The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-31
A FARM PROBLEM

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 The year just passing has been the hardest on farmers of south and west Alabama in the history of the state
 The crops on the rivers, our most fer tile lands. were swept away by floods. Because of the long continued rains those on the uplands were almost total fail ure. If we are discouraged we have lost enough to take the heart out of us, and if we have hope and courage left, we should praise God, who gave it, for our unconquerable soul. We have forgot the past and face the future, future that holds greater happiness and more pros- perity than we have ever enjoyed.
 As farmers We grew some other crops, cultivating them in half-hearted way, but we depended on cotton. Cotton for money, money to pay taxes, to pay rail- road fare to educate and clothe our chill dren, to buy corn, meat and mules 10 make more and more cotton. It is the most wonderful plant of all the vegetable kingdom. We made so much cotton that it kept us poor Finally little bug came along and, by making it impossible to grow too much cotton for the worlds need, did for us what we were never able to do for ourselves, although we met and "resoluted" until the cows came home. He put cotton up to 20 cents per pound.
 Fortunately for us of the weevil-in- fested section, cotton did not stay at 70 cents long, for many of us, wanting to make cotton so badly, were beginning to actually believe that we could make cot ton and were getting ready to turn to cotton again, to the neglect of all other crops.
 l think that we should plant some cot ton, not over five acres to the blow, and I believe that by growing cotton on the intensive system we shall. in few years learn to grow it proftably, despite the weevil
 In the meantime the great war as hor- rible IS it is to contemplate by putting the price of food so high. is giving the farmers of this country their great op- portunity. The agricultural west is wal lowing in wealth. By planting peanuts velvet and soy beans. the south can sell these food crops, which it has a monopoly for more money than 15,O00,000 bales of cotton at 20 cents pound will bring. The farmer can, if he wishes to do so con- tract for the sale of his 1917 crops of pea nuts, velvet and soy beans at prices that will assure him a handsome return. After " horse cultivator can care for 50 acres of peanuts. He can confidently look forS net return of S1250. These crops are only some of the substitutes for cotton that will bring in ready money within the year.
 I was talking with my brother the other day about conditions in west Alabama He is'20 years or more younger than I am and was inclined to see the future through dark glasses. I said to him, Your father made a comfortable for tune as a farmer and you have just five times his opportunities He could con vert no crop that he grew into money except cotton. You can even sell the acorns growing, without the help of man. upon your trees"
 I asked him if he did not remember that his fathers sheep failed to pay their freight charges to St. Louis, while our neighbors refused $6 per head for theirs now in their pastures. In the sos we sold our pretty mlk-fat calves at s per head Calves now running beside their mothers in these same pastures bring $20 They are no better than the calves that sold for s5.
 What is true of cattle is true of hogs. We own the soil, we have the climate and we are the people. We have noth- ing to fear if we put our trust in God and go to work. Sincerely,
 JOHN A. ROGERS.
 Gainesville. Ala, December 27 1916.