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SUNDAY, AUGUST 30 THE FARMER'S FORUM Planting Alfalfa Here By J. C. MeAULIFPE During the coming season more inter est will be attached ta alfalfa than eves '••fore in the Augusta cotton district The fact that alfalfa hay is quoted at a higher price than any other forage In Augusta is attracting considerable attention and demonstrated the value of the crop. In many sections around Augusta al falfa has already proven a success ard soorea of farmers are planning to in crease the acreage by planting this fnii and there is no deubt but that success wIH attend fheir efforts. An exchange that has gone into tho matter at length takes tip the question of planting in every detail and from It arc gleaned many important points of unusual in terest. There is no use in sowing alfalfa on law land aubject to overflowing because it is a very deep rooted plant and it refuses to make a profitable growth on land that is not well drained. Thou sands of acres of hlHy land in this sec tion that today are giving unprofitable returns could be made to net a bettor profit than perhaps the best land in the state is yielding in corn. This, no doubt, sounds like an extra vagant statement to those who are not Impressed with the superior food value of alfalfa, but if they will but. stop to reflect that a five-ton crop is about what they can raise and that alfalfa has a food value of $lO to sl2 per ton as com pared with wild hay or ttmonthy at $3 to $5, jt Is easily seen that the state ment Is not in the least overdrawn. There is less work connected with har vesting five tons of alfalfa than there is with harvesting a com crop, especial ly when a stand of alfalfa will last any where from five to eight years or longer. It has been the custom of western cattle feeders to feed a grain ration •'imposed of one-fourth ground oats, one-half ground ear corn to their grow ing stock, together with from one to one and one-half pounds of oil meal per head per day. As rougnage they have been feeding hay. Since substituting alfai fa for wild hay cattle men have been able to dispense with the feeding of bran and yet get better results. Their grain ration now consists of one-thlrci ground oats and two-thirds ground ear com, or cotton seed meal. This means a tremendous saving, especially when al falfa produces a great deal more hay per acre than rough grass. Nor is that the only advantage that will be derived from this change in farm management, while growing alfalfa it is improving the land, in fact, it i s mik ing new land out of higher hill lands, on which alfalfa is growing. A field that has been producing alfalfa for five or six years becomes rich in humus and olso richer In organic plant food for th* reason that mineral constituents b*iow the surface soil are brought to tho surface by the alfalfa, which is a deep rooted plant and which to a large r X tent feeds below the one from which the THE POULTRY CORNER The Chicken House FOR THE WINTER It will soon be time to house chirk ens in winter. Not many years ago farmers gave but little care to hous ing chickens. The roosting place was generally out in some convenient tree j and a cedar was a treasure in this ! respect; especially in the winter! time. At that period ia farming most tillers of the soil had the same old idea about housing cattle in the win ter time. But times arc changing, and nowadays people who realise how valuable it is to shelter everything are giving especial care to chickens. In a recent bulletin of the Arkansas experiment atatlon the following facts are given concerning the prop ' er building of a chicken house: Every hen should be allowed six; square feet of floor space. Each bird of the Plymouth Kock, Wyandotte j and other general purpose breeds re quires about nine Inches of perch room. Leghorns, Minorcas. Spanish, etc., about eight inches. Brahma and Langsbans, ten inches. Roosts should he made low or near the ground—not hlgh»r than two feqt. There are several reasons for this, fowls of the heavier breed cannot fly nigh, and those of the lighter breeds frequently Injure the soles of their feet in jumping from high perches. Roosts should be made all of tho same height. Kor, If they are made some higher than the oth ers. the birds will all flock to the highest ones and crowd, which is un desirable. Wbon diopping hoards are used, thay should be low down, to permit of easy cleaning They should bs made of matehtd lumber and should he fO Inches wide for one perch and 3 feat wide for two perches. The first porch placed at least 10 inches from the wall, a good roost may b» made from material 2x2 Inches, then slightly rounded on the edges. Man- use old boxes for rests, hut If near the ground are liable to in due* egg-eating To prevent thia use dark seats. Nests are usually made tram 11 to U Incites squaro. I>frt, ordinary grain and e-lass crops obtain ttl«U fee* There are some f*U seeding of alfalfa u» that a ft! 11 hay crop can be secure* the first year, tin,) losing no time Those who have suit- i able ground for this crop should sow seme during the latter part of Septem ber. The tarlfer it can be gotten lh the better, provided the soil oentalns enough moisture to sprout the seed as soon ea tt 1» in the grown. Bear In mind, how ever, that It is essential to successful alfalfa culture to prepare a first-class seed bed. Get the ground wall pulver ized; sow in soil that is in condition to produce a good corn crop and at the •■ate of 10 pounds per acre, tho exact amount depending upon the vitality of the Mod, and you will undoubtedly get a goo* stand. Weeds will not bother alfalfa scedoi in early fell ,nd that is more than can be sai* for spring seeding. But wo would net udvise anyone to sow after the first of November. The danger ot getting a good strong stand before win ter if seeded after that date is too great to run the risk, as the seed Is rather high priced. FARM NEWS AND VIEWS Cellear Ventilation—A Pork Pointer. Poultry Suggestion. The best way to ventilate the cellar is to have the windows and doors open at night instead of daytime. Of course, there should be heavy screens to keep out rats, cats, etc. In alfalfa regions brood sows are fed exclusively on alfalfa hay in win ter and alfalfa pasture in summer time. Very little or no grain Is fed whatever. As a result the sows are always strong, vigorous and healthy. If the droppings of the fouls are not in normal oondlton, give a teaspoonful of soda water, (bicarbonate) to each afflicted bird. In making the water use three heaping teaspoonsfuis of soda to a pint of water. Follow with a one-grain, quinine pill each night for three nights in succession. A stallion ought to be driven eight or ten miles at least and worked every day for three or four hours during the breeding season. Too many horses are ruined by being pampered. In Southern-Louislana and South eastern Texas horses and mules on the rice and sugar plantations are fed plenty of molasses, rice bran and rice straw, and oowpeas, as well as hay. The blackstrap molasses keeps work stock in good condition and they re lish the sweetness. Mares nursing foals should be given a ration that will not only increase their flow of milk, but materially en rich t. Oats and bran. In eaqual bulk, with about one-fourth In bulk of corn added, makes a good ration for a mare In milk This should always be moistened before feeding. floors are, as a rule, more satisfac tory and much cheaper than board floors, and have the additional advan tage of not providing a hiding place a .TT w'easejs, etc. The floor should be at least six inches above the surrounding ground. This can De accomplished by tilling in with h a ,r d Br \ vel Krom time 10 time this filling should be taken out and renewed, otherwise it is liable to be come foul. • Cement foundations are best and cheapest In the end, but posts or stones at the corners serve well. Tie building should always be constructed in the spring or early summer, in or der that it may dry out before the fowls have to be housed in it. vegetables immigrants. Teiery originated in Germany. The chestnut came front Italy. The onion originated j n Egypt. Tobacco is a native of Virginia. The nettle is a native of Europe The Citron Is a native of Greece Oats originated In North Africa The poppy originated in the Ecu live rams originally front Liberia! Parsley was first known In Sar dinia. The pear and apple arc from Eu rope. Spinach canto front Arabia. The sunflower was brought front Peru. The mulborr. tree originated In Persia. The gourd Is probably tan East ern plant. Walnuts and peaches came from Persia. , The horse chestnut is a native of Thibet Cucumbers came from the East Indies. The quince came from Crete. The radish Is a naive of China and Japan P»ai are of Egyptian origin. Horseradish It from Souihcru Eu rope. < IN THE COUNTRY. < < Here in the roar of the street, < In traffic’s dull beat. < Swift to defeat < Dwelleth m,v mind,- — < Striving and driving with Its < grim kind. < | There is a far forest's ferae, < Or pen after rain, < Careless of gain < Dwelleth my heart, — < Seeking the silence the trees < impart. < —SJmory Pottle, In Outing. < THE GLEAN MILK PROBIiM GREAT The clean milk problem is a vital one, affecting the production and con sumption of ove»- 9,000,000,000 gal lons in the United States per year, being an annual supply of over 100 gallons for every man, woman and child in the country. This amount affords t.l quarts a day for every In dividual, which includes the milk used in making blitter and cheese. The actual amount of whole milk con fumed each day averages about ,6b of a pint .for every Individual. The value, of this product for a year at retail is the startling sum of $2.- 500,000,000. This is abfmt one-tlftleth of the entire wealth of the nation, tive times the wholesale value of last year’s‘Wheat crop, nearly twice (he value of the corn crop, and over one-third of the entire value of farm products for 1907, which is estimated at $7,400,000,000. The wholesale value of dairy products last year was estimated at $800,000,000, which would allow a price of less than ten cents a gallon for milk at the dairy. An average retail price of seven cents | a quart was assumed, which Is prob ably a little below the average price. —Rural World. DUTY DEMONSTRATED. Did you ever notice how duty un folds in the doing, like a bud when the sun shines on It? The hardest part of any task Is a gradual expand ing and fragrance about It, like the opening of a flower. The dreaded duty becomes the sweet and gracious priv ilege. Obligation unfolds Into oppor j tunity. Service becomes joy. This is one of the revelations of life to souls of courage and unshrinking purpose.—James Buekham. Moles are often erroneously con demned. They are insectivorous and not vegetarian, as they have heen accused They live on Insects which Infest the soil, the earthworm consti tuting almost its sole diet. The mole plants when it is digging for Its fa gets credit for destroying roots of vorlte food. Exhibit Your Chickens at tlie Nearest Fair. Any of you who are fortunate enough to have good thoroughbred stock =ho| !d attend your nearest fair. While you may not have good enough birds to take many prizes, you will get people interested in your stock and make sales of whatever surplus stock you may have. You may sell It all directly durinfe Die fair, but farmers and others will g» i your name and addtess and prices and there will be no end to the ad \ertislng It will do for you, and then when they zee yf , ur ni ,„ lP \ertlsenient In the paper afterwards It will remind them of your fine ex hibits at the fall. «, visitor to th 1 fair may not buy himself, but he will go home and tell his neighbors about the fowls you hail and whut you said about them and how line they look 'd In vour bright new show coops. There art hundreds of people who go to the county lair who never get uny further aivaj from home to see any other f)n< stock. Do not think you cannot show b<caute you have hut one variety. That is all a mistake Jiisi fix up several coops of them, all as near alike as you can. .Visitor.: Pill 11 iitK yOU in certainly In lee businejs. Go early ami get a good po Ult ti in *h> place for thi display; run your coops ~11 along in a row; decorate your coops with some little (lags or hunting to attract attention; have jour name and ad dress up in largi letter s i i hr, < der and ov-’jer. Go with »h intention of advertising your one variety and you will attract more attention than you would if you had a pair each of i dozen cliff, rent varieties. Those who feed ptgs on hotel and restaurant garbage frequently suffer losses, u;. some this Is attributed to ptomaine poisoning, while others at tribute th» trouble to eating broken glass In the clop. The fowl tha* begins to molt during August or September has a much better chance to survive the winter than tbs ono that begins in the late fall. THE AUGUSTA HERALD. How Fertility is Lost SOUTHERN RIIRALIST AU over the red hills of the South ern uplands there formerly existed a vast forest of oaks Through long ages they added humus to the soli through their fallen leaves, dead branches and decaying trees. There was not so great an accumulation ot this humus as in the more Northern forests, since the forests wore more Open and the leaves blew Into the hollows and bottoms and made them rich at,the expense of the Mils, while In the North the heavy snowfalls pack ed the forest debris dowu to decay In place. Here and there in the Southern hilts ar® still found rem nants of solitary oak®, or little groves showing what, the forest was before the white roan destroyed it, destroying It not for economic uses, but killed the trees so that crops could be raised on the land occupied by the woods. Then the labor system of the old South demanded extensive areas and the virgin soil was used without re gard to the future. When it no lon ger paid in crops, it was turned out as "old fields" and left for the pine tree, to live on the scanty mineral matter left, while the same process repeated on new areas, till Anally where once oak forests flourished on ly plncß are known. Cotton became king in the South, and all that the soil produced was annually sent to the North and to Europe. The cotton nbre made small demand on the soil, and so long as the seed of the crop, which marie the heaviest draft on tho soil, was kept at home, and used in making chmposts for the land, the deterlora Hon was not so rapid But the Civil war came along with its destruction and the Southern people were loft penniless. Rut they still had rom mand of the cotton supply of the world and came to the eoncluainn that cotton was the only crop worth their attention, the only crop through which they could recoup their fallen for tunes, and that with cotton they could buy everything else needed better than they could grow It. Under the old system the lands had been badly treated, and under the Intense devotion to the one crop of cotton, a crop that demands the clean est of cultivation, they still further depleted the humus (n the aoll, con stantly depending on commercial fer j tllizers merely to get a crop to sell. Then, added to the one crop system, came the oil mills, and the cotton farmers had another source of reve nue and another agency for (he ex haustion of the soil. The short sight ed policy of selling the cotton seed prevailed. Stockmen in the North and In Europe found that in the meal made by the oil mills they had the greatest and cheapest source of pro tein for stock feeding, and the mills, of course, were glad to add the sale of meal to their source of revenue. Some Poultry Notes By FANNIE M. WOOD Khali we have your poultry exper ience now soon? Why not when It ‘ will oblige us so much? The conditions that favor health are not difficult to provide and cost less than medicines. It Is not the money but the time and energy Invested In the poultry business ibut make il profitable. Black-head causes turkeys to die at a surprisingly rapid gijlt, ami cleanliness is one or the best pro ventlves, Thia trouble Is rightly named Tint head asaumea a purple or black tip l earance. The turkey loses flesh rap idly, bis greai thirst, and the drop pings are greenish and watery, There la a difference of opinion HS to tin cause of thia troublesome dls case and no remedy lias yet been dis covered that will completely cute an infected bird The thing to do Is : to prevent it If possible. Uat~ and other varnilta must go or the chickens will, a good sized nit will carry off a chicken nearly big enough to try. It Is not too lute the last of August or the first of September to capon ize. Yes, grain it high, so are »ggs loon lit both sloes of the qufstiou i and feed the hens well If you want , plenty ol eggs away Into tho moult ! ing season. It Is claimed that It coats at least |75 cents to board a hen a ear. I wonil' ■ If some of us are not keep. Ing a few ml hens around that mu I no paying their board. j * -- - - Poultry use much water in digest ing th'dr f'»od. and fib per cent 1 of every eg , la water Consider these ;nc -nd do not. consul youi fowl , J to go withe ut water. Conducted By J. C. McAULIFFE Cotton seed meal contains over 7 per eeut nitrogen, nearly 2 per cent of potash and over 3 per cent of phos phoric acid, and In every ton of "the meal that leaves the South there have been carried off 140 pounds of nitrogen, 40 pounds of pure potash and 60 pounds ot phosphoric acid. During tho twenty months In 1907- 1908 Germany alone bought 304,370 tons of our cotton seed meal. That is. sho bought 13,862,580 pounds of phosphoric acid, all of which came i from our Southern soils. The amount sold to Germany was but a small part of what wont to all Europe. Yot an enormous drain was made on Southern lands In even what went to Germany alone. Then tho Northern slates took 1m mense amounts, too. !s 11 any won der, then, th»i tho Southern soils have become poor? At tho price at which the cotton seed meal was sold to Germany, the nitrogen in it brought about 15 cents per pound. The farmer who sold the cotton did not get. that much for tt. i.ie potash and phosphoric acid brought about 5 cents. A crop of only 10,000.000 balds would make about 1,750,000 lons of cotton seed meal. From the best, statistics avail able, three fourths of tills amount Is exported, or 1,312,500 tons of cot ton seed meal sent from Ihe South ern soils annually. This means that 183,750.000 pounds of nitrogen, 62,600,000 pounds of ac tual potash and 78,750,000 pounds ot phosphoric iieid would lie sent, abroad from l lie South in even a 10,000,000- bale crop. But admitting that the nitrogen and the other Ingredients were sold at the prices named, what are the Southern farmers doing to repair this waste? Thousands of them are buying the low grade s-2-2 fer tlltzers. In which they pay 20 cents per pound for nitrogen, after they have sold the same nrltelo for less than 15 cents per pound, mid are lining of this about 200 pounds per acre. That Is. they are pulling hack about, four pounds per acre of nitro gen and four pounds per acre of pot ash after taking ten times as much front the soil And selling It at lower figures. Is it any wonder then that the Honthcrn soils are becoming ox : haunted of phosphoric add. potash and nitrogen? Is |l any wonder that the land owners get poor while sell ing | heir products for lohs than they ! pay for the same thing? I What is the remedy? In the first j place, more cattle and nioiv feeding jof the cotton seed products at home. ( In the second place the adoption of a rotation In which, through the morn liberal use of potash and phosphoric acid, they can get all the nitrogen and far more than they pay so high a price for now, through the growing and tending of the legume crops, free of cost. FOR PROFIT AND PLEASURE A tun will eat most anything, so be careful about throwing out rotten vegetables, spoiled grain apd decay ed meat where tho hens can get (hem. Pekin ducks were first imported lo this country from China In ]B7ij "Belli r let iin stayed with the hea then Chinese." 1 heard a fanner say as lie tried to run ihnni away from the pig trough. Turn ducks loose and they an- very apt to prove a nuisance They in erl i lot to theinselvx s away irom ihi* pigs ami chickens. Whether the four leaf elovi# brings luck or not It la certain the owner of ii clover field and a flock of hens Is lucky. Our hens that range in the clou i field are producing plenty ol iggs and growing new feathers bn rldia. I.oia ot lime In clover. The shattered leaves that accumulate on the barn floor also make a line win ter feed.—lnland Kurmer. The Greatest Corn. David Rankin, she noted Missouri corn, grower, will be eighty-three jears old this month, lie was so poor when a boy that h<* went bare j foot a great part of each summer j until he was twenty-eight • ears old •lie pair) hia last dollar to the preach er who married him In 1860, but now j lie owns 85.000 acres of good land. ; and last year rais'd more than 1.000, , 000 bushels of corn. He la worth i over $3,000,000, and made It all by , farming and cattle dealing. - - - j Luther Burbank, the famous horfl cultural wizard. gayt there la not a j weed alive which will not sooner or ; later respond liberally to good eultl ! witlon and persistent attention. A dav . will come when ihc earth will he i transformed, when mm shall offer i hla brother man not bulleta nor bay oriels, but richer grains, better Jrult : ana fairer flowers. f It la said that this year will be I recorded a- a banner year for dulry- I lug all over Uie L'nltcd Slate*. ANNOUNCEMENT We will be ready for city deliveries Monday morn ing. We have put up temporary quarters and all orders will be filled promptly. V V The • • • • JL fiv • • « • National Biscuit Co. BABCOCK THE VEHICLES THAT SATISFY. WILL ALWAYS be exactly as represented. “ “ have a construction as nearly perfect as good material, skilled workmen of three generations with sixty-five years experience can make ,them. “ {* give that satisfaction and durability which honest construction insures. “ “ have that air of norfection in those minor details which either make or mar a vehicle. “ “ be so built as to insure user of the lileasure, comfort and the service, mown and experienced only in the Babcock Vehicles. “ “ uphold the Babcock reputation of sixty years for building The Vehicles That Satisfy. WILL NLVPR he over enthusiastically described, “ “ give that endless trouble to the users which arises from poor construction. “ “ look and wear like those built “one every minute.” “ “ lack proper proportions, completeness of details anil good taste. “ “ prove excessive in their prices. “ “ disappoint you, they are sold as, you have a right to expect them to be, and they are The Vehicles That Satisfy. H. H. COSKERY, Sole Agents. For Quick Repairs To all damaged buildings, especially brick work, Cull Phone 2202. Mobley & Crooks, Room 1() ( > Montgomery Building. NBW GOODS HERE My lock lias been replenished with new ship ments and I am now read y to nerve the public with my usual high grade of groceries. H. J. Markwalter 1001 BROAD ST. ANNOUNCEMENT. We beg to advise our friends and the pub lic gem-rally that we are reajly to place the service of our entire organization at the dis posal of the owners of all damaged property in the city. We will undertake any and ail kinds of repairs and execute same in the shortest possible time and in the best man ner. We also have a full and complete steam equipment for pumping out cellars. For prompt service call .-it 19 and 20 Library Building. JOHN //. McKenzies sons. PAGE SEVEN