davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
Better Crops, Better Stock

To establish ''safe farming in Pointe Coupee Parish. La., the local agricultural agent has worked out systematic plan to improve crop yields and introduce more and better stock. Proper field selections of seed corn and the best methods of cul- tivation were given first attention. In the fall of 1917 the first concrete evidence was had of the success of this work when more than 100 carloads of corn were shipped from the parish. In 1918 a seed demonstration plot was grown and corn produced on the area won first place at the Southern Louisiana fair. Through the agents efforts nearly every farmer now has an alfalfa patch produc- ing at the rate of nearly tons an acre. During the past year the alfalfa acreage was increased more than 100 per cent. Under the agents directions hun dreds of pure bred and high-grade sires and dams have been imported. and native scrub cattle have given way to animals of quality. Hogs and sheep have also been greatly improved. and now practi- caly every farm family produces enough meat for its own use and many have a surplus for sale.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
Work for Farm Women

To ease the burdens inevitably con- neeted with women's work on the farm; to make farm life more pleasant and profitable for her; to secure for the farmers wife and family in greater measure the comforts and convesiences enjoyed by city dwellers, are some of the objects for which the home demon- stration division of the Alabama eX- tension service was established and which it is now daily seeking to accom- plish.
 In practically every county in Ala bama the extension service has placed a home demonstration agent-some capable. sympathetic, live woman who is specifically charged with the duties above outlined and to perform which she has been especially trained. SiXty-five county agents, three urban and five state agents represent the force now actively engaged in lifting family farm life in Alabama to higher scale, and their work is being crowned with sue cess.
 Girls Club Work-The first work in each county is usually the organiza- tion of the girls club work, which covers four years course in canning, in gardening, in poultry, in bees. or in
 
 were enrolled in organized clubs last year, increased by emergency club workers to 11,917. Three thousand three hundred and seventy mine meet ings of girls clubs were held, with a total attendance of nearly 10000. Two thousand two hundred and ninety-two girls worked garden plots on one-tenth acre each, raising therefrom tomatoes, beans, peppers and other products to the value of $65,70g, which is at the average rate of $2S6 per acre.
 Home Demonstration Work--Four thousand women were enrolled in the home demonstration work in 255 clubs organized in AS different counties Among other things, the demonstration division of the extension service has stimulated a more general and intelll- gent interest in butter making, Tn cheese making, poultry raising, in can- ming and drying of fruits and vegeta- bles. Hundreds have installed in their homes fireless cookers, iceless refrig- orators. fly traps and screens, kitchen cabinets, ironing boards, oil stoves shower baths, washing machines, and other conveniences tending to increase the home comforts, improve the health conditions, and reduce the household drudgery in farm homes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
How Velvet Beans Help

A striking illustration of the value of velvet beans-that popular southern crop-for fertilizing purposes is shown by a demonstration held by the agricul- tural agent of Jefferson parish. In this demonstration the velvet beans made the difference between success and all most complete failure in growing caulf-
 flower. Tn eagent reports that the cauliflower plants on land where velvet
 beans had grown were four or five times larger and the stand more than 100 per cent better than on land where the beans had not grown. In St. Helena parish the agricultural agent interested
 the club boys in growing velvet beans, and one of them grew 5000 pounds of the beans in the hull on one acre. Sev- eral men in that parish picked from their corn and bean demonstration plots from 2000 to 4000 pounds of beans last fall.-From Louisiana State University Press Bulletin. January 16, 1919.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
Clean Up Cornfields

Corn growers in the southeastern states
 should destroy all cornstalks and stubbie
 rema ming in the fields from the previous
 crop before spring planting time comes,
 in order to kill the larger cornstall1 borer
 which may be wintering there. This is
 the recommendation made by entomolo-
 gists of the United States department of
 agriculture in Farmers Bulletin 1925.
 soon to be published by the department.
 Cleaning up the cornfields and thus de-
 stroying the breeding places of the in-
 sect is probably the best remedy known
 for controlling this pest. the entomolo- gists say, but to be most effective the
 work should be undertaken simultaneous
 y hv all the farmers of 9 locality.
 The method employed to dicpose of tho
 stalls and stubble will depend largely
 on conditions in il dual cases. If the
 sttihble is cut low and the land is mod erately heavy, thorough, deep blowing may suffice, for covering of an inch
 o" two of wel1-settled soil is sufficient
 to prevent the escape of the moths of the borers. Bringing the stubble to the
 surface where it can dry and be exposed during winter will kill many of the larvae, but this method depends too much on the state of the weather to be en- tirely effective. By far the best plan is to remove the stubble from the field with a rake and burn it.
 Rotation is one of the best general pre- Ventives Of injury from the borer the entomogists say. Experience has shown that where corn has followed itself upon the same field for two or more years the loss from the borer has been much greater than where an annual change has , been practiced. Upon emerging in the spring, the moths, finding themselves surrounded by young corn, commerce egg Iax rincr tIa do, encountered by searching for another field of corn,
 This pest injures corn in two ways. In the early part of the season it eats small holes in the unfolding leave of the corn. thus checking the plants growth. The most serious form of injury chargeable to this pest, however, occurs late in the season. when the borer tunnels into the stalk near its base, so weakening thl plant that any unusual strain, such as l heavy wind, will break 1t and destroy l all chances of it's maturing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
February 15 Last Day

The Secretary of Agriculture has an- nounced that the final date for the filing of applications for nitrate of soda with county agents and local nitrate commit tees has been advanced to February Is, 1919. This action is taken in view oi the fact that farmers in many parts of the country advise that they desire nitrate of soda, but were unable to file their applications prior to January 9. On account of the pressure of other work and the heavy duties devolving upon county agents in connection with the sale of nitrate, it was not possible for the county agents and members of local nj trate committees to give the desired publicity to the department plan for selling nitrate of soda to farmers this year. By extending the time for filing applications to February 15 it is beFes. v that every farmer who wishes to " trate from the government willFaa ample opportunity to do so. 'E baby will be enough nitrateg
 all reasonable requirement
 who wish to purchase nitr
 from the department of az
 who have not already filed
 tions should communicated
 with their county agentss
 nitrate committees appoin
 county agents. All apl
 be filed with county 2 than February 15. q
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
Hale County Peanuts

M H. Pearson, assistant agronomlst of the Alabama extension service, has returned from Greensboro. where he has been assisting E. R. Jamison, coun- ty demonstration agent of Hale county, in marketing a car of high-grade pea nuts grown by Hale county farmers The peanuts were found to be of eX- ceptional grade. their condition being bright, clean and free from dirt an1 trash They represent the combined product of about 10 or 12 farmers near Akron, who are shipping co-opera- lively. This is the second car to go out from Hale county and will go to South Carolina to be used in the con- fectionary trade. in accordance with arrangements made with the marketing division of the Alabama extension serv- ice sometime ago. The sale price was $112.50 per ton
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
Bows Club Work Active

Reports comng in from Morgan, St Clair and Limestone counties indicate that the campaign for organizing boys pig. corn and calf clubs for 1919 is pro- crossing splendidly. Ernest Carnes, coun- ty agent of Morgan county, reports hVe pig and corn clubs organized last week in cooperation with James l.. Heron assistant boys club agent Of the Ala bama extension service at Aupurn 50 many boys were successful last year in this work that this year they all want 10 se. into the game Four last year S club boys will supply registered Duroc silts for the pig club members this year.
 Over in St. Clair, County Agent G. c. Meadows is meeting with good success not only in lining up clubs at Pel City, Ney London, Mt. Pisgah, CropweH and Seddon, but also is securing Valuaple premiums for the community scoring first second and third highest in club work. Five acres of land at New Lon don have been secured free of rent for demonstration purposes, and both boyA and girls are signing working pledges, agreeing to performe the duties required in the course.
 In Limestone, Fred Stewart, county agent at Athens, reports that four years ago you could count the number Of pure berd hogs in the county on one hand. Now they are seen everywhere, 70 pc, cent of them being the direct result of the bows club work, which has been worth s1O0.O0O to the county" Seven clubs were organized by him in Limestone county last week in cooperation With f O. Davis, assistant boys club agent of the Alabama extension service at Au- blIrn
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
LIGHT UP INCUBATORS AND GO AFTER EARLY MONEY
Lauderdale Boys

Three years ago when C. l.. Hollings- worth went to Florence as Lauderdale demonstration agent he found waiting a most active and energetic county superintendent of schools, D. o. Warren, who imEn ediately became his able co-worker and right hand bower. So well did they plan and execute their work that only a few weeks were re- quired for MT. Hollingsworth to grasp the county and determine the farmers needs. These two men have worked so closely together that each one is either directly or indirectly responsible for the results of the other.
 One of the first things they did was to introduce through the schools corn and pig clubs to the boys. At that time there were only a very few pure-bred hogs in the county, and pig clubs were organized because they are the best way to get more.
 At first very few pure bred hogs were used because it was thought best to learn with scrubs and then go to pure breds. In addition cholera was killing thousands of dollars worth of hogs each year and until it could be checked it was not advisable to bring in pure breds unless they were immediately in- oe ulated.
 MT. Hollingsworth states that he has devoted more time to the control of hog cholera than to any other problem. However, his efforts have not been in vain. When he began hardly a day passed without call to treat hogs, now weeks pass without a call
 Hog cholera control paved the way for many improvements among which was pig clubs. At that time purc-bred hogs were seldom seen in Lauderdale county. MT. Hollingsworth was able to bring in his first year through the boys about 25 and an equal number the sec ond year. The third year he brought in more than three times as many as he combined. This was accomplished be- cause the first pure-breds introduced had proven their worth.
 MT. Hollingsworth is organizing the boys with renewed interest this spring. Unlike his first three years he does not have to go to Tennessee and Ken lucky for hogs. As a whole, his county is supplied with pure-breds. Those who need to buy can find what they want near home and if they need money the banks are glad to lend it to them There Is also breeder of excellent seed corn In the county and the banks are anxious to help the boys buy what they need
 In order to beat their previous rec ords the 1919 LauderdaIe county club members are looking forward to ship ing to St. Louis carload of nice. fat hogs this fall and while they are rais- ing these hogs they expect to produce enough corn to feed their club pigs next year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
YEARS WORK FIGHTING TICK

The following is an abstract of an ad- dress by Dr. John R. Mohler chief of bureau of animal industry, United States department of agriculture, before cattle tick eradication conference, New Orleans February Il:
 This conference would fall far short of it's purpose unless While meeting aere we get renewed spirit from past achieve ments to surmount the obstacles that re- main before American soil will be freed forever from the cattle-tick fever. 1t would not be worth while unless every one of us carries away with him a clear idea of what we plan to do this year and determination to do his full part.
 There is no man in this meting who cannot be proud, now and hereafter, ot his share in the fight against the tick. You are doing a constructive work that has met fifth phenomenal success, es- pecially in recent years, and in the first years as well, considering the prejudice and ignorance that had to be combated at that time. The work that has been done is it's own argument, and the effort that remains is amply justified by the benefits from past accomplishments. When the work is finally completed when the tick has been permanently era- dicated, you will have erected your own monument and if it so pleases you at that time, you are at liberty to pass on to the heaven of efficient tick eradicat- tors, with the full knowledge that you have done something of real value fof | your country and the human race. MAKE SOUTH TICK-FREE | Few. if any of us, have had the privi- l lege to wear the khaki in the world strug- gle that has just ended in a complete | victory for the allies and the United 1 States. It would be presumptuous tc
 think that any American who did not
 risk his life for his country could have
 given service comparable to that of the
 boys who bled and died But at the same time we were all working fol
 Uncle Sam, and we were all doing worl; 1 that was essential to victory. It is moi | too much to believe that had the wa
 stretched several years more. it would 1 have been decided by the reserves ol | beef that the south possesses as the al 1 rect result of tick eradication Ever with our comparatively short participa- | tion, the meat that the south was able | to produce because of the absence O. the tick weighed powerfully in the fooc balance. So while you wore no uniforms
 dipped cattle without the inspiration ol
 brass bands or bugle calls, and per I formed tasks that might have seemed | humdrum when your hearts were "ovel there" you have done as your countr. | instructed, and no man can do more thar | that.
 But your work was not for the wal alone, and the benefits of it will remaiI long after the gory horror of autocracy'
 downfall will be remembered only fol
 the heroes it produced You are making the south tick-frse, aKc when you hav' done that the nation will be your debtor
 RECORDS MADE DURING WAR
 Tick eradication in the past two year l has made notable record. In 1917 tn'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
Market Shows Profit

The farm bureaus of Providence and Bristol counties, Rhode Island, have established an exchange for marketing their produce, and for cooperative buy ing and selling. Before the first semi annual meeting the exchange had done $15,0OO worth of business and it had been found necessary to enlarge the establishment three times. A force of 15 people is kept to handle the sales. Eleven carloads of grain and feed have been secured for the farmers at say ing of from 50 to $1.50 a ton. Eight hundred tons of fertilizer also have been secured for spring use at a saving of $1O a ton. One farmer netted s52S more than the average price in the local market by selling his market gar den products through this exchange.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
EXTENSION SERVICE FOR 1918

careful attention, and the interest in
 gardening has been extended to the
 city as well as rural districts, and
 even to the large military camps with- in the state. Work has progressed in combating the weevil in corn, and definite meth
 ods of prevention have been desig- mated, with which the owners of 1oo.- coo acres of corn in central and south ern Alabama have pledged their CO.,
 operation.
 Agricultural specialists have con- tributed each week specially prepar sd articles on timely agricultural sub- | jects to 40 county newspapers in Ala | bama reaching more than 170.000 reg | ular readers
 Dairy specialists and county agents
 have given aid to dairymen in bring
 ing in many carloads of pure-bred
 dairy cows from Ohio.- Tennessee and other states--the result of one cam | paign for better sires being the pui . | chase of 27 pure-bred bulls Whole | trainloads of beef cattle have been 1 brought in from the drouth- stricken areas of Texas for feeding and breed- ing purposes. The work of combating l hog cholera in both diagnosing and preventive treatment has ben eXten- 1 sively carried on in every county of | the state.
 | Practical assistance was also given | in the important work of marketing | peanuts and hogs. The report says, | however. that the most remarkable,
 because likely to become the most uni versal change in the agriculture of | Alabama that has come about in the | last two three years, is the in 1 creasing reliance on the hog as a sale product From group of IT counties in the southeastern part of the state | there were shipped in the 12 months l ending last April total of 2352 car | loads of hogs.
 1 "The county agents and live stock and marketing specialists of the ex- 1 tension service are working towaid q the end of making carload shipments of hogs a usual occurrence from every county of the state.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
Gardens to Be Profitable

The home garden is likely to prove a profitable investment of effort this year as it has for the past several seasons, Tn the opinion of the United States depart ment of agriculture The experience or the past few years has proved that per- sons who have sufficient land and spar. time and who do their home gardening work intelligently and efficiently find lt profitable. The relatively high prices or practically all foodstuffs tend to increase the saving effected, but the home garden should be planned with view to meet ing the family needs rather than of pro ducing crops for sale on the market.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
Unusual Merit

The most enjoyable thing to lover of tobacco is good, rich ripe. mel- low chew or smoke. The Gaulden To- bacco Co. of \Dukedom, Tenn. will mail you absolutely free a sample of Honest Homegrown, Homespun leaf tobacco for you to test for yourself the deli cious flavor and fragrant aroma of this excellent tobacco. If you do not want to wait for sample, send $1 for trial 2-lb. package. either chewing or smoking. strong or mild. This com pany guarantees satisfaction and you take no risk by ordering.-Adv.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13
Show How to Cu

Vermont county agents co. poultry culling demonst. l+!of total attendance of 2S5j peoEl the fal. of 1918. The flocks cuf, befeo 62, 2620 birds being hanS the demonstration and people in auce. Of this numbe, 10s1 birdss per cent, were discaria1 as "boa As a result of the campaign wolV farmers went through their flocks gregating 7454 birds and culled 2934,V, 39.1 per cent. This result indicates the influence and immediate and def. mite benefits of such demonstrations
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-13

the cotton belt produced 135 per cent mor4 wheat in 1918 than in 1908. These same states during the same period increased their Oat crop 133 per cent; their hay yield 1S per cent; Irish potatoes. 117 per cent; and sweet potatoes, 67 per cent The same tendency is shown in live stock production. As an instance, in 1914 Mis- sissippi marketed only S6229 fat cattle while in 1916 it shipped 156, 237 animals to the St. Louis market, an increase of 1S1 per cent.
 When we look back over what has been done, and consider that we are sude of the increasingly strong support of tha
 southern people who have done such great things, there is no reason what ever to fear that tick eradication will not win the most complete success, and that through tick eradication the south will become the live stock section that it should be by reason of it's climate and other natural advantages.
 THIS YEAR "WORST FOR TICK"
 The achievements of past years, how ever, now are history. We have met here
 to plan the 1919 campaign. My notion
 of what should be done this year, what
 must be done, and what will be done,
 is this:
 Make 1919 the worst year for the tick.
 It can be done. There are no can'ts
 in this fight Tick eradication is well
 past the halfway mark, and it Is al high tide, Interruptions politicians who formerly waved the dipping vat as red flag are now finding that the dipping vat is mighty good band wagon to climt on. Cattlemen who sull oppose ticf eradication are learning every day that their attitude is taking money out ot their pockets. They, too, are climb. ing on the band wagon. I do not know of a leading man in any community who is against the campaign that has been proved beneficial by practical result. in dollars and cents.
 SOUTH TICK FREE IN 1923 With the new state wide compulsory | dipping law in Texas. which becomes ef. l fective in the last zone of that state i in 1922, it is not beyound reason to hope | that the federal quarantine can be en- | tirely lifted from American territory at the end of 1923 We may regard "A Tick Free South in 1923 as our aim But to realize that aim, remember that the area still under quarantine is 27o, ,OS square miles. The campaign must mol | be allowed to lag in any year, and we should start off this year by setting uI 1 another record. Judging by what ha. 1 been done in 1917 and 1918. believe we
 can set the pace by cleaning up more than 5000 square miles in 19l9 That will Make 1919 the Worst Year for the Tick" !