The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-01
Cattle Raising In the South.

William La Croix, writing in the South
ern Planter Journal says cattle raising
in the South has, practically speaking.
been worse neglected than anywhere in
the United States. and that TOO in the
very face of the fact that ii has been
very necessary, and in some instances.
profitable part of our agricultural life I
say necessary, for to properly farm in
this section, or any other portion of the
South, that is to do so successfully, il
has always been strictly necessary TO own
or raise some cattle to consume our forage
or pasture crops, particularly such of these
crops as have not been easily gathered
or housed, and where the pasturing of
cattle was decidedly more to The farmers
advantage than gathering would have
been.
While it is true the South has from time
immemorial raised a certain class of cat
tie, and in instances in good numbers still
ii is no less fact that in the raising and
breeding of these cattle our Southern
farmer has been wofully negligent, and in
stead of producing something that would
demand the respect and admiration of the
lovers of animal life, and last, but not
least, bring good, strong, profitable prices
when offered on the different markets of
the country, he has gone along all these
years and raised the other kind.
Raising of cattle in the South or any
other country for that matter, to be sue
cessful and profitable must be done strict
ly, according to good business principles
the acumen of a live, energetic business
man must be always displayed just as
much so as in any of our large CONNER
cial houses. And not only these traits
are necessary, but those showing a decided
love of nature and animal life, the patient
care and attention, the watching of The
calf from the very time of its birth to the
time IL is ready for market, are Just as
essential as those of the agricuiturist
watching, protecting and caring for the
growth of his plants.
The lack of proper attention on the part
of our Southerners in the growing md
raising of cattle has cost this fair South
| land of ours millions of dollars. 1t has cost
us dollars and cents in tribute to other
more fortunate and practical sections tn an
! there ever was any necessity Of and only
| time itself has been able to awaken some
| of our more energetic farmers to the needs
| of the hour, and instead Of continuing T. a
old slip-shod. root hog or d e mefhode
| some of them at least are endsavoring to
| turn over a new leaf and put the cattle in
terest of the South where it rightfully be-
| longs.
People of the South as a rule have utter
| ly failed to observe anything like husine ss
| ideas in the raising Of cattle, and while
this is very broad assertion, still I could
even add and strictly be within the bounds
of propriety, that they never even exercis-
ed sensible methods in their treatment of
! their cattle, the most profitable ami Iowa
| Bile part of farm life, and events of the
| past, prove il against them.
| Instead of looking up, trying to reach a
| higher plane and commercially endeavor-
! ing to build up our bank accounts and orr
| regulations as cattle producing country
| we have done just the reVerse--loolxa,l
| downward as il were and bred to runts
scrubs and Jerseys, leaving them to shift
| for themselves in some old stubbeheld or
wornout pasture, and after about a wear
! to dhree years Of this kind of treatment
we marketed them and got what? The
! lowest possible price of the markets and
| the name of raising understood, Jersev-
| lied runts, something only suitable fer
| cheap beef or common stockers
II the South were unsuited for the rails
ing of the very best of cattle, IL we did
not have the facilities for undoubted suc-
cess along these lines. there would be
! some excuse for our slip shod methods If
our PEOPLE were totally ignorant of things
| in general there would also be some ex
cuse, but on the contrary our Southern
farmer is just as live. Just as up-to-
| date as hose OF any other section and The
only Thing you can charge him with Is
| that in his hurry to grow cotton-lots of
| cotton-he has simply neglected to Inn
prove the main chance, the chance that
would have kept his head above water at
| oil times, no matter how the cotton mar
| ket was manipulated. The old adaRe "a
man had better have more strings than one
| TO his bow" never was more apty proven