The Greenville times., 1898-03-26
THE SOUTH FOR CATTLE.

! which, II followed WIN nan tbe
zeal expended in ill-requited ef-
forts would have been rewarded
with a far iuster rccompense.
There is no part of the union in
which the raising of cattle car be
pursued with less expense and
trouble, or greater financial profit
to the producer. Pasturage, wa
ter, climate, and accessible mar
kets all combine to make this re-
gion, and particularly that part
embraced in the rich alluvial val
ley of the lower Mississippi an
| ideal stock farming country. 1t
is only within comparatively re-
cent years that the idea Of diyersi-
fed farming has been put into
practical use in this section, and
has as yet been only tentative, but
the results from the experimental
efforts made have been such as to
encourage more extensive oper-
atlons, and it is probable that a
few more years will witness the
entire emancipation of the farmers
of this country from the slavery to
a single crop which is yearly pro-
ducing more disastrous results.
A valuable and interesting pam
ph!et Issued by the Southern Rail
way Company gives the following
surprising statistics on this sub
iect:
A study of the statistics com
piled by the Department of Agrl-
culture in this connection Is OF I'M
portance and conyinces one that
the South could to its profit utll-
| ize thousands of acres in the rails
inc of live stock, The figures re-
ferred to show that in the eight
States of Virginia, Tennessee,
North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi
and Kentucky, with a total area
of 10000 square miles, there are
nearly 100000 less cattle than IN
! two States of the Middle West
whose combined area IS ll,O0U
square miles and in which there IS
not a foot of free range, their
lands being cut up into small
farms, under fence, and al beng
used for the cereals and pasturago'
When it is borne in mind that the
cattle-raiser in the last-named sec
ton has to pasture his stock on
land that cannot be bought for less
than $50 an acre, that they are
on feed for more than half the
wear, and are housed in expensive
barns built to protect them from
the chilling winds and colds SHOWS
] of that section, 1t will be readily
seen that in the Southern States
} where lands are cheaper in price,
where the climate is such that
stock can roam in the open heids
all the year, where the item Tor
indoor feed and expense in caring
for cattle during the winter
months is at a minimum, where a
great outlay of capital is not re-
CURED to furnish shslter-where
in fact, all conditions combine TO
reduce the cost of production, a
greater percentage Of profit can be
derived than in any other part OF
the country. In dairying, also,
there is wide difference in what
the figures should be, the eight
Southern States having only about
the number of milch COWS that are
: in the two States of the west
There is a marked increase, how
ever, in the number engaged III
dairying within the last few years,
: and it IS expected that the ratlC
will be more than maintained IN the
future. The south has superior
o advantages as a dairy region
. among Which an authority men
!, tions 8the long grazing season. In'
s low prices of lands, the generailS
| low rates of assessment and tax
y alton in the agricultural districts u
the low rate of wages ana 'h'
e abundance of labor.
u The greatest advantage OF I'M
II section of country in the success
full pursuit of this industry is o
e course to be found in its mild ch
mate, rendering unnecessary IN
housing of stock during winte
), and entirely avoiding loss iron
the blizzards and snow storm
i. which are so destructive through
=" ont the West and Texas; and tn
far greater advantage of a pra(
tically permanent pastur'ge,
having been demonstrated Una
this can be secured by soWin
turf. oats and hairy yetch (lw
invaluable plants heretofore b'
little known for winter pasturas
and bermuda and lespedeza f'
summer. This does not take I'M
,,..;or tho native cane