The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-29
BIRMINGHAM'S TRADE
 LEADS ENTIRE SOUTH BANK REPORT SHOWS
(Continucd From Page One)

while the rate of turnover dropped
 from 2.3 times per year at the end
 of February to slightly under two
 times per year for March.
 Shoe Dealers Lead
 That an upward trend is character izing wholesale business is seen by
 the banks review in pointing out that in all except two lines March
 sales increases over February were greater than the decreases shown in February sales compared with Jan uary. The two lines listed were sta tionery and drugs. Shoe dealers led in sales increases during March, as compared with February, recording gain of 46.3 per cent, while farm implements sales during the past
 month were S5.6 per cent greater
 than during the same month last year. Grocery, dry goods. hardware and furniture dealers all reported prosperous conditions.
 Early cotton prospects are good in Florida, southern Georgia and Ala bama, the review says, with notice able increase in acreage, outside of the regular cotton territory, report ed in Florida. Thirty to fifty per cent of the cotton crop had been planted along the Florida line when
 
 mary adds. expressing belief that all above the ground was killed.
 Citrus growers in the district are reported in satisfactory condition, being materially aided by recent rains which were generally light and well distributed. A "serious" short age in refrigerator cars during
 March is now being relieved ito some extent" the report says, which
 adds that grape fruit and orange shipments from Florida during the month were greatly in excess of fig ures for March of last year. The bank summary estimates that ap- proximately 2.000.000 boxes Of grape fruit and about 15 per cent of the orange crop remained in Florida to be moved at the close of March.
 Sugar cane planting Is reported completed in Louisiana under faVor- able weather conditions, with reports of increased area and indicating, the bank says, a greater production than last year.
 Demand for farm labor in the dis trict still exceeds the supply, accord ing to the report, which points out the demand is but little less than normal. with the supply at a lower percentage of normal. Florida is re- ported fairly well balanced by sup ply and demand. with Louisiana re- porting all o' pci ScHl oA iNA ii'" supply and a 96 per cent of normal demand.
 Building activities continued to 1n- crease during March over the same
 month year ago, with only 1our
 cities. Jackson and Meridian. MISS, New Orleans and Columbus, Ga, reg istering building operations below | the volume established last March. | Lumber ActivitI.. Decrensed Reduced activity marked lumber | manufacturing operations during the | month, according to reports to the | bank, which showed the volume ol | orders for the week ending March 30 i reached the lowest point touched | during the present year. southern | Pine association members reported l tLat during the last week of March | of 76 reporting mills. 5l operated | full time, OF five days during the
 week. and during the following week i of Fl mills reporting, 54 operated ] full time.
 i Financial conditions in the district 1 continued to show improvement, the 1 bank points out. adding that banks l now are in better shape than they l have been in the past two or three years to meet the requirements ol ] handling the farmers crops. Debits ] to individual accounts, member ] banks reported, showed substantiai 1 increases at the close of March la | over figures for the same week III April of last year.
 Commercial failures in the district | declined during March, being fewer | in number than in February of this I year. and during March of last year