The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-20
CURING SWEET POTATOESLOST
 ART TIN;STATE
Gist Says Alabama Farm CTS Losing Interest In
 Preserving Yams
MORE PIGS BEING
 SAVED IN ALABAMA
Number Of Acres And Production Per Plow An
 nOunced At Auburn
STATE CAPITAL susEAua
 THE AeE-HEnAl1

AOuAOVAOAA Il VI T AOV <AAs
 nOunced At Auburn
 srAre Iss Gar'TAI IAsII.sgszsS sgsztSj Montgomery. Ala, Jaa.- is
 Only 42,000 bushels of sweet pota- toes were held in .Alabama storage houses December 15, compared with 00,OO0 bushels the preceding year and 311,000 bushels two years ago, accord ing to a summary made public Satur- day by F. w. Gist, agricultural sta tistician for Alabama. This report in-' dicated that Alabama farmers have lost interest in the storing of sweet potatoes. A few years ago all farmers organizations urged the farmers to construct curing houses so sweet pota- toes could be protected andNmade avail able for the markets during all seasons.
 MT. Gist's weekly summary follows
 The average number of pigs saved per litter is five for the fall of 1923, spring of 1923. This shows an increase in the pigs per SOW and indicates progress in grades of brood sows and in the care of pigs. .. =
 In statement just made to the agronomy department at Auburn, and derived from the reports of about 1,500 farmers, Mir. Gist points out the average number of acres and the ave rage production per blow for the state in 1923, as follows;
 Yield Per Acre
 Corn, $50, 1900 bushels; cotton, 9.10, 1.S3 balesi hay, POO, 1.S3 tons; peanuts, Al, S.S0 bushels; ,cowpeas, .55, 1.70 bushels; sweet potatoes, .25, 22.40 bushels; sorghum syrup, .09, 5.2 gallons; sugar cane syrup, .09, 14.0O gallons; oats, .77, 3.2 bushels; soy beans, .05, .26 bushels; velvet beans, .69, .27 tons. Total acres per blow, 22.53.
 The question involved is whether the acreage cultivated per blow is suffi- cient for profitable farming, whether the acreage distribution is efficient, and whether the production of food and feedA crops is sufficient for farm needs. Figures were submitted for each coun- ty in the state. Later calculations will probably be made in which determina- tions will be made as between the diff ferent sizes of farms.
 Sweet potatoes in curing and storage plants in Alabama have fallen to low ebb. Reports on this subject by the statistical service began in December, 1921, at which time there were esti- mated to be 311 900 bushels cured and stored for market purposes in this state. In December, 1922, this volume had fallen to 100000 bushels and on December ,15, 1923, there appeared to be only about 42,000 bushels so stored. VI At the peak of storage and curing house construction in Alabama there was an aggregate capacity of about 673,- , GOO bushels. At the present time there is about 327, ,000 bushels of capacity left available. The remainder has been lost by fire, .discontinuance and turn ing to other purposes. In December last only 23 per cent of this space seemed to be occupied by sweet potatoes. N>
 About 57 per cent of the potatoes stored were reported as being United States grade No. 1 in quality. The curing of sweet potatoes as means of distributing the marketing over the season and also for the pur- pose of insuring their reaching market in sound and dependable condition was thought to be an important> step in the development of this industry. In some states it has succeeded and is being pushed at the present time. Ap- parently the trouble in Alabama has been that the curing feature was not accompanied by efficient market meth ods. The result was~seEere losses. Also in some instances prpper selection be- fore curing began was not indulged in, which resulted in the failure of the rcuring process.
 x Makes Pig Survey
 A pig survey made by the statistical service in December last shows in Ala bama prospect of increased numbers of pigs to be farrowed this spring. The number of sows breed to be farrowed in the spring of 1924 are estimated to be 112 per cent of the number far rowed in the spring of 1923. The num- Der. of pigs saved last fall, however, was apparently 16 per cent less than the number saved in the fall of 1922. But 3 per cent more than were saved in the spring of 1923. a E T
 The same survey shows that 63 per cent~of all hogs in this state at the tine of the survey were over six mohths old and available for consump- tioa during the~wifter and spring kill ing and selling. This percentage is larger than the average for the United States by 4 per cent
 Inspect Lowndes Road
 q. N. Mitcham, third division engi- nesr of the state highway department, ant H. G. Culyerhouse, assistant engi- nets of this division, left Saturday for Lokndes county where they will in- spsct the section of the Montgomery Selma highway under construction in that counyt.
 Leave For Audalusia
 lDr. s. W. Welch, state health of ficr, and Dr. J. $. Crumbine, field di- rector for the American Child Health association with headquarters in New York, left Montgomery Friday night for Andalusia for inspection of the woSkA of the public health forces of CoFington county. Dr. Crum6ine has expressed himself as greatly interested in the work of the Alabama public health department from reports of its -ss cess reaching him in the metropolis.
 BANK MEETING HELD Banquet Held By Gordo Bank At