The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-25

j tttCeA SNNn'sh. Last year the total acre age hogged-off was 17S,000 Runners an6
 -0 snanish, making a total of 000 In the face of the very high valued pea nuts, the hogging-off of a larger area thi' year than last does not seem to be con ], sis ent but the fact is eXpiainable bS t'-, is'~-v1a79e that smaller proportion of Spanish nuts were planted this veal q S,i4d ncmgine was begun before the nlcSke price assumed such high proportions. Uu | favorable weather at the time Spanish 4reanuts began to ripen induced very earil i gathering, much of which, was accom- i plished before the nut had full time rC mature This is thought to be the prin- | ciple cause for the very low yield. Int l 1919 crop averaged very high in grade and commanded an average of slightly 1 more than S2 per bushel.
 , About 5000 acres lest than last veal were grown to velvet beans, although about the same proportion were picked i this year. The acre yield in both years twas close to one-half ton, and about 40,00t tons less beans were picked this year than last The value of this years croI was higher by about 8 per ton i The hay crop of Alabama for 1919 was obtained from the following acreages of each type: Johnson grass, 227,000; pea nut vine, 3S0,Q60; cowpea vine, 359.@00; other grasses, 179 GOO; alfalfa, 20000 wild hay, 85,coo; all other kinds> 2o2,ooo
 '"Al other includes soy beans, mirlet sorphum forage, clovers and all other ''roughage" saved for stock feed, ex- jcept eats cut green and orn~cut for forage. ls Cowpeas were picked from 40S,o0O acres in 1919 and 425,000 in 1918. The acre vie, 1 for the two years was about the same, but the value of the 1919 crop was con siderably greater than that of the pre- cedng year.
 The Irish potato acreage was consider ally reduced in 1919, and the aggregate crop was about one and quarter million Bushels less.
 The sweet potato acreage was slightly increased m 1919. sbput the aggregate pro, duction was slightly less, the value of less than that of last year. The acreage devoted to sorghum syrup i in 1919 was considerably less than in 1918, and the aggregate amount of syrwp made was eorrespondingly less. The value ef this wears crop is not so much less hy the reason of. the higher value per gallon,
 More than million gallons increase in sugar cane syrup were produced this year From 1000 more acres of cane and the value of the present crop is greater by more than $2,500,e00 About II 5o0 acres of sugar cane has been cut and store<' iof seed Tor another crop. This is ap- parently very high proportion of cane to be held for seed purposes. and in- dcates that some heavy plantngs are intended for another year, and that very flattering prices have been offered for seed cane.
 The figures regarding oats and wheat are merely revision of preliminary esti- mates and have been heretofore pre- sented.
 A larger acreage was planted to soy beans in the state this year but not so large proportion was picked. The pick ing was apparently confined to the beans needed for seed purposes.
 The 5000 acres shown to have been grown to tobacco was mainly found in Covington county, where at least 2500 acres were grown this year. Some small areas were grown for commercial pur- roses in Baldwin. Barbour. Butler and Pike. The acre value of this crop, an average of about S190. will probably en- courage a further increase of this acreage next year
 On the actual acreage cultivated the acre value of crops in 1919 shows an av- craze of $42. 56, compared with an average value of $3910 in 1918. The average vasus of crops produced per piow in 1919 was So07, compared with an average of s9o4 per blow in 1918.
 F. w CYST.
 Field Agent
 F. O. HOOTON,
 Supervisor Mark.s-