The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-10-18
CATTLE IN THE

emphasis to the subject of cat.
tie growing in the South. We start
out with the broad, general assertion
that stock growing in the South is and
has been, like all other branches of
farming, except raising cotton, practi-
cally n failure, and we wish to consider
the question. Is it profitable that it
should remain so? If not can we
protitably raise stock IN competition
with the corn belt of the Northwest?
How is it feasible for the average cot
ton farmer to get a start at it and make
the business profitable?
In a recent publication, Mr.. William
LaCroiX, a well known stock man of
Memphis, goes into this subject OK
haustively. He says hat The live
stock business in that section is a fail
ure ; that there is but little done in
that line, and what is done is not profit
able to the man who raises them. The
reasons for this being true, he epito-
mixes as follows
L. Lack of financial aid and assist
NICE 10 engage in the business proper
ly, cotton being the money crop or the
only crop that the farmer can obtain
advances on to produce it.
2. The lack of attention II the part
of the farmer who raises cattle in their
breeding and care of the animal pro-
duccd.
3. The production of a very inferior
animal that commands scant respect in
the markets and always selling for a
ve;y low figure.
Now we arc absolutely convinced
from the success that has crowned the
few rational efforts made In this line
that the stock business can be made
profitable in any part of the South {;
that it can be done in spite of the fact
mentioncd in reason No. l and that a
reasonable effort on the part of South
crn farmers will soun remove the DIFF.
licultics mentioned in Nos. , and B.
We all know that it is unfortunately
true, under the present system of rails
ing crops in the South, that the main
crop is cotton and that in most cases
the planter or farmer instead of rails
ing at home his bread, meat, forage
and many other ncccssaries that he
could raise pledges his cotton crop in
advance to pay the bin. We arc sure
that no thinking cotton grower can be-
lievc this is the most economical way
of getting supplies, and we aIe glad to
say many have quit it but what they
think is the difficulty OF making a
change detcrs n great many from wen
trying to make Il change. The opinion
prevails with the majority Of them,
that seems to inspire Mr.. LaCroiX ;
that Il radical change must be made at
one time and right at the start. This
is a great mistake, the beginning of
raising ones w bread, meat, gram
and forage ought to be made in n small
way and gradually increased as the
cotton planter understands the subject
better, and in the matter of stock rails
ing it would be absolutely a misfortune
for Il nan who does not understand
even if he had plenty of capital. 1t Is
safer and more profitable in the end
to start cattle raising with two or three
head than 90 or 30 the sheep bust.
ness with a dozen than SO and the hog
business with Il single good SOW than
10 or 20. Starting in this small way,
it is within the power of every farm
owner AID most renters to make a be-
ginning.
But there is one thing that is abso-
lutcly essential to success who ever
goes into the stock business, in a snail
or large way, must not fail to raise
good stock. AS Mr.. LaCroix truly
says, two year old cattle that weigh
only 800 and 400 pounds do not pay al
any price, though they of course, sell
very low. They must weigh 600 10 l 900
pounds at that age. RaZor-hack hogs
eat their heads off before they get fat
and scrub sheep don't pay the freight
and commissions for selling. 1t is then
essential that stock to be profitable
must be well bred. How then is a
farmer to make a start in cattle raising
or with, sheep or hogs. The only way
if he has but little money to put into
it, is to start with native females and get
a pcdigreed male to cross with. In
the case of hogs and sheep, any farmer
who has summoned up the resolution
to go into the business, can raise
enough money to buy a boar or ram.
With cattle it is different, but almost
any farmer who will take the trouble
to do it, can get several ncighbors to
JON him in buying a good short horn,
Hereford or Galloway bull and one
will suffice for a neighborhood.
A year Defolc a start is made with
the stock a pasture of ten or twenty
acres ought to be started by planting
Bermuda grass. Tire second year it
will be'a fair pasture on good land and
the third year it will be excellent. This
will be a fair pasture on good land ten
months of the year ; enough food of
other kinds must be grown for the re-
maindcr of the year. In one years
cattle and sheep will have doubled
themselves hogs will probably be
by ten or twelve. In five
years time even though the beginning
may have been small, the herd or flock
will probably have reached the liml,
the owner wants to carry and he will
be getting back some profit. During
this time, too, he will have learned the
business and have arranged his fields
and pastures To get the best results.
Will it pay? 1t most surely will.
In the North with high priced labor,
.ong winters and short summers il has
been the most profitable farm
ing. In the South, with cheap labor,
long grazing season and short feeding
,easOn and orassoS and foraoo plonto