious peal. and the air echoed with past history-a melody gone from among us. but the memory Is an in- spiration, and we like to catch 1t now and then.
 Leaving Clantpn we drove to the city along through beautiful farming coun- try. The roads were good, the route through Fillmore and Robinson Springs be- ing chosen on account of the recent rains and high waters by the Wetumpka way. All the way to Montgomery were land marks of wealth and fame. This was the section known to all the south as the land of rich during ante-bellum days. but not withstanding the wreck of time and mis- fortune, 1t bears the air Of aristocracy and remnants of wealth with a degree of dignity in the surroundings that can never be effaced. Here lived. among the famous planters of the south. a glorious people and famous hospitality, and today relics in buildings, stateuary and family de- scendants stand for the purposes of yes- terday- Reaching the Exchange hotel in Montgomery at 25. we were fully pre- pared for the good dinner that awaited us
 This was a propitious time to see the city alive. The day before the meeting of the adjourned legislature when the whole atmosphere was full of wonder at who would come and what might happen! Even woman's curiosity wac at its height as we saw the Bofons gathered be-