davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Summer Hay Crops

The high price of rough feed empha- sizes the necessity of all farmers plant ing a sufficient acreage of summer for age crops to enable them to provide them selves with hay and other roughages for their live stock during the coming year. With the abundance of pasture available in the spring time, farmers oftentimes are unmindful of the necessity of pro- viding for that period during the fall when pastures will be dry, or during the winter when there will be no feed avail able.
 The county agents should be, consulted with reference to the availability of seed. Where outside purchases have to be made The order should be placed at once, SC that the seed may be on hand to SOW when the soil is in good condition and the season is not too far advanced.
 Among the several summer hay crops for the southwest, sorghum or Sudan grass are undoubtedly in most favor. In he southeastern territory sorghum and cowpeas, planted any time before July l. will mature a great abundance of good quality rough feed for mules or cattle.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Crimson Clover Outlook

May is the month when a large part of the crimson clover crop in the south eastern states may be harvested. Special interest attaches this year to the blowing under of the green manure crop and the saving of the seed the first because of the high price of fertilizer and the second because of the high price of seed Which ever use Is to be made of the crop, prepa- ration should be made well in advance of the harvest season, and especial thought should be given to the crop which is to follow the crimson clover.
 Crimson clover ike any green manure crop, should be piowed under at least two weeks before the following crop is plant ed. If planting is made on the freshly turned mass of leaves and stems the re- suits are likely to be worse than if no green manure had been used. The greer material must be given a chance to be- come at least partially decomposed, ana the soil bacteria must have an opportunity to remove some of the injurious materials that are formed by organic decay. Us- tally it is inadvisable to follow crimson clover green manure crop with any early planted crop like cotton or early potatoes unless tAe land can be plowed by the first week of May. Corn is the crop most con- monly used after criAeon clover, as i. need not he planted until June l.
 There is every reason this year why the farmers who are to grow crimson clover next year should save nt least enough seed for their own use. Seed production is not a difficult matter and is, indeed, common practice in many of the south eastern states. The only equipment re- quired is some form of seed stripper with which to remove the ripe heads. The seed need not be thrashed or hulled, as in the case of red clover and other clovers, but IS often sown in the hull, just as it comes from the field. The seed should be gath cred just as the first blossoms are begin- ming to wither, and harvesting must be completed within eight or nine days, as the seeds shatter badly when thoroughly ripe Details of the construction of the seed shippers and other matters relating to seed production are discussed in Farm CTS Bulletin 64G, which farmers are urged to consult.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Work of 13-Year-OEd Girl

For five consecutive seasons Jessie Wooddel1 of Garland county, Arkansas, has been in the club work organized by the United States Department of Agl1cul- ture and the state college. She was 1S when she started the work in 1915. That year she gathered 2400 pounds of tomatoes from her ons-tenth acre. Nearly all were sold fresh, but some of them, canned, won a prize for her at the county con- test The next year the tenth-acre bore 3240 pounds. She filled and sold 200 three pound cans and disposed of the rest while they were fresh Again prize was won with her canned products. The year 1917 was ideal in Arkansas for tomatoes, and this club member harvested 4276 pounds from her garden, which brought her a profit of s151.S5 At the county fair that fall her canned products won a s25 prize. The season of 1918 was very dry and the yield was only 3500 pounds, but prices were higher than before and her profits from the tenth-acre was S211 20. Az the Arkansas state fair last year an exhibit of her canning work won the first rssze, a scholarship in an agricultural scsool. This prize, with the money she had made in the other years. of club work, makes real a cherished dream of higher educa- ton for this home canner who persisted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Cooperative Shipping

Over in Pickens county there are now being conducted some of the most suc- cessful cooperative shipments of farm products ever arranged in Alabama. It will be recalled that w. F. Osborn, farm demonstration agent of the Alabama ex- tension service, with headquarters at Car rollton, early in April marketed cooper atively carload of sorghum at New Or leans. which brought the shippers some thing over $2o00 net, paying them at least F cents per gallon more than couR be secured locally. On April IS MT. Osburn shipped another cooperative car of sor- ghum from Reform and secured for the 30
 or more farmers combining in the ship
 nent price of 73 cents per gallon for No l 1 grade and 70 cents for No. ? grade f. o. b. Reform, a gain of about 8 cents per gallon over the first carload shipment little later, rather than sell their Whippoorwill peas at $1.75 per bushel To- 1 cally, MT Osburn got together about 20 1 farmers to try out cooperative carload l shipment of peas. The shipment was
 made from Aliceville and netted the grow
 CTS s255 per bushel f. O. b. cars, a profit
 of over 75 cents bushel from this method
 of marketing.
 1 On April F two carloads of hogs were
 shipped from Ethelville, making seven in all from this one point this season. The prices obtained were from 1924 to II cents per pound being consigned to Chi | cago
 | On April 2l two more cars of hogs were 1 shipped, one from Carrollton and the
 other from Gordo The prices obf.tned
 ranged from 191a to IS cents, and MT. l Osburn is now distributing from s40S0 to 1 s5000 among the farmers of these two
 towns. On June T another carload will
 go forward from Ethelville Unques-
 tiona bly, this is the most profitable and satisfactory method of selling farm pro-
 duce yet devised.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08

main classes of poultry, giving the reader an immediate and complete idea of the appearance of these fowls, the classes to which they belong, and their econom- ical usefulness. In like manner other es- sential phases of poultry keeping are H. lustrated and discussed
 Throughout the bulletin references are given to other publications issued by the department which give more detailed in formation on each of the subjects dis cussed and which may be obtained on re- quest.
 CHICKLETS
 All cripples should be killed immediate fly on being removed from the nest or incubator. Do not allow sentiment or tender-heartedness to overrule good busi- ness ability or common sense. Weddings and runts will not pay any dividends. Do not invest too much time or feed on such.
 Now that matching in the south is over in many sections, and will be over very shortly everywhere, the real important factor is feeding and care of the young sters. The Department of Agriculture at Washington issues a circular on First Care of Baby Chicks G-30, which is very helpful.
 Head lice on chicks iss one of the draw backs from now on. No let-up in gfiht- ing these pests should be allowed There are many remedies on the market, but little lard about the size of pea rubbed thoroughly on the back of the head and neck is suffic snt to rid the chick of these pests. This should be done after dark on a dry. warm night Previous to this the coop, hen or brooder should be thoroughly attended to.
 For your early laying bullets nex> fall don't take any chances Always ren1em- Der that the future to a large extent Is the direct outcome of yesterday and to- day. One often hears the term 'gI q luck or bad luck in connection with hatchings or broodngs, when as d mat ter of fact, luck, good or bad, would be more properly termed good or bad nan agement. If one is ''unlucky" eno'S11 to forget to fill the lamp or close the door against cats or rats, one may be un- lucky enough to meet with losses. unfor- tunately, luck does play part once in awhile, both for good or bad. Care tul conscientious work is the real factor for success in most every case, how ever.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
1II Fake Alfalfa Products

Alfalfa has been advertised so extep- siyely that 'make-money easy" concerns are trying to capitalize on this crop by selling fake and fad products as well a worthless stock in the companies reported to produce them As rule, the best which can be said about many or tnese alfalfa products, such as aitai1a i.our' aIfalfa svr1p alfalfa candy, alfalfa breakfast food and, as one clrcuiar states it, everything except shoe biaek- ing and toothpicks,' is that they are harmless But they are involved in steck- johbing propositions which Witnou. qass
 t;on will result in loss of money to slp- dividuals who succunb to the lurea Iof tbese set-rich- quick schemes 3'Ehe .I1rited States Department of Agriculture has a high regard for alfalfa as a.lIM
 age, but the department speciaiisls pi airi n as f.dc and fakes the medicines and so- called human food articles which are sup posed to be made from 1t. @ rof
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Farm Lands and Products

Farm land value has not advanced in of crops and live stock has from the be- ginning of the war o1s1S. Results of "a
 recent investigation revealed that, all though farm land value alone gained in 1915 and led in the relative advance in
 1916, it lost it's lead in 1917s and, nloreoyx
 fell far behind the relative gain in the price of crops and live stock in that year and in 1918. S.i,
 From 1914 to 1915 farm land value, not including that of buildings. increased Il per cent, while the price of crops and live stock lost per cent. In the follow
 ing year land value went up 23 per cent above 1914 and the price of crops, and live stock also advanced, but only by. 12 per
 cent. reversal of the relativity of these movements appeared in 1917. when land value gained only 3S per cent on 1914 and
 crops and live stock gained "A per cent. The divergence increased in 1918, since
 the gain above 1914 was 50 per cent for land value and 97 per cent for crops and
 live stock. i1sht
 Farm land value is supposed to be re-
 lated. at any rate largely reseted, to the net profit of farming, and in fact it is often somewhat affected even by single wears of high or scant profit, yet the value of farm land advanced in 1915, sal- though the price of crops and live stock declined, in comparison with 1914 ana gained relatively much more than price did in 1916; but on the other hand. its relative gain in 1917 and 1918 was far from equaling that of price. There has been much disparity, first on one side and then on the other, between the two move ments of land value and product price, Perhaps a scarcity of farm labor weak ened the demand for farms in the last two wears and perhaps, too, tie net profit | of farming, because of extraordinarily hiph cost of pr roduction, was not as grea as the high price of products would lHdl- cate superficialy i2s
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Macon Ships Peanuts

A carload of White Spanish peanuts was marketed from Tuskegee by 15 or 20 farmers cooperating in the sale Seld recently. The purchase was made by the Southern Cotton Oil company of Mont gomery at s120 per ton and brought $194l O. b. cars The peanuts graded No. l and will probably be used for seed pur- poses, showing that Macon county farm CTS know how to grow and harvest pea nuts. The transaction was handled for the farmers by the Alabama extension service, M. H. Pearson, agriculturist at Auburn, doing grading and H. A. Vaughan, farm demonstration agent at Tuskeegee, doing the weighing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Banker Finances Pig Club

From week to week there is evidence of the increasing extent to which busi- ness men recognize the value of pig club work among the boys of Alabama. For example. R. H. Foshee, cashier of the Bank of Red Level, has just purchased 25 Duroc Jersey pigs to be placed with the boys of three pig clubs organized in Covington county.
 Each boy signs note for the cost of the pig, and the animal is additional collateral, increasing in value as the days go by. A years subscription to the Duroc Jersey Bulletin is part of the transa ction, for "the men who read are the men who lead"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
New Publications

The following publications were issued by the United States Department of Az riculture during the week ended April 19:
 Feeding Horses, Farmers Bulletin 1osO
 Fig Growing in the South Atlantic and Gulf States" Farmers Bulletin 10S1. 7 "Care and Repair of Farm Implements, ' Farmers Bulletn 1036.
 illustrated Poultry Primer Farmers Bulletin 1040.
 Strawberry Varieties in the United States" Farmers Bulletin 1043.
 Copies of these publications may be obtained on application to the Division of Publications, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. c.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Get a Pure Bred Bull
By K. G. RAwER.
Beef Cattle Specialist, Auburn.

ocSl Ndtll6 Sp6CldllSl, AuDuTn.
 The value of a pure-bred bull is no losger questionable, as it has been dem onstrated over and over that he will more than pay for himself in one season if properly cared for. A pure-bred bull irt many instances will change the cattle business from a losing proposition to a paying one.
 Now is the time to decide what kind ot a sire you are going to have for the calves next year. Beef cows should be bred during June, July and Augusta so that the calf crop will come on in March. April and May. At this time your cows Will have grass and consequently be in coHoitlon to give a maximum amount of milk to grow and develop the calves
 It is very important to keep the bulls separated from the cows until the month or June, and then allow them to run to- gether until September. This will insure the calves to come evenly-that is. they will all be ready for the market or the feed lot at about the same time
 As basis on which to figure the value of pure-bred bull in your herd. these records were kept by R. J. Goode, Gas. tonburg
 Pure-bred sire-l2 calves, 400 pounds, 71s cents, s30.
 = Scrub Sire-3S calves, 300 pounds. , cents, $15.
 These calves were produced from the same grade of cows; and cows and calves ran on pasture until the calves were marketed. This shows gain from the service of a pure-bred bull Of $15 per head, which is not unreasonable for any man to expect. It is advisable for the small farmer with few head of native or grade cows so buy young bull, say from F to IS months old. Such a bull could be used l on 15 to 20 cows, provided he was kept only one service per cow By buying a young bull and taking care | Of him properly, the farmer can expect to sell him for at least as much as his cost price; in many instances there will be an increase in value.
 l If you do not own a pure-bred bull and 1 do not know where to locate one to meet your requirements, take the matter up with your demonstration agent, who will be glad to help you.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
FEED LIGHT RATIONs AT FIRST


 When the birds are first confined for fat tening purposes they should be fed lightly for two to three days, after which they may be furnished all that they will clean up in 30 minutes, two or three times day. Their heaviest meal for the day should always be the last one. Compre- hensive experiments by the United tSates Department of Agriculture show that 1t takes 3A pounds of grain to produce pound of gain on fattening poultry. us- ually it costs considerably pore to fatten mature hens than it does to flesh up cockerels and younger stock. According to the experience of specialists the gen eral purpose birds are the most desirable for fattening purposes.
 As rule the fattening period usually lasts for from to r days, during which time the fowls are confined in coops. The younger or smaller birds give good re- suits where they are fed for the longer period. What has been said in the fore going paragraphs applies with equal force to the fattening of all poultry
 SEND FOR THIS
 An illustrated publication. Farmers Bulletin 1040. recently issued by the United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D. C., is now available, which deals with the fundamentals under lying the production of poultry. By the use of many appropriate pictures. the principles of poultry keeping are i'm pressed on the reader.
 Under Selecting the Breed" for ex- ample, photographs are shown of the more popular breeds of each of the three
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Club Buying Saves S6OOO

Fourteen farmers cooperative clubs have been organized by the agricultural agent in Rapids Parish, La. Through them seed, fertilizers and farmers sup plies have been purchased. resulting Tn a saving of more than S60o0 to the mem bers. By cooperative buying $iooo has been saved in the purchase of acid phos- nhate. sl65O on potato sacks, $40 on Irish potato seed and $50 on seed wheat. The agent is now planning to buy two thrash ing outfits on the cooperative plan for members of the clubs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08
Corn Standard Rising

Merchantable corn was SPA per cent of the entire crop during the last 36 years, and the percentage has been a declining one. In 1SSs-1s97 the mean was S4.6 per cent: in 1s9S-199T SS.4 per cent and in lS0S-1s17 SOP per cent The standard of nerchantability appears to be rising. The fraction for 1918 was S2.5 per cent, or almost the mean for 36 years, but above the mean of the preceding 10 years. The highest fraction in 36 years was s9.1 per cent in 1906, and the lowest 60 per cent. in 1917.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08

That everyone interested in meat, from the stock raiser to the consumer, may have the benefit of knowing market con- ditions in the meat industry, the bureau Of markets, United States Department of Agriculture. issues daily and other reports to facilitate distribution, improve trans portaton, stabilize values and to help the producers in placing their stock where
 it will sell to the best advantage.
 On the assumption that the dissemina-
 tion of market information will tend to improve conditions, the bureau of mar kets has developed a system of market reporting that has already had some ef-
 feet in restoring confidence in the mar kets. While the information made avail able by the bureau is being used most ex-
 tensively by those actively engaged in
 some branch of the live stock or meat in
 dustries, it is believed that sooner or
 later the public generally will utilize this
 knowledge and with it bring into line any
 retailers who reduce consumption by
 an unwarranted margin of profit.
 PRESENT REPORTING SYSTEM The present market-reporting system, which was begun in the fall of 1916 has
 developed rapidly, and at present there are r service centers, each of which ulSlrlUuleS Qdlly, weekly ana monthly fS~ ports on the various branches of the in- dustry. These include daily reports on meat trade conditions in Boston, New
 York, Philadelphia, Washington, Pitts burg, San Francisco and Los Angeles;
 daily reports on live stock loadings; daily
 reports on the estimated receipts and prices of live stock at Chicago and Kan sas City; reports of live stock movements in grazing and feeding sections; monthly
 reports on stocks of frozen and cured meats, eggs and poultry; monthly reports on live stock receipts and shipments at all public stock yards, and monthly esti- mates on the supply of marketable live stock.
 The report on meat-trade conditions at the leading markets brings to the small dealers, as well as to producers, infor- nation that was formerly possessed only by the larger packing institutions. Specialists obtain full informa tion daily
 on the fresh-meat supply, including va
 rious grades of beef, veal pork, lamb l formation is tabulated and distributed widely by telegraph, through leased wire system, to meat market centers. In 1 a similar manner daily price quota tlons are furnished on different grades of live stock As applied to fresh meats, this ! service results in giving to the public | full information as to the supply ana ac- 1 curate data on values of all commercial grades. Secrecy is eliminated, so that when prices on meats are high, as com pared with values on foot, it is possible
 to locate the profiteer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-08

Daily reports prepared by the bureau
 furnish the industry with information on live stock shipments. This information
 is obtained from transportation com
 panies who report by wire each night to
 the Chicago office of the bureau. The
 to stabilize values. It furnishes to the
 producer information which will enable
 him to ship his stock to markets where
 there is the greatest demand. A knowl-
 edge of the demand by smaller plants,
 which these reports furnish, has ten
 dency to stimulate competition among
 buyers with the subsequent effect of rais-
 ing values Also, when the amount of
 live stock moving from production areas
 is known, it is possible to regulate the
 supply of cars needed and to determine
 whether car shortages for any particu-
 lar district are apparent or real. lm-
 proving the system of distribution nNHes
 fewer cars necessary, and they can be
 moved with greater dispatch.
 The better distribution of live stock re- ceipts resulting from information ob- tained from the loading reports enables commission men and buyers to render bet ter service in handling live stock aftel it arrives at the stock yards. Heavy receipts arriving unexpectedly create con- gestion and confusion, which in turn in variably result in unnecessary shrinkage and costly delays, working in reality ar injury to the producer and thereby dis couraging production.
 VARIETY OF REPORTS
 An important branch of the live stocl reporting system of the bureau of markets consists of the telegraphic bulletins pre- pared by representatives of the Chicago and Kansas City offices, and issued from time to time during the market hours o each day. They report the actual live stock arrivals and the exact conditions ol the market, and are transmitted over the bureaus leased wires to other markets where local offices are established. Mar kets all over the country rely on these daily reports, and these prices are usee as a basis in determining values.
 Steady progress has been made by itht l bureau in collecting and distributing In formation obtained from grazing ane | feeding sections, which is of use in lessen i ing market congestion and preventing | violent Fluctuations in values Reports or
 meats in storage are issued monthly. Int bureau also issues monthly reports on re ceipts and shipments of live stock in $
 of the leading stock yards in the country | Tn addition the bureau furnishes weekly
 bulletin, the Hive Stock and Meat Trade News" which supplies miscellaneous trade information coming from outside sources All of the reports issued bl | the bureau are given wide publicity anc are available to any person who has nee' for them. s