The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-01-12
AGRICULTURAL.
We Should Raise More Stock at
the South.
BY A SOUTHERNER.

BY A SOUTHERNER.
One of the greatest defects of
the farming practice of the South
is want of attention to stock of all
kinds. On many places we'll adapt.
ed to the raising of cattle, sheep,
hogs and horses, the farm work
done by mules, obtained from a.
broad; the laborers are fed on pork
produced in the West, the butter
used by the family comes from the
grocer, the cattle and sheep are
poor, i'll fed and neglected, and the
hogs few and unthritty in compari-
SOC with what they should be.
Our farmers should understand
that the great reliance for the i'm
provement ofthe soils upon the
stock of the farm. Without stock
a sufficient supply of domestic ma
nures cannot be made, and the vine
will inevitably decline in fertility
until its cultivation ceases to be
profitable. Moreover, the farmer
who tries it will find that it is more
profitable to turn his surplus grain
and roots into beef, pork, mutton,
lbutter, and copious supply OF
valuable homemade manure than
to send 1T off to market at heavy
expense for transportation. These
remarks are more especially appll-
cable to our uplands of moderate
fertility. On rich alluvial lands
and swamps grain is made in sutti.
cent quantities to justify its sale.
And in the interior wheat on i'm.
proved lots is generally good
farming crop. Our farmers gener-
ally accept the principle that it is
not profitable to raise corn tor
market on their uplands, but they
do not inquire sufficiently into the
question whether on such lands
grain may not be proftably raised
for stock.
In Europe they keep large herds
and focks, by means of their fine
meadows and pastures, and by
raising large quantities of roots tor
winter feeding. By this means,
they not only have the finest meat,
but milk, butter, cheese and wool ;
and raise manure enough to keep
their lands up to the highest point
of productiveness. We might
adopt their system here, with some
modification, with great advantage.
There are no better natural pas.
lures in the union than may be
found in the mountain districts of
the South, as we'll as those below
tide water, in the Eastern parts
AS our Winters are short, it will
require comparatively small area
to be planted in roots, clover, and
other grasses, to support large
stock.
The manure raised, instead of
being applied to the grain crops,
as in the old countries and in the
Northern States, where the sys,
tenn has been adopted to some ex-
tent. should here be applied to
cotton. know from my own ex-
perience, that even under the old
system, where the stock are allow
ed to run in the woods, during the
summer, and are sparingly fed
during the winter, with the otfal
of the grain crops, sufficient ma.
nure can be raised per head to
make 400 fb. bale Of cotton. If
they were provided with good
summer pastures, and with plenty
of hay and turnips during the win.
ter, the quantity of manure would
be incalculably increased and its
quality much enhanced.
The more root crops, there would
be the more stock ;the more stock,
the more manure; the more manure,
the more cotton. Under this sys-
tenn we might make as much cot.
ton as we do on one-thlrd OF the
land, save the money paid for ter
tilizers, and supply ourselves with
an abundance Of fat beef and NUT
ton, milk and butter, articles that
are extremely rare, even on the
tables of our wealthiest farmers
the more shame to them that 1t is
30.
But the only way our farmers
can be induced to keep a large
stock of cattle, is to convince them
they can make more cotton there
BY, and at lest cost. No system
will be adopted by them that does
not revolve around this pivot
There is now an awakening
|among the agriculturists OF the
RSeuth to the necessity of improv-
the breeds of their domeStic
A1.~sk o,1y rarcprM 0f