63 



the purpose in such cases to return to the farmer tlic 

 largest j^ossihh' portion <>l' the proceeds as tlic gr-catcst 

 good lor the whok- conununily will be aeeoinpiisluMl 

 by helping and encouraging the lanner during this 

 critical period of change. Numerous associations ol" 

 farmers to co-operate in the selling of their products 

 are being formed as a result of this need for mai'kets. 

 In the moving of such |)roducts locally, the matter of 

 reasonable and ecpiilablc local freight rates is an 

 extremely important factor. 



7. Longer Leases. The annual lease system is a 

 constant and serious hindrance to desirable changes 

 and improvements. Wherever possible, as with many 

 of the best tenants on a farm, the lease period should 

 be extended to three or five years. The farmer can 

 then kno\\- that it will benefit him to go ahead with 

 his fall cam])aign against the boll weevil, to use winter- 

 growing cover crops, to build up his soil, to raise live- 

 stock, etc., as he will never do under the annual lease 

 system. As a result the fertility of the soil can be 

 most economically increased and at the end of the 

 lease period tlie owner will have a more valuable 

 piece of property than he would have under the an- 

 nual system. Many large land owners are making 

 this change. 



8. Iinprone Soil by Lcf/iunes and Livestock. — The 

 most economical, profitable and permanent sj^stem ol 

 farming includes both of these factors as essential 

 elements in soil building. This is one of the most im- 

 portant elements in a successful campaign against the 

 boll weevil as also in the solution of many of oiu' 

 southern rural |)roblems. Many unprofitable fields 

 might easily be converted into good permanent pas- 

 tures with a combination of clovers and gra'rscs, soil 

 erosion can be checked, the commercial fertilir.cr bill 

 can be greatly reduced and the real p'ofit obtained 

 from such fertilizers as are used can be increased as 

 our farmers learn to increase the vegetable matter 

 in their soils through the wise utilization of legumes 

 and livestock. 



9. Alabama Mnst Feed Herself. — Such changes will 

 carrv us a long way toward the fulfillment of this 

 slogan. The coming of the boll weevil is helping us 

 to realize the necessity for it as we never have before. 

 Prosperity through the State as a whole will increase as 

 we approach this standard, for the welfare of the 



