davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
DIG SPJDS LATER THIS YEAR

the southern crop is marketed as early
as usual, market congestion very prob
ably will be the result. The remedy is
to delay the southern harvest, store ii
possible, and increase home consumption
In the past the southern potato grower
has tried to get to the northern market
at the earliest possible moment. This
year his interests require that he get
there just as late as he can.
Delaying the potato harvest for several
weeks will mean the southern potatoes
will be fairly well matured when dug.
instead of beir' and immature, as
is the case with early harvesting. Well
lnatured potatoes may be stored success
fully if all unsound or badly cut tubers
are removed and if suitable facilities are
available. The best storage is in arti-
ficially refrigerated cold-storage plants.
but these are limited. If care is exer-
cised newly dug Irish potatoes may be
successfully stored in an up-to-date sweet
potato curing house if it is opened at
night to admit the cool air and closed
early in the morning. As matter of
fact well-ripened stock. if dug in the
early evening and gathered early the next
morning when cool and Immediately
placed in suitable storage, may be salts
factorily held for a. month or two. pos
sibly more. In cold-storage plants where
a temperature of from 81 to 40 degree f..
can be maintained they may be kept for
several months without undue shrinkage.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
FARM LABOR SUGGESTIONS

and loafing. In most towns 1t is against
the law to loaf on the streets. A rigid
enforcement of such laws will compel
able-boded men to find work of some
sort. and whether they go to the farms
or find other employment, the effect
will be to release labor and increase the
man power of the country. In view of
the demand for labor it is proper for
communities, by law or by public SEN
timent, to insist that every man, what
ever his wages or his wealth or his con-
dition, shall put in full time.
War Time Methodist is not possible
for us to wage a war of such proper
lions as that in which we are now en-
gagged and at the same time maintain
peace practices and indulgences. We
must all sacrifice: we must all do things
in other ways than the ways to which
we are accustomed. IF we cannot get
the best take the next best War indus
tries cannot be suspended: shipbuildins
must go on; munition plants must be
operated; soldiers must so to France.
With all these activities drawing upon
our man power in increasing volume 1T
will become more and more necessary,
from week to week and from month to
month as long as the war lasts, for each
of us not SO engaged to readjust and
reorganize as the circumstances require.
More effective than any law that can
be enacted by the national government
is the force of public opinion The best
agency for the solution of these prob
lens is the agency of community action.
If the people of community resolve that
thing shall be done they will find
the means of doing it. There is no power
in the government to create labor. nor
have we yet reached the point of ma
tion peril where it is necessary to con-
script labor or to require farmers by law
to grow certain crops. The true test of
democracy is it's ability to meet local
emergency without the compulsion of
national law. At any rate. it is i'm
possible this year to organize system
OF federal administration of agricultural
labor. but it is easily possible for each
state. each community. and each neigh
borhood to solve its own problem. Not
withstanding labor difficulties last year,
production was greatly increased; the
situation this year is but little. if any.
more. difficult. but the more difficult il
becomes the more necessity there is for
united community action.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
Don't Be Too Curious

Many people using incubators forget
the old maxim about counting their
chickens, and by opening the DOR to see
how many eggs are pipped materially
reduce the number finally Matched. The
last three days of incubation is the most
Icritical part of the Matching period, and
the care at this time has an important
bearing upon the Matching per cent. Az
this stage the control of Temperature
and the regulation of moisture supply
are particularly important. The temper
ature after the eighteenth day must be
watched carefully The activity of the
chicks creates heat and there is ten
dency for the temperature to rise. s.An Il
considerable increase in the heat in th.A
machine weakens the chick and drives
out moisture thus causing the chick to-
dry fast to the shell. Opening the incu-
bator door to show the neighbors whatl
La wonderful hatch is promised also all
lows the moisture to escape, cools the
machine and thus gives the chicks a
shock which adds materially to the list
of dead IL she'll
On the eighteenth day the machine
should he closed and not opened again
until the hatch is finished. During this
time the temperature should be watched
closely and regulated by turning the lamp
down so that the temperature on level
with the top of the eggs will not be
above los degrees. The machine should
be darkened during the Matching period
to prevent the first Matched chicks from
trampling those coming out later. There
is nothing gained by helping chicks out
of the shell as those unable to get out
unaided are not worth the effort Se-
quired to help them out. After the hatch
is finished the shells and unmatched eggs
should be removed and the temperature
of the machine gradually reduced to
about a5 to 9S degrees and the chicks left
in until the brooder is ready
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02

statement of fact, illustrative of the
manner in which the 10 strictly cotton
producing states periodically responded
to the appeal of the government in be-
half of the unprecedented increase in
food crops in 1915 and in 1917, cannot
fail to interest the most casual reader
of your most excellent journal.
In grouping cotton states no state is
listed that annually produces less than
900 bales. Thus we have the Caroinas
Georgia. Alabama, Mississippi Louisiana,
Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas and Okla
homa as the 10 distinctly cotton states
Cotton in the south and wheat in the
west constitute the two great staple
crops of the entire country for export
and home consumption
Corn is produced in quantity frequent
ly in excess of demand. At best, it was
long regarded as just simply corn. Elk
traordinary conditions have wrought a
change and corn is being accorded long
delayed and richly deserved recognition
There is home demand, greater and
more wide-extended than ever known,
for corn. We are in the world war. This
requires that all the wheat that car
be produced shall, with the exception
of a very small quantity reserved for
home use, be sent to France for the SOL
diers at the front and for the people al
most on the line of battle.
Corn has come into its own. The place
it has worn. under the economic policy
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02

Home Conveniences

Farm Home Conveniences,D buiie-
tin just issued by the United states oe-
partment Of agriculture, takes as IT'S teAl'
Whatever lessons womans work pehe-
fits the race and then proceeds to ten
how to make homework easier.
1t does this by describing simple meth
DDS of constructing home convenienees'
including a kitchen cabinet, fire.ess
cooker, sponge box or bread mixer, disn
draincr. serving tray, folding ironing
board iceless refrigerator, coal box. home
butter making equipment, cheese MAKING
equipment, shower bath, home water
works, fly trap. window screen. ana coos
stove 1rier or evaporation. The proper
height of working surface and clean
ing closet also are discussed in the buile-
tin v
Copies of the bulletin (Farmers Buile-
tin $40 may be obtained free from the
division Of publications of the depart
ment at Washington.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02

of the country, will be it's, to use as a
legal phrase. Ito have and to hold in all
the future.
MANY USES
The adaptability of corn to so large a
number of economic uses is daily mag
nifying its Importance. The great cereal
will continue to grow in favor with the
people Marked Improvement in the quail
ity of the grain and in wealth of pro-
duction will be noted year by year.
With no purpose other than to show
the alacrity with which, and the manner
in which, the cotton states rallied to the
colors a-field and took position right
alongside the guns of the republic, the
writer hereof determined to present to
the public the facts as to corn production
in those states in 1915 and in 1917.
In order more clearly to show the patri-
otto energy and ardor put forth by the
cotton states in this branch of food pro-
duction, comparison is instituted be-
tween these states and 10 other states
one eastern and nine western states.
The selection of the 10 states, just re-
ferred to, is based on the general aver
age yield of corn, per acre compared
with that of the United States. Choice
was made of states whose population
per square mile was approximately the
same as that of Georgia.
The comparison is not made with a
view to extollng one group or decrying
the other group of states.
While directing attention to what the
cotton states have accomplished in the
matter of bulk crops of corn the COM
parison emphasizes the fact that the cot
ton states have yet much to do in order
to bring their general average yield OF
corn per acre up to the standard set by
the other group of states
Here are the figures for 1873;
North Carolina produced 6o,90o,ooo push
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
Drive on Cattle Tick

The warm days of spring mean that
the battle in the southern states against
the cattle fever tick has been resumed.
1t is a battle that has always been inn
portant, hut is particularly important
this year, in the opinion of officials of
the Uniter States department of agri-
culture, because every steer saved from
the ticks means more meat, and, there
fore, that much more food for America
and the allies.
Across the southern portion of the
United States, in a long semicircle from
the Atlantic ocean to the Rio Grande
extend loo miles of concrete trenches.
They arc the cattle-dipping yats through
which the ticks cannot pass nortnward
and which are gradually moving south
ward, driving the tick lines before them
Behind the trenches is the antitiek
army, which is captained by 2S5 inspec-
tors of the United States department OF
agriculture, $50 state inspectors and 1900
county inspectors. The army is made
UP of thousands upon thousands of cattle
owners, who have come to realize how
great is the toll they have been made
to pay to the tick and how they can be
finally rid OF the parasite if they join
in the hattie against it.
With the coming of warm weather
and rise from the grass of the southern
fields. and at the first opportunity at
tach themselves to the hides of passing
steers and cattle. They multiply pro-
digiously. More ticks come from the
grass and they multiply. Where one was
in the spring millions are in the sum-
mer. The steer which has been made
, to serve as the host of the ticks becomes
in few months a skinny sickly wreck
and veritable mass of blood-sucking
parasites.
The antitick fighters are ready Tor
the tick. They will drive the tick
infested cattle through the dipping watts
After one passage the cattle will carry
comparatively few ticks. At the end OF
| the summer they will carry none. Fewer
ticks viii be in the grass next spring,
fewer will be on the cattle in 1919
| When the end of the long antitick war
Is reached Officials of the United States
department of agriculture believe victory
Will be won not later than 1921, the
southern cattle industry will have rid
itself of parasite that annually costs
tens OF thousands of dollars and will
be established on foundation as firm
as the concrete trenches now fighting
1 for it.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
PUT IDLE ACRES TO WORK THIS YEAR AND BEATHUNS
Produce Clean Milk

Reduction of bacteria in milk does not
depend on the kind OF barn or expensive
equipment SO much as on simple, mex
pensive precautions. Milk with low lac
terial count can be produced in barns
of ordinary type with less Imam ~ worth
of extra equipment. The dairy special
lists of the United States department OF
agriculture have proved this in practi-
cal experiment.
For the purpose of this experiment. four
cows were put in an ordinary frame
barn. An unframed worker was en-
ployed 10 milk and care for the animals
No extra attention was devoted to clean
ing the barn. At the end of six months
the barn was no cleaner than many COM
mercial barns.
without any changes in barn manage
ment the specialists had two cows MIXED
into small-top pals and the two others
were MIXED into ordinary open-top pals
The milk from the open-top pals aver
aged 1874 $50 bacteria The milk from the
small-top pals averaged 36S2l4.
The use of the small-top pail without
any extra precaution made a difference
in the average count of 129, 439 bacteria
per cubic centimeter
The pals and cans were sterilized with
live steam, which can easily and cheaply
be done with a simple steam sterilizer.
purchased complete for about $40 Other
conditions remained as before. The milk
from the sterlized small-top pals aver
aged only 17,o27 BACTERIAL reduction OF
351, 1877 in favor of this simple steri.za-
ton With the open pals, sterilization
reduced the bacteria to 22,6T7-a decrease
of 474,976 compared with milk from the
uhsterilized open pals.
In the third step of the experiment the
manure was removed from the Darn
twice instead of only once a week. rhe
udders and teats of the COWS were washed
before each milking. These reasonable
measures of cleanliness reduced the count
in milk drawn into the sterilized small
top pail TO 1856 bacteria, and in the ster-
ilized open-top pail to tle6 per cubic cen
timeter. Ordinary cleanliness, it can
be seen, caused a reduction of over io,eVb
bacteria per cubic centImeter.
To make it easier to keep the CONS
clean. in the final stage of the expert
ment the manure was removed daily
clean bedding was supplied, and the
COWS We're cleaned with currycomb ana
brush. With these final precautions the
bacterial count in the sma1l-top pail
averaged the very low one of 2154 per
cubic centimeter, or 1,197,S47 bacteria less
| than were found in sample when the
barn and cows were dirty and the uten-
sis were not steamed
| Farmers interested in improving the
quality of milk can get further Informal
| ton from the dairy division. Unitei
States department of agriculture Wash
| ington, d. c.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
WORLD is USING MORE WOOL

The supplies of wool in the United
States are large for this time of the year,
just prior to the taking Of the new Clip,
according to a statement issued by the
United States department of agriculture
in an article in the forthcoming Year
book. Imports of wool have been great
er than usual during the last few years,
with the result that stocks have grad
ually accumulated in dealers and man
ufacturers' hands At the beginning of
this year these stocks amounted to about
SIT 100000 pounds in terms of raw wool,
and the prospective clip added to the
pulled wool will make available in this
country about 9OO.000000 pounds in 1915
This in about $50, 100000 pounds over the
manufacturers consumption in 1916, and
does not take into consideration any wool
which we may import in 1918. During
recent years imports have exceeded the
total production of raw wool in the
United States by IL to 20 per cent. The
demand for wool, of course, has in
creased greatly because of the require
ments of the army, and it is difficult
to estimate how great the needs will be
in 1918.
WOOL CONSUMPTION
Since 1914 the consumption of raw wool
per capita has been increasing. accord
ing to the statement in the Yearbook
article, but prior to that date for many
years the per capita consumption had
been decreasing. 1t is pointed out that
from 592 pounds as the yearly average
in 1S75-fSS4, the average manufacturers
per capita consumption increased to STA
pounds in the next decade, followed by
III pounds in 1904 and 5.63 pounds
in 1905-1914 The unprecedented consump-
ton Of SO4 pounds is indicated for 1915
and the large one of $50 pounds for 1916.
due to war demands.
In the fragmentary record of the con-
sumption of raw wool and of the net
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
Sweet Potato Weevil

Inc present extraordinary need to
conserve all food supplies, says the
united states department of agricul-
lure IN letter to owners and man.
ayers OF sweet potato storage houses
In the southern states. makes it the
DUTY of every warehouse owner or
manager to take extreme precaution
tnat no sweet potatoes infested by
the sweet potato weevil be sent from
warehouses into uninfested or wee
vil-free regions. The department asks
the thorough and active cooperation
OF warehousemen to eradicate the wee
vii from regions where it has obtained
a foothold and to restrict its spread
1t is hoped that every storage ware
house will not only refuse to receive
weevil- infested potatoes but will en-
ploy every means to guard against
infestation of new localities, either
through the use of infested potatoes
as seed or through their sale for use
as food.
A recent preliminary survey conduct
ed in the southern states by agents
of the bureau of entomology of the
department showed that the sweet po-
tato weevil which is described as "a
most dangerous and destructive enemy
of the sweet potato" is rapidly in
creasing its range and that it has
appeared in many regions in which it's
presence has not hitherto been sus-
pected.
This pest attacks the sweet potato
both in the field and in storage and in
some localities is responsible for the
complete abandonment of all attempts
to grow this important food crop, since
the weevil is likely. in localities where
it is well established, to destroy from
so to 95 per cent of the crop. In the
C0mnaTatiVely atmOSnbera of
storage houses it breeds throughout
the winter and is certain to infcst
clean potatoes stored with infested
ones. The bureau of entomology re-
quests warehousemen and Others to
furnish the bureau with a list of the
localities they know or suspect to be
infested. as such information will en-
able application of concentrated effort
toward the control of the pest.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
Why a Dogs Nose Is Cold

q
When your faithful dog pokes his nose
into your hand even your affection can
not prevent little shivef, because the
nose is so cold. Why il it? When the
body of dog is so warm, why should
this one spot be different from all the
rest Of him? The GOODNESS of d dogs
nose is due to the fact that it must be
kept moist all the time in order to shar-
pen his sense Of smell. And. of course.
as the moisture is .evaporating all the
time, it keeps his nose cold. A dos de-
ponds d sreat deal on his powers OF
smell, especially in the wild state. In
addition to the olfactory or smelling
nerves inside dogs nostrils, the whole
black membrane around the nose is very
sensitive. hut this sensitiveness can only
be retained by moisture. Thus it is that
when dogs nose is dry and warm he
is i'll and needs doctoring.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
WOOL CONSUMPTION

The southern potato grower is advised
by the United States department OF agrl-
culture to harvest the crop this spring
several weeks later than has been the
custom in past years; to store the corp
il facilities permit (being mature wnen
dug the crop will be more susceptible OF
successful storage) and to market 1t grad
ually. to consume at home more OF the
new crop than has been the CUSTOM ana
while eating more potatoes to eat less
wheat
The purpose of this program IS 10 avon
glutting the northern markets with your
early crop of potatoes. II markets are
glltted the chances are you will not get
a satisfactory price for your crop. Inc
market is very apt to be glutted II you
handle this years crop as you have nan
dled former crops Instead of digging as
early as YOU can. while the tubers are
immature, and rushing to northern mar
kets. 1t is to your self-interest, as Wen
as to the advantage of the nation from
q food-conservation standpoint to deiay
harvest as long as you can and after
that to delay marketing as long as you
can. and meanwhile to increase local
consumption Of the new crop as mucn as
possible.
HEAVY HOLD-OVER CROP
This year there is an unusually heavy
holdover of northern potatoes. These po-
tatoes are moving to market now ana
will continue to move for some time.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
Don't Waste Seeds

than they need or SOW seeds too thickly
will be depriving someone else of seeds
and may cause a scarcity.
1t is easy to plant more seeds tn ~ IL
necessary when the assumpi on is that al
few more or less will make no material
difference. Later the extra plants have
to be thinned out or, mole often, are
left to crowd together and produce an in.
ferior crop.
1t rs assumed that before purchasing.
the seeds. the garden plan has been
carefully made and the actual amount
required has been determined. If this is
done, there will be no occasion for waste.
The most successful market gardeners
figure very closely upon the amount of
seed required. They buy the best OBJ
tainable and then plant only the rel
quired number to the hill or row
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-02
FARM PRICE DECREASES

manufactured wool in the foreign trade
as far as the latter can be established
it seems that the ultimate consumption
OF wool per capita averaged 5.S5 pounds
IN OF the 10 years, 1S75-1SS4. and 5f4
pounds per capita in the four years. 1911
1914, followed by 793 pounds in 1876 aud
6.25 pounds in 1915. In recent years
more wool in manufactures was exported
than was imported and hence the lower
ultimate per capita consumption of all
wool than manufacturers per capita con-
sumption of raw wool
Manufacturers raw wool consumption
increased from the yearly average of 294 :
100000 pounds in 1S75-1SS4 to 420 0O0. 0Oo
pounds in the next decade and to 1852, OO0 =
600 pounds in the next, and the average
for 1915-1915 was 51500o,0 900 pounds, fol-
lowed by sos 100000 pounds in 1915, and
651, 100000 pounds in 1916, The ultimate
consumption in recent years was little
below these figures because of excess of
exports of wool in manufactures.
IMPORTED WOOD
Imported wool has relatively gained on
domestic wool in the national consump-
ton. 1t was only % per cent of the total
consumption or less than one-quarter,
in of the 10 years 1S75-1SS4, and the
fraction rose to over one-half, or 81 per
cent of the total in 1911-1914, followed by
70 per cent in 1915 and g. per cent in
1916.
The wool clip and pulled wool of this
country amounted to 306,50o,O 900 pounds
yearly in the decade 1905-19l4, but in the
last three years the average has been
2S7, 100000 pounds. By the time that the
present war had begun to affect the sit
uation, foreign wool had about equaled
domestic wool in the national consump-
ton, and since the war began it has
largely exceeded domestic wool in con-
sumption.