The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-03-08
THE GRASS KING.
what West Tennessee can do IN thu
way or Stock Raising--Facts
OF Great Importance to
Her Farmers.

county, before the dsirymen's convsn-
ton at jackson.
MIR. Chairman aud Gentlemen of the
Conventions: One of the necessary
steps towards an improved agriculture
In West Tennessee is the raising of
more stock. To state it broadly, this
stock system enables the farmer to
produce more in value, with less "wesr
and tear" and at lsss expense, while
preserving and increasing the fertility
of the soil.
BY growing more stock, intelligent
~, it Immediately follows:
l. That more grass will seeded.
2. That the soil will be better fed
with plant food and manure.
3. That.rotation Of crops will more
readily follow, allowing change-and
change is rest, under agricultural law,
~ well as elsewhere.
4. BY this course, a. experience
shows, more prosperity will exist, and
land will sell higher.
Again, as more grass is grown out Of
having more stock, 80 the cultivation
OF less land grows out of having more
grass. And by the cultivation of less
land il follows, further:
l. That less labor will be required
to be paid for and fed.
2. That fewer pillow horses will be
kept to he fed and worn out in har.
ness.
g. Less expense will result from the
consumption Of farming utensils, and
gearing of all kinds.
f. The farmer can keep his nerves
more steady, and his body and brains
sounder. by less break-neck push to
cultivate broad acres.
Then, it is confidently asserted that
by adopting the stock>grsss system,
over the all cotton plan, or the cotton,
corn and wheat plan, in West Tennss.
see, more coin will fill the till, and
lands will be made more productive.
West Tennessee contains over 10
900 square miles, and with but little
les. than 900 miles of railroad, with
the tennessee river bounding her ter
ritory on the east, and that great in
land sea, the Mississippi, washing her
western shore. Here the field pros
ducts aud grasses and fruits abound.
Here transportation facilities exist.
Here we have short winters and q ge-
NAL climate. Here all kinds of stock
thrive, as it were. to perfection, and at
far les. expense than north of this sec
ton. To be more specific as to grasses,
here clover, herd.grass, timothy and
orchard grass flourish in great luxu-
rance. and orchard-grass equals the
best bluegrass, and, it 10 asserted, 10
more priced by stock men. Heretofore
we have not appreciated eur magni6.
cent possibilities. As a rule, in West
Tennessee, we have been infatuated
over cotton, even to the neglect of es-
ssntials. We have sold Gotten upon q
,aall margin of profit, and sometimes
no margin, while vs. have bought a
great deal of meat at fancy prices. 70
use an expressive saying, this is sell
ing the hide for = penny and buying
back the tail for shilling"
The space 10 not possessed, now, to
.nter into comparison of the relative
nro6ts to be realized in handling dit,
f.rent.kinds ofstock. Indeed, there 10
sne proat in each kiad. But the fan e
CIV of the particular person will have
much to do with success, as one will do
natter where he brings into the BUSH
ness an enthusiasm.
As showing some of the advantages
.nioyed herein the cattle business, let
rs Give YOU an example of how cheap.
L. cattle can be wintered here. Mr..
K Fl, Wade, farmer of great ener-
ov and Judgment, living near Brad
tsoyrd Tenn, uintered fifty head of cat
flo for 81. so per head. He fed them
-FOUR msnths. The mode of his calcu-
Iation was to calculate rent for the
land in grass; also to calculate the Ia
Dor required to mou and save the
1r... and to charge for the cotton
s..d u.sd ut the market prise.
Let me submit another example,
chewing the result reached on bunch
of tventy one steers, recently sold by
M ]. P. johnson, syoung farmer OF
Great promise, who lives near Brazil,
T,nu He bought these steers at about
,ne wear of age. and at an average OF
.hont ten dollars each. He kept them
It'll last January, whom they were
snnr wears old, and then sold them at
LA door for five cents on foot, the lot
nftr.nty.ons bringing hin s1,266,
o.ing nearly SCI each. These were
oulv West Tennessee steers. Mr.
~ estimates the purchase price,