The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-14
ALABAMA FARME ERS DISCOVER WAY ID PROVIDE NITROGEN
Every Planter Has Potential Nitrate Plant On Land,
 Duncan Declares
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU !
 THE AGE-HERALD Mont r0mArv AIo Ocf 12 |

Farmers of Alabama are going into the business of manufacturing their own nitrogen OH their own lands on a greatly increased scale, accord ing 10 Prof. L. N. Duncan, director of the extension service of the Ala l. bama Polytechnic Institute. who was in Montgom ,f'y today. Every tential nitrate plant" said MT. Dun- can, which can be realized upon by proper planting of leguminous crops which take nitrogen from the air and put it in the soil. Hairy vetch is coming into prominence as a lead ing winter legume and cover crop"
 An acre of hairy vetch contains nitrogen equivalent to the nitrogen found In 400 pounds of nitrate of soda. At s60 ton the price of 400 pounds of nitrate of soda Is SIP. while an acre can be planted in vetch, properly inoculated, for s5. and in addition to tie nitrogen Gb- tained the crop, when turned under, adds to the soil the flumus or organic matter so badly needed, it was said.
 The experiment station of the Ala bama Polytechnic institute has car rled out demonstra tions showing in practical fashion the value of le- gumes for soil building and the best methods for success with them, and as result or the Worh ol AupuiH III leading the way the acreage devoted to these corps is being vastly increased, particularly in mid dle and south Alabama.
 Henderson Planting Foo Pounds.
 For example, on the recent trip through southeast Alabama, Mir. Duncan and his asso ciates found that former Governor Charles Henderson a1 nc fo11 T00 pounds of vetch, 100 pounds of crim- son clover, and 50 pounds of yellow meliiotus. Other Pike county citi- zens found devoting acreage to these winter legnmes were pr. F.. M. Shackleford, president of Trey Nor nal school; B. H. Lightfoot, R. E. Lee, J. w. Harris, S. J. Skinner and comparatively through the county farm bureau.
 In Coffee and Dale counties. which have no county agents at this time, the planting of winter legumes was not progressing to such an extent as in others. but farmers were found to be much interested in the possibil- ities. In Houston and Henry coun- ties increased planting of legumes was noted.
 Dallas county is the premier coun- ty in the state in respect to these crops, it is stated. County Agent John Blake has been an active leader in securing added acreage of winter legumes and farmers of Dallas coun- ty this year have bought two car loads, or 60,000 founds, of hairy vetch seed, with a smaller amount of crim- son clover. AS 8 practical example of what these crops will accomplish in the way of soil improvement, the case of Bob Sturdivapt, Dallas county farmer, was cited. He has picked If bales of cotton from IT acres of land, the cotton being planted fol- lowing vetch. J. l.. Edwards, Cliff ton Kirkpatrick, W. l.. Lett and J. R. Suter are mentioned as other out standing Dallas county farmers who are demonstrating the profit of win ter clover crops.
 Perry County Buys Carload.
 In Perry county, where F. R. Jamieson is county agent, the farm CTS have purchased a carload of vetch seed, the demand having jump ed from 5000 pounds last year to 3o,- 900 for this fall. In Autauga county, J. B. Mitchell, county agent, has boosted consumption of vetch seed to 8 carload of 30,000 pounds this sea- son. Randolph county is a leader in east Alabama, with county agent, R. Y. Bailey, given much credit for work among the farmers of that county. Fourteen thousand pounds of hairy vetch seed have been pur- chased this season by Randolph coun- ty farmers.
 In north Alabama, red clover Is reported coming back into it's own through demonstrations by Auburn in the proper use of lime and phos- phate on soils of that section. Ed ward A. O'Neal, Florence, president of tho Alabama Farm Bureau Fede- ration, is doubling his acreage this year. Other Tennessee valley farm CTS mentioned as going ahead with clovers and vetch are R. B. Kllburn and Frank Rasch of Florence, while it Is stated at least 500 farmers in Lauderdale county and the same number in Limestone will plant red clover this year.
 As explained by Mir. Duncan, the growing of nitrogen by the farmer through planting leguminous crops is nothing basically new. but has not been generally practiced in this state and section
 Great Advantage Pointed Out.
 Alabama farmers have a great ad- vantage since owing to mild winters, it is possible to plant the soil en- riching leEumes in fall, turn them under in the spring. and follow with a crop of cotton, corn or other staple crops the same season without los ing use of the land. While Alabama has such possibilities, the same mild winters make winter legumes an even more imperative need here. Duncan explained. In the north where the soil freezes plant food is kept locked in through the winter while in the south