66 THE ALABAMA OPPORTUNITY. 



The Central has a wealth of small towns along its' line, all 

 grown up in the past five years. The largest town along its 

 line in Geneva County. is Hartford with an estimated population 

 of 1,500. Just east of Hartford is Slocomb, a little over three 

 years old, and with a population of 700 souls. West of Hart- 

 ford is Cofifee Springs, five years' old as a town and having 

 within its borders 500 people. Other promising stations have 

 sprung up at Malvern and Bellwood, at which latter place J 

 hardwood plant has been established and is now in operation. 



It is always to be borne in mind that these places have been 

 born and have attained their growth within the last decade 

 except Geneva. But even Geneva has' taken on new life with 

 the coming of the small and industrious farmer and his friend 

 and ally, the railroad. The climate about Geneva is superb. 

 The county's climate is perhaps not exceeded anywhere in 

 the United States. Time was when the opinion was held fur- 

 ther north that there was nothing but poor and sandy lands 

 in Geneva County. Sandy the lands are, but the sand is' mixed 

 with clay. But poverty stricken the lands are not. Were they 

 poor lands they could not be made to produce the fine crops 

 that they have grown. Were they so poor the industrious 

 farmer could not have established himself and made the money 

 he has. Were they so poor they certainly could not have been 

 brought to their present high state of cultivation as' they have 

 been in many instances. 



Take, for instance, the farm of Mennice Menefee, a farmer 

 living near the town of Geneva. Mr. Menefee had a brag 

 patch of cotton on which he tried to see just what could be 

 done by the judicious and intelligent use of fertilizer. From 

 this acre he gathered 1,400 pounds of lint cotton or very nearly 

 three bales of cotton. The average yield an acre for his en- 

 tire cotton crop was decidedly good, for on twenty-eight acres 

 he gathered thirty-four bales averaging in weight 559 pounds. 

 Of course he fertilized, but he had to mix the fertilizer in mak- 

 ing his crop with discretion and industry. He grew other 

 things equally as well ; for instance, 700 bushels of corn ofif thir- 

 ty-two acres, and twelve barrels of cane syrup from three acres, 

 with 20,000 stalks left over, part of which is to be used for seed, 

 the coming farm year. Then he raised hogs and produced 

 nearly everything that he needed for his family's use. 



