davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
Lint in Cotton

In the cotton crops of 1916 and 1917 the long -fibered Egyption and Sea Is- land lint was or and 0.S per cent, re- spectively, of the total production; the long staple, with a length of 11s inches and over, was s.S and 12.0 per cent; and the short staples of less than IS inches were 90 4 and 87. 8 per cent The amount of the crops was II, ,450,000 and 11,302, 900 bales of 500 pounds. This in- formation has been obtained by the cotton crop specialist of the bureau of crop estimates of the United States de- partment of agriculture. Excluding Sea Island and Egyptian the long staple cotton with a length of more than 7A inches was IS and 1.2 per cent, re- spective1y, of the entire cotton crops of 1916 and 1917.
 Egyptian cotton is grown in south eastern California and southwestern Arizona under irrigation, and the Sea Island cotton in South Carolina. Geor- gia and Florida. Other long staple cot ton is produced mostly in the alluvial regions of Mississippi. between the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, known as the .Delta;" on similar soils in Arkan- other large rivers; in eastern and north western Louisiana; in northeastern Texas, and eastern Oklahoma; and in north eastern South Carolina.
 The short staple cotton. under 1 M inches in length. sells for the lowest price About December l, 1917. this cotton had price of 27.6 cents per pound to producers. as an average for the United States; the long staple cot ton with a length of 1f inches and over but under 1A had an average price oi 33.5 cents; the long staple lint 1A inches and over, the price of 3.4 cents; and Sea Island and Egyptian lint, price of 72 cents per pound tc producers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
Get Ready, Boys

The hoy who wishes to be most suc- cessful with his corn crop next year should select his ground right now. if he has not already done so, says ]. c. Ford of the Alabama extension service After selecting his ground he should immediately begin preparations for next years crop by working the soil flill of organic material. the best kind being stable mantre.s corn stalks. velvet bean vines. or winter growing crops. such as rye, oats etc.
 A good plan is to select an acre that will be cleaned of crops early in the winter, and then blow It deeply Then work in 7 to 10 loads of stable manure by broadcasting it owe rthe top; then SOW oats or rye as a. winter cover crop. Sandy land should never be plowsd il, the fall and the ground left bare, but should be sown down to cover crop. Neither should stable manure be plowed in during the fall and the ground left bare through the winter. but some cover crop should be sown in order to utilize the plant food that would otherwise be leached out and lost
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
election of Sows

This very important matter should have been begun when the pigs were first far rowed. at which time every SOW pig from small filters. ones with many weak and dead pigs or from vicious of un- tractable sows should have been marked for slaughter. So much done at that time we may look over a bunch of gilts and again discard the gross, the mascu- line and the overfat chuffy ones. We want feminine sews. They must be right up on their toes. with upstanding, heavy, straight legs. The SOW may be relative ly heavier in the ham than the shoulders as compared with boars and they will be relatively just little longer but not quite as tall.
 To keep up our drove the sows must not only be long but very long, and they must be so tall that they are awkward looking as gilts. If we are to maintain size. the rib, must be only fairly well sprung, for with the round body we get easv fattening and quick maturity at the expense of size and vitality. like a heavy ear instead of fine one. It win also mean a little slowep maturing animal. but other things will prove that it is the more profitable one.
 Tr order to maintain size we must Se- lect for extreme height. Hogs must be hred into the air. They can be fed to inc ground, but they can never be fed into the air more than an inch or two os fat on the back So never pick a short legged SOW or one that it not very deep- bodied. This kind of a sow will be just n little slabby and the best breeder and suckler.
 never want gilts to farrow before they are year old. and on an aver age 14 or 1e month sows will actually raise a proportionate greater number of pigs of high quality to just about equal ize their greater age in months.
 like old sows, just so they are no' too old. and find that third to hail the gilts will pay to hold over, but never unless they raise their two litters year or at least at their twelfth, nineteenth and twenty-sixth months. will also dls card quite per cent of sows after theil second filters and almost never keep one after their third. at which time We con slider SOW mature, and beyond whicf age most of them become careless moth CTS.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
Will Buy Beef for Quality

At. a &eopfefepee attended n9 Secretary Daniels of the nayy, Secretary Houston of the department of asrieeiture. MT Hoover of the food administration. and representatives of the aGartefsRaster gen. eral of the army and of the paymaster general of the navy, 9 unanimous agree ment was reached that all future pur- chases of beef for our army, navy and marine corps and fighting forces of tho allies shall be made on a basis of qual- irrespective of weight. The repre- sentatives of the other departments agreed that the department of asricul- ture sheisld select the meats on the basis of quality, through it's inspectors at the purchasing markets.
 The arrangement effected will protect the fighting foyees in the matter of qial- ity of meats tnd at tbs same time wilt bring about a better balanced condition in the five stock industry. fhts course of action is Sn accordance with sound principles of production and conserva- tion which have heen advocated by the department of agriculture, the food ad- rnir4istPatiea aYsd the other depsrtHaents with a/view to an assurance of an ade- quate supply of beef for the future.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
, Another Great Bull

A recent issue of the Jersey Bulletin carries the following item regardns the Jersey herd bull recently purchased by Dr. w. G. Slaughter of Lafayette, Ala. |:
 Eminent 18th, purchased by T. r. Liz gett of Tennessee from Bowmont farms Of Virginia, has been sold by Mi. Lig- gett to Dr. w. G. Slaughter of i.aFaS- cite, Ala. Eminent made Jersey history while in Tennessee. and the high stand- =rd of hts get iias lett q deettlsd in- press on Tennessee- Jersey bleed, He has been placed at the head ol pr. slaugh- ters excellent herd nl Alahr,a,t,'
 Dr. Slaughter is president of the Cham bers County Dairymenis aSsoelstion, 8 practical and progressive Jersey breeder and has established one of the leading Jersey herds in the state of Alabama. Eminent 18th has fallen into sood hands and will mean much towards the up- lift ot Alabama Jersey blood. says W.. II. Eaton, assistant dairy husbandinan of the Alabsma extension service. aud United States department of agriculture.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14

The steady advance of the federal, state and county forces fighting the cat tie fever tick in 10 southern states means benefits not only for the owners of live stock in the states most directly con cerned, but to live stock owners in all other states, and in a larger sense to the nation as whole and all the nations associated in the struggle against Ger man autocracy.
 In the first place, victory over the ticks will mean that southern farmers will have no obstacle to the conversion of their excellent pasture lands into good meat and milk Next. it will mean a new and important market for northern bred live stock. Finally, there will be more meat and more milk for America and the allies.
 That is why the anti-tick fight, all though carried on only in 10 of the 4s states. is in reality a national enter prise.
 A DESTROYER OF FOOD
 To Americans not acquainted with the destructive work of the cattle fever tick, it should be explained that this little parasite has done more to impede the development of the southern cattle in dustry than any other single factor. The tick not only sucks the blood of cattle, making them thin and scrawny, and uses for it's own purpose the food that should go into meat and milk. but it spreads among the cattle the serious splenet-, or tick fever. Cattle seriously infested with ticks become emaciated and weak, and thousands of them die every year. The method of fighting the ticks adopt ed by the United States department of agriculture, in cooperation with the states and counties, is the use of the cat 1 tie dipping vat. At regular intervals throughout the summer cattle infested | with ticks or likely to be infested, are given a bath in the vats. The baths con 1 tain an arsenical solution which kills 1 the ticks Repetition of the baths and 1 effective quarantine measures prevent 1 the spread of ticks and fever, and are gradually pushing the freed area toward the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic 1 ocean.
 | When the United States entered the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
Nuts by the Million

Director J. F. Duggar of the Alanama experiment station and extension service has sent to ait county and home denacn- stration agents a letter asking them to cooperate in every manner possible in securing nut shells. peach pits. walnuts. etc. for the making of gas masks for
 our soldiers. County Agent R. D. King
 Of Geneva has conferred with the county
 superintendents of schools in regard t0
 the matter. and 1t is planned to put on
 nut gathering day right scon- All are
 asked to gather these and turn than over
 to the nearest Red Cross chapter It takes seven pounds of fruit pits and nut8 to make one gas mask.
 Every corn, pig, calf or peanut club boy in Alabama is requested by the state club agents to gather one bushel of nuts or seed of stone fruits and turn them over to the Red Cross by pccem- Der l. By doing this the 10000 Alabama. club boys will collect approximately H. 00o,O0o pounds, which is enough to pro- tect thousands of our soldiers from xas.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
PROFITS OF THE FARM WILL 1,E LARGE FROM NOW ON
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE SOUTH

soy beans, cowpeas, Bermuda grass, les pedeza, red clover. alfalfa, etc. Plan now to have a succession of grazing crops for the hogs throughout the year.
 HOUSING LIVE STOCK
 Poultry, hogs, and dairy cattle. to give best results, must be housed. especially at night. as the weather gets frosty. All buildings used for housing such animals should be put in good condition, and where necessary, remodeled along ap- proved lines. Farmers contemplating. the construction of new farm buildings should seek the advice of county agents or those who are prepared to give ex- pert information on the construction of farm buildings.
 HUSkING CORN
 The delay in husking and hauling corn in the fall of 1917 and the extreme Win ter following, not only caused consider able damage to a part of the corn crop but also was a source of much anxiety to farmers as labor problem in late win ter and early spring. Farmers should profit by last seasons experiences and get corn husked and in the crib before se- were weather arrives.
 STORING CORN Protect your corn in storage on the farm from injury from insects. rats and mice, and the weather. Remember that corn is worth money. See your county agent or send to the state college of agri' culture or this department for bulletins telling how best to get rid of rats and mice and how to treat corn with carbon bisulphide to prevent damage from corn weevil.
 WINTERS FOOD AND WOOD Look to the winter food supply. The family which has good, clean, hard corn ! for meal or wheat for flour, hogs and chickens for the winter meat, laying hens for an egg supply, good milk COW weli | fed and cared for, plenty of home canned and dried fruits and vegetables, sirup, and vinegar from their own farm, and plenty of good firewood will be safe for | the winter and need not spend much | time worrying. Look over your storage room and your woodpile. How are you ] fixed?
 SELECT PEANUT SEED NOW The southern states bordering on the Gulf of Mexico had an enormous acreage planted to peanuts the past season. Far' of the crop was planted with the inten- 1 tion of marketing the product, but large acreage was grown for feedlns te hogs The difficulty has been that many of the growers have made no distinction between VarletieS Sultdple lof eliS htsNt kets and those best adapted to hog feed, ing. Very little attention has been giver
 to seed selection or to the purity of the seed, and as result tho product Vs talk ling a low grade and price on the mar ket
 The demand is primarily for the me dium white Spanish or true spanish and every farmer who expects to grow peanuts for the market next year should l q S1nptV Of seed
 of this variety for next years planting If a fair grade of seed is available Il should be handxpicked and only -sounc seed that is true to variety selected fol planting Any mixture lowers the grade by at least one grade or $5 to $lO oi
 more a ton. This difference in price will more than pay the difference in cost
 between poor seed and good seed. Save good seed now.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
Too Old

Ralph Crosman in Farm Life l couldn't go when they called for men For the fight to whip the Hun. Too old.'' they said, when I applied could only send my son. But found there was a job for me.
 Even though l. couldn't fight, So raised crop for Liberty
 To help defend the right I bought . bond each time they called. War Savings Stamps and such. Subscribed to the Red Cross and hauled Supplies to beat thb Dutch. "Too old?" you say well maybe SO,
 But soinetipee kinder feel That I've helped bit. at any rate,
 To make the Kaiser squeals
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14

world war the national Congress saw fit to hasten the anti-tick work by in creased appropriations, aiming to les sen the ravages of this parasite and in crease our food supply. As result of the speeding up process there were freed from cattle ticks and released from quarantine in 1917 a total of 70, 754 square miles, which was practically a0 per cent increase over the average yearly accomplishment since tick eradication was actively begun 10 years ago. This area included 1T counties and portions of counties. into which pure-bred' cattlv from northern states or other tick-freu sections may, be safely introduced for the purpose of improving and building up the beef and dairy herds of the south,
 EXPECT NEW RECORD
 There are in operation now 2e.s7s dip ping vats at which during July of this year 6,6S0,2 ,232 clippings of cattle were of ficially supervised. There are 2202 fed eral state and county employees devoting their entire time to tick eradication work and it is believed that the ace complishment of 1918 will exceed that of last year. It is expected that practically all of Louisiana and all of South Caro- lima, in addition to areas in other states, will be freed this year.
 The most notable accomplishment of last year was the freeing of Mississippi, which opens a tick-free high road to the gulf. When South Carolina Is freed from quarantine there will be tick free zone to the Atlantic ocean,
 It was estimated by the bureau ot animal industry a few years ago thai the total loss to the cattle industry ot the south due to the presence of the tick aggregated close to s40000,000 every year. During the fiscal year 1918 there were shipped to market for immediate slaughter 3ol5,S75 cattle from the tick infested portions of the south Ha6 these cattle been raised upon tick free conditions, they would have averaged about 200 pounds head heavier, of 600,- 000, 0O0 pounds in all. The importance of such an addition to this country. food resources does not call for argu ment.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
Sheep Clubs in the South

Four sheep specialists of the United states department of agriculture are co-operating with colleges in tho so,,thern states in organizing sheep el,,bs. This year 126S boys were en- rolled in sheep clubs in seven southern states and in other parts of the south the sheep industry has made substnn- tiai progress. According to- the Au- gust report of the bureau or crop es- inmates. the percentage of sheep in the southefn states on August l. 1913, as compared with the same date in 1917, was 118.4. while that of the entire vni- ted states was 11f-5
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
Leaves Good Bedding

The importance of securing the great est possible return from the manure supply of the country can hardly be overestimated at any time. It is in finitely greater when the production of food is so vital to the nation as during the present crisis.
 Tn localities where leaves are obtain able at small cost as compared to the cost of straw, a condition which exists in some sections, it would seem advis- able to make use of this material for bedding instead of straw. It is well known practice in the wooded sections of the south to use leaves for bedding. Frequently land has been built up into a high state of fertility when this was practically the only means of supplying humus to the soil.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
To Improve Soy Bean

The soy bean has about the same range of adoption as corn and can be grown successfully on nearly all types of soil. Work is now being done to secure earlier varieties for northern sections. The yield of seed to the acre in various sec tions of the country ranges from about 15 to 25 bushels in the northern states and from 25 t9 % bushels in the southern. The cultivation and handling of the crop in tht6 2cQ2&try are accomplished almost entirely - machinery. ordinary farm crf;iyi,scrt fllirr the bill.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
Biscuits

In biscuits the amount of cereal flour that may be added is smaller because no egg is used. Cereal flo0rs may be used in the proportion of one-haif to one cuu to each cup of wheat flour. which gives the following recipe: Two cups of wheat flour, one-half cup of corn meal. corn. barley, rice or potato flour; three-fourths tablespoon of fat. one tablespoon of salt four teaspoons of baking powder ana milk to make soft dough.
 Sift the dry ingredients. -Add fat and then liQuid. Handle as little as possible. batting and rolling into shape. Cut and bake in quick ovep
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
Says a Farmer

More alfalfa we must have.
 Big pigs from little pig clubs grow.
 The fall farm schools are about over-. the fairs.
 Sweet clover Is coming to be recognizet as a staple crop
 The farmer has fought good figh, during the 1918 campaign.
 More hogs and woven wire is the way Nto handle the labor shortage at shuck- ing time.
 Having a good crop gives no one 2 license to be wastefu1 of food. Food should be as carefully conserved now as it was last spring.
 The stock of forage feeds Is much tot low Wheat is the vital necessity now of course. but raising wheat should not be allowed to interfere with alfalfa anc corn.
 Hand it to the hog in the cornfield He is patriot. He is conserving labor He is making fat for the allies, donating his own labor and giving his owner g profit. / 1 The sparing use of foodstuffs is as i'm portant now as 1t was last spring. Mere. lly because harvest gives a feeling 0. | plenty is no reason for flush use ant waste The world is short of food. w, {, must save
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
HOUSTON ASKS ORGANIZATION

continue to give definite thought to all
 the problems, and, at the proper time,
 will lay the situation before you.
 Two things seem to be clear:
 "One is that, for a considerable period,
 the world will have need particularly
 of a larger supply than normal of live
 stock, and especially of beef and fats.
 We should not fail. therefore, to. adopt every feasible means of economically
 increasing our live stock products. As p part of our program, we should give due thought to tho securing of an unde- auate supply of feedstuffs and to the eradication and control of all forms of
 animal disease.
 NEED FOR ORGANIZATION
 "The other Is the need of perfecting the organization of our agricultural agencies for the purpose of inteilisently executing such a program as may seem wise. We should not only have the l Lest possible organization and co-opera- ton of the department of agriculture, the agricultural colleges. the state depart ment of agriculture, and farmers asso- ciations, but we should especially 1 strengthen the local farm bureaus and other organizations which support so ef- l fectively the extension forces and assist i them in their activities. The perfecting | of this organization is highly desirable Hol oAlS upliHS tiic -AoliehiAuduSo VI tHS | present abnormal conditions but also for l the future. The local as we'll SIS the 1 state and federal agencies are of su- ppreme importance to the nation in all it's activities designed to make rural life
 more profitable, healthful and attractive, and, therefore, to secure adequate eco nornic~ production, efficient distribution, and necessary cbnservation. 1 "The main purpose of this appeal Is | to direct attention to the necessity of continuing our state of preparedness and of strengthening the foundations of our agriculture V
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14

The following suggestions are from the office of extension work in the south, United States department of agricul- ture:
 LAY IN SUPPLY OF FEED
 Dairy and live stock farmers should lay in their supply of concentrated feeds, such as cottonseed meal, velvet bean meal, peanut meal, etc, as early as possible. There is no indication that prices will be lower in the future, and freight congestion will doubtless be- come more serious as winter advances As far as possible, farmers should CO., operate in the purchase of such feeds, so as to be able to ship in car lots. Considerable expense in freight and handling by middlemen may be saved by purchasing in this way.
 TAKE CARE OF COTTON SEED
 Cottonseed is high priced. and every pound of it is needed. Therefore, farm CTS sin men and. cottonseed oil men should use espeeiaf care in the storage and handling of seed this year. If per mitted to become wet or if stored damp In large quantities, it is very liable to heat, and this heating causes the seed to deteriorate, both for oil and feed ing purposes. Seed should be stored when dry and in a dry seedroom. If in doubt as to condition it should be watched, and if it shows signs of heat ing it should be thoroughly stirred and aerated.
 DESTROY COTTON STALKS The light ,infestation of the cotton boil weevil in most parts of the territory during the past season may cause farm CTS to neglect measures for destroying us many of the weevils this fall as pos sihle. All cotton stalks should be de- stroyed, either by grazing closely early l in the season or by thoroughly blowing under the stalks before frost, if possi- ! ble. In addition to this. rubbish on ditcf l banks and other places about the field' {! should be cleaned off, in order to destroy the hibernatlng quarters of the weevi l in and about the fields.
 TERRACING
 | Throughout many parts of the souti | the hill and rolling lands are subject tt erosions from the heavy winter rains l An effective way to prevent this erosiol l is to build terraces, preferably not les l than b feet wide, that have been care | fully laid out with good farm level
 It is much easier to save lands iron 1 washing away by means of terracin l than it is to attempt to build up washe' 1 and gullied fields.
 HOG RAISING IN THE SOUTH During the past F months the south I ern states have responded generously | the governments appeal to grow nor 1 hogs.
 Farmers everywhere who have grow hogs for market, and have given tn proper care ard attention to them, hay found that they are proving most valu able cash crop for the southern farmer.
 Farmers throughout the south who con template going into hog raising shoul' begin now to locate good brood sows an' make plans for buying wire to put hol fences around the fields that they expec
 to plant to hog crops. The hog is
 grazing animal, and. to be grown econom
 ically, must be provided with pastur
 crops.
 4 Among the valuable pasture crops fo
 hogs are oats, rye, wheat, barley, rape