The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-17
For the Good of
 the Community

A there are 10000 sheep in Alabama Kentucky, less in area and population than Alabama has about 100000.
 Alabama in the past has been known as a cotton state; Kentucky as a tobacco state. Alabama's cotton crop, until the last two or three years, corresponds in vol ume and value to the Kentucky tobacco crop.
 Alabama until the last four or five years grew cotton and neglected grain and cat tie and sheep and other live stock. Ken lucky grew enormous crops of tobacco and raised a great deal of wheat and corn and cattle and sheep and other live stock, es- pecially high class horses.
 Alabama farm lands average in value for the entire state something like S17 an acre. Kentucky lands average about four or five times as much.
 In Alabama there have been and are to- day tens of thousands of dogs that are ab- solutely worthless. They run at large and commit depredations on farms that cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. The presence of these useless and destructive animals has kept the sheep industry down. The number of sheep in Alabama has grown less and less each year, and unless something is done to en- courage the industry it will be but few years until sheep will be unknown to the state. fes
 Kentucky has law that requires tax to be paid on all dogs. Records are kept of these. The owner of a sheep killed by a dog is paid for his loss. Proof of owner ship of the dog is sufficient to base claim enforceable at law, against him. The state pays the sheep owners claim and collects 1t out of the property of the dog oWner.eay
 A few years ago Kentucky had less tFlss, 100000 sheep. Curbing the activities of the dog and making it's owner responsible for it's depredations has worked the change in conditions that now makes Kentucky one of the leading sheep and wool states in the union.
 Birmingham is interested in the entire state of Alabama. As the state prospers, Birmingham will prosper, and conversely that which acts deleteriously on the state acts likewise on Birmingham.
 For every dollar of enhanced value in the farm lands of Alabama, Birmingham is to that extent richer and more pros porous. Birmingham is the center of popu- lation, industry and agriculture of the state. Every county and every community in the state is in daily communication with Birmingham by rail and soon will be in touch with all the western portion of the state by water.
 Encouragement of the sheep industry in the state will help Birmingham. Sheep for slaughter and wool will seek the best market and Birmingham is in position to furnish this.
 Recent reports to the department of agriculture at Montgomery relating to the sheep industry tell of auction sales of wool at Bay Minette, Baldwin county of cooperative shipments of sheep from Cottonwood, Russell county; and from Washing ton county; of an extensive sheep-growing pro gramme inaugurated by farmers in Jackson county of clubs for sheep growing and farm en- couragement in Lamar county; of live stock asso- citations in Tuscaloosa county; of the incor- poration of $10O,OOO farm development com pany in Marengo county.
 The purpose of the latter, it is said is to buy farm lands, divide them into tracts of reasonable acreage, improve them with buildings and equip ment and sell them at reasonable prices and on easy terms to persons who desire to locate in that section of the state. Its operations will extend