davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Corn a Champion Crop

Corn, on a given area. will produce more human food than any other crop commonly grown on American farms. This crop heads the list in units of ,en- ergy produced per acre, and is ahead of all other crops except navy beans and soy beans in tissue building material In the latter element soy beans far out class all other crops, showing nearly twice as much protein per acre as navy beans, which rank second in this regard.
 The dairy COW is the most efficient or farm animals in the production of human food (mil1) and the hog is the most eff ficient in the conversion of grain into meat. producing five times as much per acre of crops as does any other animal.
 These facts and others are told in the United States department of agriculture s Farmers Bulletin SIT. Human Food From an Acre of Staple Farm Products, which gives an acrea-for-acre compar- ison of the food value of various crops and animal products
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Potato Yield Increases

The yield of potatoes per acre is grad ually increasing in this, country, as shown by the records of the bureau of crop estimates of the United States de- paftment of agriculture. During 1S66- 1874 the average annual yield per acre was 91 bushels, but the average mar kedly declined to 71.3 bushels in 1SS5-1S94 Perceptible recovery was made in the following ten-year period and much larger recovery, rising to new high water mark, was reached in 1905-1914, with it's average yield of 97 bushels per acre.
 In 20 years the productivity of the average potato acre increased S6 per cent. This increase is due to various causes, among which are greater specialization of production, more intensive treatment, and higher fertility of the soil. The ten yea raverage yield of 97 bushels per acre in 19o5-19l4 was followed by 96.S bushels in 1915, S0,5 bushels in the very low year 1916, and 100S bushels in 1917
 Compared with population, the yield Of potatoes per acre declined from 1S66- 1874 to 19O5-1914 The gain of production per capita in recent years has been more because of increased production per acre.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Back Hog Day Sales

Hog sales days are now being held Tn many parts of Alabama, and are really becoming almost everyday affairs in The southeastern part of the state. Re- Eently sales have been held at Hartford, Eiocomb, .Eyergreen, Union Springs and |Eufaula About 200 head were sold at Hartford and Slocomb, and the price or
 O. hogs at Hartford was $l6.35 per
 undred pounds, and a Slocomb Ao2z1
 Evergreen he price brough was Slb,
 Union Springs s16.50, and Eufaula
 s.45.
 One of the encouraging things at these
 Ales. states l.. T. Wells, marketing spe- [ialist of the Alabama extension service, Ivho assists in most of these hog sales, is that. very large percentage of the hogs offered for sale are No. Is. At many of these places two-thirds or more come under this class. This is good sign, be- cause No. 2s bring l cent per pound less than No Is, and No. 3s bring ? cents less than No. Is This shows that the swine gfcwers are putting their hogs into the proper shape to bring the maximum price This is one of the good results nehe sales days, as after attending q
 Sw of these sales the farmers see now
 hogs are graded and profit therepy.
 Recently a carload of corn-fed hogs was shipped comparatively from Reform, in sPickens county, to St. Louis, and the price received was highly satisfactory.
 Sales days are just now getting lnto full swing, and from now until April IL will be no uncommon occurrence for these fo be held, especially in the southeast ern part of the state. The farmers nave learned to appreciate this method ot mar keting and are backing it up in every way possible.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
LIGHTANDPOWER ON THE FARM

It is quite difficult to realize that the farm market is the biggest market in the country today. not only from the standpoint of population, but also from the standpoint of capital invested
 The value of farm property in the United States is over 40000, ,000,000, which exceeds the total capital of all manu- featuring industries, plus the railroad and mining industries.
 During the past few years much thought has been given to modernizing the farm home, and to this end many de- vices have been brought out which will give the present-day farmer every con- venience that may be found in the city. Foremost among these later developments comes the electric farm plant, and the Domestic Engineering company of Day. ton, Ohio, who are no doubt the pioneers in this business, have done much toward educating the present-day farmer to the fact that electricity, as applied to the farm home is not only a convenience. but an absolute necessity. This company has produced, after considerable experiment tai work and the expenditure of a quar-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Reducing Fire Danger

The fire hazard should be considered in the location and construction of all new farm buildings. Many groups of farm buildings are so located and con- structed that any fire which might break out in one building would be almost sure to destroy the whole group. When a new building Is to be erected it is worth while at least to consider placing it where it will be reasonably safe from fire starting in any other building and where it will not be menace to other buildings
 Concrete construction is being used on many farms. and it is especially desir- able for smokehouses, incubator rooms, and any other small buildings which are exceptionally subject to loss by fire. The first cost of 8 ell-constructed concrete building generally will be greater than that of a wood building of the same size, but the concrete will last practically for ever, and will seldom need paint or re- pairs.
 A fire in such a building can do but slgiht damage to the building itself, and there is very little likelihood of it's spreading to any of the adjoining build ingS
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Save the Burlap

More than three-fourths of the burlap
 imported into the United States Is used
 by farmers. The gunny-sacking or jute
 cloth going into our burlap sacks comes principally from India, the great jute center of the world There it is grown,
 made into fiber and manufactured into cloth, which is sewed into sacks after reaching this country.
 The war demand on the jute industry of India has made necessary the careful saving and the reuse of all burlap in this country. and farmers can secure a fair price for their secondhand sacks. It is not necessary to mend sacks to be sold, for manufacturers have special facilities for this work and prefer to do it. M Allow no burlap or bags to mildew or to be damaged by storing in a damp place. Keep them clean and dry. Any waste of burlap adds to the national demand
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Use Woodlands Wisely

Farm woodlands are being drawn upon
 for large quantities of timber for war purposes. There is big demand for
 logs of black walnut, white oak, hiciS-
 ory, spruce, black locust, yellow birch
 yellow poplar rock elm. ash, white
 cedar Gin the southern states); and also
 for the bark of chestnut, oak and hem
 lock if near tannin-extract factories
 Large sound trees of these species
 should be cut and marketed for war pur-
 poses, and under no consideration used
 for eordwood except as their tops and
 branches may be utilized for this pur-
 pose.
 Farm woodlands are also furnishing
 perhaps double the ordinary amount of
 wood for fuel This increased demand
 may result in considerable and lasting
 damage to the woodlands unless pre-
 cautions are taken. On the other hand
 the cutting of cordwood affords each
 owner or woodland gan opportunity te
 clear his land and put his timer in bet
 ter condition. To accomplish this the
 idea to keep in mind is to remove for
 eordwood the poorer, less valuable trees
 leaving the better ones to stand. In re-
 moving the fuel wood the greatest pre- caution shoud be taken not to injure
 the more valuable trees or the young
 growth.
 Briefly, the material which should be removed is as follows
 Sound sticks lying on the ground, n- cluding tops left in logging operations and trees blown over by wind, crushed down by snow or otherwise toppled over; dead trees which are sound and still standing: trees which are diseased, or ! are so seriously injured by insects that they will probably die; and also trees which are specially subject to serious disease or insect attack crooked trees which are crowding out straight ones; large old trees unsuitable for lumber and. having big tops which shade out numerous smaller trees growing beneath them small trees which are overtopped and stunted by larger and better ones; trees of the less valuable kind which are crowding good trees of the more valuable kinds; trees which by some chance are growing on ground unsuited to them; slowly growing trees which are crowding out equally valuable kinds that grow faster; trees badly fire-scarred at the butt, and are among the first to be blown over by heavy winds.
 The ideal trees for cordwood are those which range from four to about lo inches in diameter. The yield of cord wood from trees smaller than four inches in diameter is very slight, and trees larger th&n 10 inches in diameter are usually more valuable for some other purpose, unless they are defective.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Machine ys. Man Power

Ihe extent to which improved farr, machinery and implements have incre.set the producing power of farm Iaborers ,s strlkingly shown by the census figure for the rural population. One hundred vears ago, more than g per cent of the peonie in the United States lived on farms. Eif- ty years ago almost 90 per cent of inc total population were of farms Accord ing to the census taken in 1910 the rural population was only 35.7 per cent of the total
 The proportion of people engaged in farm work to the total population has gradually decreased until only little more than one-third as large percentage are now farming as were engaged in that line of work less than 10O years ago. By the aid of modern implements and machines, this small percentage of farm workers is producing more and feeding more people than three times as many people produced 100 years ago. Some recent figures from the United ! States department of agriculture are sig pficant of the extent to which machinery l. .has increased the productive power of farm labor.
 "The value of implements for each farm in Florida is $30.43; the annual income for each worked in the same state is 1 $1l9.72. The value of implements on each
  nual income of each worker is $1439S. In Iowa the value of improvements is Sl96.55 1 for each farm, and the annual income of each worker is $61l.11. In North Dakota the value of implements for each farm is $23S.S4 and the annual income for each worker is sI55.62
 1 By means of implements each man has multiplied the effectiveness of his effort and has been able to accomplish as much ] as two or more men could do without 1 the aid of implements. While the re- suits along this line have been remark able in the past, there is no reason to believe that they will be any less re- markable in the future. Development and Improvement in farm implements and ma chimes is just as great today as it has ever been. The shortage of farm labor is greater than it has ever been and the use of machinery to meet this short age is practically imperative.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Silo for Economy

silo is necessary for the eco-
 al feeding of dairy cows in both
 IT and winter, is fact well es-
 led Most of those who fed cows
 the past winter of high feed prices
 the difficulty in compromising ap-
 ng rations for their animals and
 eep the cost down sufficiently to
 a margin for profit. The feed price
 lions of the past lew months have demonstrated the advantage of the h making available for feed larger on of the corn plant than is ob- ed without it. On account of the
 prices and the prospects for nearly same condition another year, it is able that many silos will be erected he next few months. The dairyman
 has not yet provided himself with lo should lay his plans for one at br summer feeding the use of silage |nuch safer than pasturing and more |fitable than soiling. During three |eessive seasons, 1910-12, the Wiscon- Experiment station found that corn .ge could be used to greater advan- e than soilina crops in supplement- poor pastures. The principal item t made the silo more profitable than soiling system was that it required $ labor. At the present time labor is her than in the three seasons men ned, thus showing the silo to a still ater advantage. In addition, the re- 1ility of the silo is a noteworthy item it's favor. The same drouth that dries the pastures is also likely to decrease yields of the soiling crops, while the }, being full of feed left over from
 preceding year, tends to equalize ding conditions from year to year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Little Helpers


 Use nutmeg grater to scrape off the burned parts of cake.
 Stand on a cushion while ironing and you will not be so tired.
 When setting bread sponge omit the salt until the bread is light and ready to knead. Y Moisten the spoon with water before serving jelly and it will be much easier to serve.
 Marks on wood work, made by scratch ing matches, can be removed by rub bing with cut lemon. A thick slice of onion laid on top of a roast of beef and cooked with it gives q fine flavor to meat and gravy. To clean vinegar cruet, put q tea spoon of lye in it and fill with water. Let stand day or two before wash ing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Liberty Flocks

Four thousand sheep have already been placed on California farms in q campaign recently initiated by the farm bureau counties of that state. The farm bureaus will take large bands of sheep from the-grass ranges and place them in small ''liberty flocks'' on indi- yidual farms. The grass ranges have been so depleted. owing to two suc- cessiye dry seasons, that many. of the sheer would die. due to pasture short age if some other provision were not made for them. Liberty flocks is the proper designation for these bands which will provide food and clothing for our army.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Sale of Colts

Rere will be sold at public auction at Hilary remount depot No. 3l2, near Itgomery, on Monday. November IS, Aning at 10 a. m., IA colts, all old gh to be weaned.
 h animal will be sold individually e highest bidder, for cash, the gov ent reserving the right to reject any bids, for sufficient reasons. An-
 must be removed within "A hours.
 cash or certified checks will be ted.
 these animals are sound, healthy strong. They range in age from seven months. Three mules, three
 and eight mares.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
.ALABAMA'S SHARE 1919 WHEAT

to aim at this fall in each part of the state: 4E Twenty-Five per cent increase in the for the entire state divided as follows: Thirty per cent increase TOT the Ieh- nessee valley region.
 Thirty per cent increase for the mineral district (embracing the counties of Walk l CT, Winston, Cullman, Blount and Shei- l by), except Jefferson county, for which at least 10 per cent is proposed. Twenty per cent increase for the north- eastern part of the state (embracing the counties of DeKalb. Etowah, Cherokee, | St Clair, Calhoun, Cleburne and Talla- dega). This smaller increase requested
 here is because of the very large in crease in wheat that these counties made
 in 1918.
 l One hundred per cent increase in the northwestern part of Alabama (Frank- I lin, Marion. Lamar. Fayette, Pickens | Tuscaloosa), because o fthe small acre. | age in most of these counties devoted ] to wheat in 1918.
 l Twen' five per cent in crease in the l Black Belt counties, which, for this pur- ] pose, include Sumter, Greene; Hale. Ma rengo, Perry, Dallas, Wilcox, Autauga,
 Lowndes, Montgomery, Macon. Bullock i and Russell. For Montgomery and Lowndes counties which made large in creases last year, this figure is reduced to F per cent.
 Fifteen per cent increase in east Ala bama, including Randolph, Clay, Cham lsbers. Tallapoosa, Lee, Elmore. Coosa and Chiffon,
 For the three tiers of counties in the extreme southern part of the state no special increase as compared with last year is urged. But it is believed that the fair results with wheat obtained last year in Butler and other southern coun- | ties will result in the sowing of num- 1 Der of small patches of wheat in the l southern quarter of the state. where. l however, rye is regarded as a more cer- | tain bread grain crop.
 The percentages are intended to apply l more strictly to each district as a whole than to each particular county. During
 September and October most of the farm l demonstration agents have been active | in efforts to have the wheat acreage in- i creased. though hindered in holding the
 meetings contemplated by the epidemic of | influenza.
 I The proposed increase should add about l &, 900 acres to last years acreage. Even
 with this increased acreage, the entire ], production, if it should average 10 bush els per acre, would still be more than l one-fourth of the wheat needed to feed l the population of Alabama Surely we cannot do less than Is proposed above,
 and many individuals and entire coun-
 ties will doubtless find it practicable
 to greatly exceed the above estimates.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07

r The scientist is beginning to look
 upon cowardice as a disease that will respond to treatment. Nature does not treat all alike. She gives to some too much caution and to other too little. The man to whom the larger share falls has more to overcome than his brother who has the lesser share. The coward is the man who had been
 overburdened with caution. Science believes that 1t can deprive him of a part of his burden and thereby make the coward courageOus.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
HOLD PRODUCTIVE HENS

All hens mott in the fall and early
 winter. During this molting season, which usually takes about three months. the hens lay few or no eggs. It is ad- yisable, if well-matured bullets can be purchased at a reasonable price, to Kill and eat the hens as they begin to mott. replacing the flock with newly purchased outlets. The hens should not be killed, however, until they begin to mott and their combs begin to lose size, color and flexibility, for if these changes have not taken place the hens will probably still be laying and at a time of year when eggs are especially valuable.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
THE DELCO-LIGHT SYSTEM


 plant development
 THE DELCO-LIGHT SYSTEM This is the Delco-Light system, a full page advertisement appearing in this is- sue of The Age Herald telling of it's many virtues.
 The plant was designed primarily to be operated in the hands of people who knew but little about electricity and, this means that 1t should be designed as simply as possible and also measure up to the requirements necessary in the op- eration of successful farm lighting plant.
 l After having completed what in their opinion was a complete unit for farm l lighting purposes, Delco-L Light, as it is commonly known, was placed on the mar ket and in two years time more than | 6o,000 of these outfits have been installed in farm homes.
 | It not only furnishes electricity for | light, but for power as well, and in near ly every instance where the system is ! installed you will find it operating cream separators, churns, washing machines, flaming mills, pumping water, running grindstoneS, etc.
 1 In fact, every plant installed saves l time either on the part of the man Or his wife in proportion as the plant is heing used to perform various duties and this | is the basis for our claim for increas- ing farm efficiency. ALABAMA HEADQUARTERS Delco-Light is distributed in Al2Sama l by the Domestic Electric compaEly, 4O6 l North Twentieth street, Birmingham, 1 who has representatives in most coun- 1 ties of the state. It is also distributor l for all lines of apparatus that can be operated electrically in connection with l the light plant, such as pumps. churns, 1 washing machines, vacuum cleaners, fix tures, electric irons, wire and wiring ue- l vices of every description.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07

Cigarette smoking has become so prevalent among women aid girls in England that it is proposed to enact legislation to put a stop to the habit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Focks like this on every would solve problem

. CTS have had no experience in raising them. Under these conditions the re- suits are apt. to be very poor. Hatch ing and rearing chicks also necesstates broody hens for this purpose, or else in- vesting money in artificial apparatus such as incubators and brooders. Such an investment is often too great to prove profitable with the average small flock. If chicks are raised, they must be fed throughout the summer and no return will be obtained until the bullets begin to lay in the fall. except that the males can he eaten or sold.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-07
Community FairsfHelp

a
 Many community fairs are being D in almost every part of Alabama. it not been for influenza much pr number would have been held. fairs are promoted and con-
 chiefly by the county farm and
 demonstration agents. with the
 ration of the club agents and
 Extension workers at Auburn. In
 eases the exhibits are restricted
 s' and girls work, but more
 nly they are open to the whols
 ship, says J. C. Ford, state Pig
 gent of the Alabama extension,
 cl,ll,. boys and girls bring corn. Es, calves, peanots and all kinds of Anned products and handwork. Tho kthers and mothers bring everythin g ,foduced on the farm and about the Vme and there is frequently quite an lgregation of community relics. IT.. ! Inv respects the community fair i5 kore valuable than the larger county "a state fairs. Taken all in all the emunity fair is one of the greatest ca tors of modern times and it Is a bd sign of the progress of the rural pie of Alabama that they are hold so many of them. Only a few years b, no community fairs were held in absma. For the last two or three ars they have been increasing rapid in numbers. At the present rate thin a few wears there will hardly a community of white home owning &izens that does not hold it's annual immunity fair.