davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
East Alabama Crops Good

Crop conditions insofar as they re- late to food crops, have never been better throughout east Alabama. ac- cording to reports coming from every direction. Crops have not suffered in east Alabama for the lack of rain as they have in some localities of the state, and with the rains and hot sun shine they have done all that could be expected of them.
 People who have been in the country considerably, state that they have never seen such promising corn corps. Upland and bottoms are doing well. The stalk is still growing and if the seasons continue favorable until the growing season is over, last year $ yield will be surpassed, nothwithstand- ing the fact that the acreage may not be quite as large as it was a year ago.
 Peanuts. peas and velvet beans of the early plantings are also doing, well. The acreage in these crops this year is large. while the sweet potato acre age is as large or larger than last year, when the state broke all previous rec cords in raising this very necessary crop.
 Last year the people responded 70 the plea of the government to help feed themselves and some to spare and they did it, and are repeating again this year This accounted to aniex- tent, in more grain being sown and both wheat and oats were good this year. The wheat crop was the best seen for many years and it is prob able that it will act as an inspiration to others to SOW for another year. cotton is looking well, but the boil weevil is already at work and this makes the crop uncertain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18

That the county agents now employed in 250o counties in the United States are doing most effective work in assisting local farmers in producing and market ing their crops and live stock, thus aid ing materially in adding to the nation s food supply at critical time, is shown by a report from the county agent or Franklin county. Tennessee, which was recently sent to the officials of the Unit ed States department nf agriculture. The work of this county agent is typical of what ic being done throughout the na- tion
 Through his efforts the Franklin Coan- ty Agricultural club, a county live stock association. and number of community clubs have been formed, and prepara- tions are being made to organize coun- ty bull assoc ;ation. The members of the
 live stock association marketed their stock through the organization tnls spring, and made an average profit Der head over the local market price ot $27. .51, making a total net profit to the farmers and county of $7230. One i've stock man claims to have made 5000 oy shipping through the association An other stated that he cleared $500 All the farmers who shipped cattle are highly pleased with the cooperative shipment plan, and the entire associa- ton is in for feeding better cattle and more of them
 BUSINESS MEN AND FARMERS
 On the third annual inspection trip of the Franklin County Agricultural club at least 100 automobiles and 300 farm CTS and business men took an all-day trip inspecting the farms of the county Farmers from three other counties and
 several frcm another state came te Franklin county to take the inspection trip. In one community the visitors saw 700 acres of crimson clover where four years ago there was no clover ol any kind in the locality. The farmers 1i Franklin county are beginning to realiz' the value of crimson clover as sol builder. anc are seeing the effects o clover on their soils. There are AIN acres of crimson clover in the county this wear. Tn one community crimson clover will average 70 acres per farm. The county bull association will o' 1 formed for the benefit of patrons of thS | local creamery The county agent hal aroused interest in better dairying, anc farmers are enthusiastic over the in creased profits which are obtained iron high producing dairy cows as compared with the type of animal they formerl, ! raised. Three pure-bred Jersey bulls wil be purchased and placed in three com munitics
 The county agent is assisting in soiv l ing the labor problem by encouraginF l the use of better farm machinery whict will do more work with less man powe than was possible with the ksnd Qf m
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Household Hints

Salt will curdle milk if added while cooking.
 By heating lemon before squeezing i. twice as much juice will be obtained. In making bread pudding, the bread crumbs should be beaten smooth with the custard.
 Nowadays it is polite to return any sugar you do not mean to use to the sugar bowl.
 Coffee will be better if one or two cups are poured off and back again just be- fore serving.
 good canteloupe is slightly soft when pressed with the fingers and it has a slight fragrance.
 A scratch on polished furniture may be almost obliterated by rubbing vigor- ously with linseed oil.
 Save all pound tins which have held baking powder and use them to steam brown bread and puddings
 White paint will keep it's brightness If it is wiped with a clean kerosene cloth after the regular cleaning.
 The oftener the crust of the rice pudl ding is stirred in while it is cooking the richer the pudding will be.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
A Promising New Crop

Purple vetch gives promise of beiig valuable addition to the list of creps
 that can be grown in the south and Fla cific coast states where winters arerot severe according to farmers bulbhn 967, just published by the United Stb les
 department of agriculture. This ve,h.
 which is similar to the common aid
 hairy varieties, but is less hardy, yas
 brought into the United States by ltbe oftlce of foreign seed and plant inEro- auction in 1899 from Italy, In California where experimental work has been con.l uncted, 1t has proved one of the bsstl II not the best, crop for use as erael manure in orchards. and in commercial piantings it has been thought well of bl tne farmers who have used it. In west eIh oregon and western Washington l. can te grown successfully a $ a seed crod the yields averaging from F to IS bush els an acre. If has not been sufficient tested in the southern states to dk ternine definitely it's value in localitik where common vetch is now hei,[ grown, but as it requires conditions si,, liar 10 the common varieties accordixy to the bulletin. 1t seems probable ftst it may serve an excellent purpose in tHs region as well as in the western IJni.d States. It is of high feedin gvalue aid makes SoOd nay Tn paSturage.
 Under average conditions purple yebh will stand a winter temperature offs degrees above zero with little or no hn jury. Where the temperatures are lot likely to fall below this mark it shodld be sown in the fall. With colder wn- ter conditions. spring seeding is essential. In localities where common vetch das been grown successfully and the ne.es- sary bacteria have been establisheofin the soil. it is not necessary to inocllate for purple vetch
 Purple vetch should be drilled in dose drills or broadcasted at the rate of O to 80 pounds of seed per acre. Harvesting can be done best with common mdwer having a Swather attachment. It shpud be cut for hay during the period rom full bloom to the formation of the first pods. The yields average about two and one-half tons of hay per acre When harvesting for seed the crop shouli1 be cut soon after the lower pods are ripe, at which time the upper pods will be mature and the plant vii be carrying a maximum quantity of seed. Purple Fetch is less exacting as to the time of tcut- ting than common vetch, as the seed shatters less readily, Thrashing may he done with an ordinary thrashing ma chine.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
NOW IS THE TIME TO SAVE 100 HENS ON EVERY FARM
Turnips and Rutabagas

That more people are interested in growing something to eat than ever before. is clearly indicated by the vast number of inquiries coming into Au- burn about how to grow various food crops Right now the turnip is be- ginning to receive attention, and C. L. Isbell. garden specialist at Auburn, says the value of the turnip as a food depends almost entirely on the rapid ity with which it is grown. When quickly grown it is sweeter, less woody and much more easily digested than when grown slowly or allowed to become stunted.
 The soil where the seed is sown should be moist, fairly rich. deeply turned or dug, well drained and finely pulverized. Barnyard manure at the rate of 15 tons per acre. or heavy application of commecial fertilizer con- taining much nitrogen should be used Poultry manure is excellent and can be used to quite an advantage by the small gardener.
 In small lots, such as city baclyards, where cultivation is to be done by hand the seed should be sown in rows 15 to IS inches apart, and wider Say three feet, where cultivation is to be done with blows or cultivators The seed should be sown from the middle of August to September 10, covering shall tow mot more than F inch deep and when two to four inches high the tur- nips should be thinned to stand four inches apart and used for greens. Plan, rutabagas in July or early August Dry weather in August sometimes pre-. vents a good stand and, for this req. son. it is advisable to make the Au. gust planting and, if stand is not so. cured, another planting in early Sep tember. It is better to use the row method because it does not require as much seed as does the broadcast meth od- It usually produces a better quail Ity turnip and. with this method, cul- tivation is possible, which increases the chances for a good stand
 The varieties recommended for Ala bama are Flat Dutch, Yellow Globe or Swede, Milan and Cow Horn
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Campaign Did Much Good

It is believed that the poultry cam paign put on in Alabama during the early summer resulted in much good. This work was under the leadership of Miss Gladys Tappan of the extension service at Auburn. She was assisted by the county home demonstration agent in each county; also by MT. K. L.. Cochran, from the United States de- partment of agriculture. MT. Ira G. Shellabarger assisted in the work to- ward the latter part Of the campaign. Much of the success of the work was due to the energetic cooperation of the county demonstration agents, as these women realized the need of just such work as this.
 Meetings were held at 26 different places. and in addition to lectures which dealt with every phase Of poul- try growing, demonstrations were g iven on the following: First, making sim pie devices for testing or cant1ling eggs second candling market eggs; third grading market egs; fourth, the preservation of eggs in water glass for home use; and fifth, Judging poul- try, calling attention to points es- sential to a good farm flock. Thus it will be seen that these speakers not only told how to do various things, but showed how, by doing some of them.
 These meetings were attended by an average of 50 persons. When this mum Der Of people come out to such a meet ing duing the busy crop growing sea son, it means that they aer interested. Alabama eggs have had an unsavory reputation for storage purposes. It is just such work as was put on in this campaign. together with the enforce ment by the state department of agri- culture of pure food regulations re- garding eggs, that will help to im- prove the quality and price of Ala bama eggs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Farmers Summer School

The Sixteenth annual farmersiIsum- mer school will be held at Auburl this year from July 27 to August 2efnciu- sive. pr. c. A. Cary. director If the school announces that the programme is rapidly being whipped into shape, and that it will be up to its usual standard of excellence, and in dalling to the farmers of Alabama to cane to the school. Dr. Cary says:
 The Auburn farmers summer school is the great Alabama clearing, house for agricultural and live stock jinfor nation. for old and new, tried ard true methods, along all lines of farming. Come to Auburn and learn how to feed more men on the firing line ahd the hungry allies. No fees. no cost. Board will be reasonable Water and water melons free'
 Those who have attended the farm- CTS summer school before. know that Dr, Cary means just what hb says about both informant ton and water melons. Dr. McAdory will be on hand with his big knife to slice the melons. Everything possible will be done 10 insure good time for all who come, as well as to impart information.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Cereal Crop Seed for 1919

To locate adequate supplies of good quality seed of cereal crops for 1919, field
 inspectors of the department of agricul-
 ture have already begun work in tie southwest. Work is now being done in fields of Kanred wheat in Kansas and of Early Raart wheat in New Mexico and Arizona in. order to make available large supplies of seed of this variety for use in these states and in California next year. This work will be extended with wheat and other garins in the more i'm. portant grain producing acreas of the United States as the season advances. The department is also cooperating with state authorities in seelcting and inspect ing potatoes to be used as seed next year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Some Horses Don't Sweat

Horses and mules are probably being worked harder and longer hours than ever before They must receive good at tention, especially during this hot wealth CT if one wishes them to do this hard work and remain in good shape. Often mule or horse fails to sweat. This may cause considerable trouble Dr. C. A. Cary. state veterinarian and dean of the veterinary college at Auburn gives the following information on the sub ject
 Horses, unlike most animals. excrete albumea and globulin proteids in the sweat. Why horses thus excrete albumns is unknown. yet this in part explains why horses that sweat very freely become greatly reduced in vitality and strength Clipping when the hair is long is said tos be the only preventive of excessive sweating In the sweat of the horse there is about , per cent of ash (salts). When the hair becomes short or the long hair is shed or thrown off, the st per cent of water evaporates more rap idly than when the hair is long. Rapid evaporation or evaporation of sweat as it is secreted is called insensible persprt- alton.
 In the spring when large quantities of new hay. new oats in the straw. or un- cured hay is fed to horses there appears to be something in these imperfectly cured hays or feeds that stimulates rapid respirations and retards sweating The rapid respirations may, in part. be due to the bulky stomach or abdomen press ing on the diaphragm and preventing deep abdominal breathing. Rapid respira- tions may be due to overwork or ex- haustive work
 Retarded or decreased sweating may Indirectly stimulate respirations as it always does stimulate the kidneys When horse is not we'll groomed or bathed the salts and proteids collect and close up the openings of the sweat glands. Hence. to prevent the so-ealled nonsweat- ing horse or mule and the associated rapid breathing it becomes necessary to: l. Keep the ducts of the sweat glands brush and bathing in warm weather once week
 2. Feed hard worked horses less bulky. uncured hay or forage or pasture. The English hay for the long winded, hardy race horses is cured not less than two and often three or four years before 1t | is fed Always feed horses not less than three times a day and in small quantities 1 of balanced ration. l 3. Overwork, exhaustive work and espc- cially very hard or rapid work in the
 warm, sultry weather may have a me
 chanical action on bursting or rupturing
 the air sacs of the lungs and producing a permanent case of heaves."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Dried Eggs in England


 The high cost of eggs in EngaAn has led to the birth of quite a new pig business in dried eggs and tSgs Tn solution. One large firm sellihg oried eggs has undertaken an extdn- slVe advertising campaign to push these eggs upon the attention of ie- tal'ers' who in fheir turn. are being enabled by other advertising matter to attract their customers to the goo&s The dried eggs which they advtf- tise are entirely soluble and take tip water like lump of sugar and thts give the perfect creamy liquid of Ia beaten shell egg ready for instatt use on mixing. Dried eggs are 10 longer to be regarded as war fool; they have come to stay. This firh predicts that in the near future t!la properly dried eggs will have become one or the very largest used and modt important of our foods
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Canning Cabbage

4
 It is advisable to can the surplus of summer cabbage, much of which has been wasted in former seasons. Sep arate leaves remove core and cut out thick midrib, as when preparing to cook for the table. Wash thoroughly Blanch five to ten minutes and cold dip Pack in jars and add one level teaspoonful salt to each quart, then cover with boiling water Put or rubber and top. Adjust top bail or screw top on with thumb and little finger.
 Sterilize 120 minutes in hot water bath or so minutes at to 10 pounds steam pressure. Remove, seal tight and cool. Send to the national war garden commission, Washington, for free canning and drying manual. which will be mailed to you upon rs- quest. A 2-cent stamp to cover post age should be enclosed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
By MRS. JOHN c. MOSES


 Duty does not stop with the raising of poultry products sufficient to feed the i home folks on the farm Many village people will have to look to the nearby farm for poultry or probably go without. Many people in town have not even d backyard and cannot maintain a laying flock. These folEs S look to the farm for fresh eggs and chickens for the table. Dozens of people in nearby villages and towns 2ould gladly have backyard flock if it could be procured near home. The farmers shoudl rear extra bullets to help fill this call froiN the village and town.
 The best way for the city poultry keep CT to procure hens is to purchase them
 in the sall An effort should be made to obtain bullets rather than older hens, and the bullets selected should be we'll ma- tured, so that they will begin to lay be- fore cold weather.
 Evidences of the maturity of bullets are the development and red color of the comb and a size and growth which are good for the breed or variety. Hens will lay fairly well during this period. so that early winter while they are molting. Well matuIed bullets, however should lay farily well during this period, so that an imme Hate return is realized from the investment.
 ADVICE HELPS INTERFERENCE
 When bullets are to be purchased, !. is well if possible to go to some farmer or poultryman whQSnay be known to the prospective purchaser. In some cases lc may pay to make arrangements with the farmer to raise the desired number ot bullets at ar agreed price. Where the householder does not have an opportun- ity to go into the country for his bullets. he can ofteE pick them out among the live DO lltry shipped into the city to be marketed.
 The advice of some one who knows poultry should be sought to make sure that bullets or young hens are obtained and that the stock is healthy. Often local pou1trv associat tions are glad to help the prospective poultry keeper to get stock by putting him in communication with some of it's members having stock for sale. Sometimes boards of trade or chambers of commerce are glad to help bring together the prospective purchaser and the poultry raiser.
 KIND OF FOWLS TO KEEP Householders usually desire not only eggs for the table and for cooking, but also an occasional chicken to eat For this reason one of the general purpose breeds, such as the Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red or Or pirgton is preferable to the smaller egg breeds, such as the Leghorns Not only do the mature fowls of these breeds, be- cause of their larger size. make better table fowls than the Leghorns, but the young chickens for the same reason make better friers and roasters, whereas chickens of the egg breeds are only suitable for the smaller broilers.
 The size of the flock which can be most efficiently kept will depend first upon the space available, and second upon the amount of table scraps oI other waste which is available for feed It is a mistake to try to overstock the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Corn Syrup for Canning

Corn syrup may be used in canning and in making jellies, jams and mari malades and fruit buffers, according to specialists of the United States dc partment of agriculture. Varying amounts of corn syrup are used witt sugar. The syrup gives modified fla, vor to products so it should be tried out in small quantities at first to suli the family taste It combines mos satisfactorily with strong flavoref Iruits such as pineapple and cherries The amount used must be determine. Dy the kind of fruit and the streng,l ! of the syrup.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Hog Campaign Successful

Although definite figures are not yet obtainable, the animal husbandry divs- ion of the bureau of animal industry is assured that the campaign to increase pork production at least 15 per cent over last year has been successful. Accord ing to reports practically every state has done it's part in obtaining this>increase, and some have more than made up tbeir quota. Data gathered by the United States department of agriculture show that on April 1 brood sows on the farms in the United States had increased 91a per cent over the number on the same date the previous year. Weather con ditions during March and April were very favorable over almost the entire hog-producing country. with the result that there was larger percentage of pigs raised than has been the case for snany years past
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
Maple Sugar Value Grows

The value of the national production of maple sugar and maple sirup has grown from S2. 000 in 1S99 when the
 census first ascertained it, to s2,00O,o0)
 for 1918, according to the bureaudof crop
 estimates. United States department of agriculture. The maple sugar and sirup
 of 1918 were worth five times tile cram
 berry crop of 1917. one and one-third
 times the hop crop, three -fifths of the sorghum sirup made, one-half of the
 buckwheat or flaxseed or onion clpp, one
 third of the oranges, and one-qlArter of
 the sugar beets.
 The principal region of production ex-
 tends from northwestern Ohio through
 New York to Vermont, and includes parts of Maine. New Hampshire.I Massa- ci.usetts and Pennsylvania. Gu side of this region there is production lof im- portance in the mountain countr1 begin nir& with the southern counties d Penn sylNania and extending drought western Maryland into scattered localities in West Virginia, and also in parts fl Mich igan, Wisconsin and Indiana.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
DETERMINING CHICKENS AGES

common way of testing the age of dressed poultry, as described by home economics specialists of the United States department of agriculture, is to take between thumb and finger the end of the breastbone, farthcst from the head, and attempt to bend it to one side. In a very young bird such as a "broiler' chicken or a green goose, it will be easily bent like the cartilage in the human ear; in bird year or so
 old it will be brittle, and in an old bird, tough and hard to bend or break. Tricky dealers have been known to
 break the end of the breastbone before
 showing the bird, thus. rendering the test useless.
 LITTLE SCRATCHES Don't keep male bird after the hatch ing season. Hens lay just as well with
 out a male
 Don't overstock your land. Purchase well-matured bullets rather than hens.
 Make the poultry house dry and free from drafts, but allow for ventilation. Keep the house and yard clean | Grow some gren crop in the yard. | Spade up the yard frequently | Feed table scraps and kitchen waste. ] Keep hens free from lice and house free from mites.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-18
TENNESSEE COUNTY HELPS

plements formerly used Fourteen hullers have been purchased and three farmers have recently become interested in buy ing new ones, which will make 17 to be used in the county this year. More tha I l5O reapers will be in use this year in the county.