Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-03-01
THE GRASS KING.
What West Tennessee can do in the
Way of Stock Raising Facts
Of Great Importance to
Her Farmers.

The following address was delivered
by Hon. Wise A. Cooper, of Gibson
county, before the dairymen's conven-
tion at jackson last week /:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Convention: 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 "wear
and tear" and at less expense, while
preserving and increasing the fertility
of the soil.
BY growing more stock, intelligent.
ly, it Immediately follows:
l. That more grass will be seeded.
2. That the snil 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,
as well as elsewhere.
4. BY this course, as experience
shows, more prosperity will exist, and
land will sell higher.
Again, as more grass is grown out Of
having more stuck, so the cultivation
of less land grows out of having more
grass. And by the cultivation of less
land it follows, further:
/. That less labor will be required
to be paid for and fed.
2, That fewer pillow horses will be
kept to be fed and worn out in har.
ness.
3. Less expense will result from the
consumption of farming utensils, and
gearing of all kinds.
4. 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>grass system,
over the ALLEGATION plan, or the cotton,
corn and wheat plan, in West Tennes-
see, more coin will FIJI the till, and
lands will be made more productive.
West Tennessee contains over TO-.
600 square miles, and with but little
Tess than 1000 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 pro.
ducts and grasses and fruits abound.
Here transportation facilities exist.
Here we have short winters and gp>
NAL climate. Here all kinds Of stock
thrive, as it we're, 10 perfection, end at
far less expense than north If this sec.
ton, To be more specific as to grasses
here clover, herds.grass, timothy and
Orchard.grass flourish in great luxu>
rance, and Orchard.graSs equals the
best bluegrass, and, it is asserted, is
more priced by stock men. Heretofore
we have net appreciated our magnii.
cent possibilities. As a rule, in West
Tennessee, We have been infatuated
over cotton, even to the neglect of es>
sentials. We have snld cotton upon a
small margin of profit, and sometimes
no margin, while we have bought a
great deal Of meat at fancy prices. To
use an expressive saying, this is "spll.
ing the hide for penny and Buying
back the tail for shilling"
The space is not possessed, now, to
enter INTO a comparison Of the relative
profits to be realized in handling diff.
ferent kinds of stock. Indeed, there is
fine profit in each kind. But the fan.
cy of the particular person will have
much to do with success, as one will do
better where he brings into the busi.I