The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-19

II IulIlS dll(l ulNcI SlIlCdtlOu first stop on the trip of 70 miles or more gave cause for enthusiasm in everyone.
 This was the farm belonging to Judge J. T. Stokely of Birmingham. which spreads
 it's broad acres and rich pastures just out side of the city The picturesque house,
 built along colonial lines, but thoroughly
 equipped from modern viewpoint,
 stands on a knoll and overlooks the farm,
 while at it's side the silos massive hay
 filled barns and green pastures furnish
 herds of blooded Herefords with food and
 shelter.
 The Demopolis district is the natural
 home of alfalfa, and it was between broad fields green with this wealth-giving prod uct that the party went, over good roads, to the farm where J. T. Thompson raises, for breeding purposes, Poland China hogs. At present he has more than 50 registered hogs on the place, including World s Wonder" a 3-year-old weighing about 800 pounds.
 MT. Thompson is young Indiana man, who has come down recently and built a beautiful bungalow on his 400-acre farm. He is one of many northern men who have been drawn southward by the amaz- ing possibilities of Alabama lands un- developed for so long. Another is Dr. S.
 E. Sparling. who holds P. H. degrees from Northwestern university and Leip- sic, who has 300 acres of the richest land round about. Dr. Sparkling has, been a teacher for many years and has now
 turned to Alabama soil, which he expects
 to till with great profit.
 The large acreage of H. R. Bright is one of the most prosperous and splendidly
 equipped farms in the district. MT. Brightis raising large quantities of alfalfa and Johnson grass and he makes large c fc cf how al foIf fo six times year. He pastures large number of Duroc-Jersey hogs and South down sheep on his fields and is enjoying the marked prosperity that is characteris- tice of tha tsection. Mr. Bright is an- other man who turned from a successful business and made even greater success at farming. His work is only an indca- tion of the wonders that can be wrought with the Houston clay and the Triumph clay, which forms an excellent lime soil and a natural bed for alfalfa.
 H. B. Tabbs 400-acre farm is planted partly in winter oats and he is finding that the beautiful homes, the abundance of good artesian water from overflowing wells, the rolling pastures that border the splendid roads, rival his own native state, Kentucky, which is noted for those very things.
 The farm of Charles Ford was one of lhC lllOSl AutcTcSllI6 pOlulS CI lIt tTlp, for the guests were especially enthusias- tice over the Tamworth breed of hogs, which is Mr. Ford's speciality. He is one tic over the Tamworth breed of hogs, breeders, having shipped hogs to all parts of the United States. The new era in farming is especially brought to mind by a glance over the acreage of his farm for, scattered here and there in the alfalfa Pastures were negro cabins in good con- rryft1, flo1 1r0, or1 f1,o fields, where two years ago there was nothing but cotton. the plants surround ing the houses.
 delightful barbecue was served at the place of Morton Crabbe, where the groups of interested men and women gathered to inspect his registered Short horn cattle and listen to the short talks of experts on the subject. Mrs. Mathis made brief address before the repast was served. as did MT Sevier and MT. Barrett. Then the ladies were carried to the home of MT. Ford where they were the guests of Mrs. Ford at dinner before starting on the further inspection of the Demopolis section.
 Prairievi,Ie was one of the small places that the party passed through on their way and there the homes of J. T. Collins and J. w. Collins, palatial residences in the midst of broad fields. where live stock BFazeO, were especially nOCe0.
 Here the hosts of the day pointed to the homes of half a dozen farmers on one plantation that didn't nave a white farmer on it two years ago. Everything in the section points to bigger, better days and it would seem that more and more are people realizing the privilege of cultivating the land and making out of it such living as was never known be- fore In her trips from county to county, Mrs. Mathis has been preaching the doc Urine. Every county for itself1 and surely such a movement is sweeping the state as will make for better and best farming, and the imports will be cut down, not $25, ,000, 900, but $75,000,000. People down in the black belt are already doing that thing, and they are taking advan- tages of the fact that Alabama is nat urally a live stock and alfalfa country and are making it pay.
 An example of such thrift and indus try is the farm of E. B. Barnes. who netted $1050 on 21 acres of alfalfa, and that of c. T. Douglas, who was the first forth in government bulletin 231, and that of R. Bruce Young, a Kentucky man, who has gone in for alfalfa and horses. There are many places that exemplify the change that has come over farming in the last year or two and the farm CTS gree that they would not go back to the old way for anything in the world.
 An interesting community that is in cluded in the Demopolis circuit is Free town, colony of negroes. former slaves and their descendants. who were granted fl eedom by their master in his will leav- iHg them from six to 15 acres of land apiece. Most of these negroes have made good, and many of them still retain the title to their land.
 w. L. Reynolds owns possibly the largest single alfalfa field in the state, it consisting of 1000 acres and stretching green and straight almost as far the eye can see. There are 14.0O0 acres in the district planted in alfalfa, and it is proving satisfactory and profitable crop. The c. I. Stoner farm is another that is remarkable for it's intensive value. While MT. Stoner has only 320 acres. he is making it do double value. He has the largest comparative barn shelter in the country around about and is raising splendid herd of registered Aberdeen Angus cattle and Berkshire hogs as well. His place is tile drained and is equipped with the best modern improvements.
 Warren A. Bacon is man who goes ir for horse raising. and he has to show for his work some of the most splendid specimens of race horses in the coun- try. One of his horses Lucanda, was sold, when 1T years old. to the Russian government for $30O00. He has just re- fused an offer of $10.0O0 for another, Pe- ter Biliikin. the holder of the two world s records, and third, MT. Bacon thinks, is the best horse he ever raised. and he be- lieves that it will be a worlds cham picn. Mrs. Bacon goes in for dogs. and has number of fine Airdales, which she is raising for profit.
 A number of experiments are being car