Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-30
Obstacles to Be Overcome in Southern
Dairyinu.

A correspondent who requests that
do not publish the communication, calls
attention to the scarcity Of competent
mixers. in the south.
This correspondent is located near the
successful commercial creamery at La
Grange, Georgia, and therefore, has the
best facilities for the profitable dispose
ton of the dairy output. The gross In
come from this dairy is from $40 to $50
per month from twenty-six cows. If the
average for twelve months should prove
to be $145 per month we should have a
gross income per COW OF about s67 per
year. A very satisfactory yield.
This intelligent correspondent Is very
much pleased with Alfalfa as dairy "a
ton and wonders that all farmers do not
cultivate so profitable a forage plant.
would answer this question for myself,
as have cultivated Lucerne more or less
for over twenty years. The reason why l
did not plant more extensively was the
difficulty / experienced In getting negroes
to NOW and feed it. have never yet seen
negro who had mastered the art OF
moving successfully with scythe and we
have no other than negro labor. \
would like to say few words on the
side of bur-clover as the earliest spring
grazing plant.
1t Is so easy to raise in our climate, so
green and refreshing to the artistic sense
the year being grazed by gentle kline.
Bur clover is not eaten greedily as is
Alfalfa, still 1t should be planted on every
southern farm. It, like Alfalfa belongs
to the trifolium family, tribe of plants
Nthat enrich the land upon which they
grow, thereby benefiting the future as
we'll as the present.
/ presume that others have some form
of labor troubles that have encountered
in the dairy business for many years past.
do not desire to exaggerate any OF the
obstacles that the pioneers have TO mas
ter, to make the way smooth for those
who follow US. Still II Is due all those,
like the correspondent referred to, and
the creamery at LAGRANGE that we con-
temporaries recognize and acknowledge
what altruistic benefactors they have
been to our country.
1 have no plan whereby one writing in
the papers can supply the immediate and
pressing demand for skilful mixers, or
competent dairy labor. Each dairyman
must train his own labor as best he can.
The negro Is with US to stay, All we can
do Is to accept the situation and try by
patience to guide the natural barbarian
instincts in civilized methods of action.
That and my neighbors who have fol-
lowed me in stock raising have not made
brilliant progress in suddenly uplifting
the burden of barbarism is not to be ex-
pected.
The commercial creamery, the separator
and modern methods, however, have met,
solved and ended half the difficulties that
beset the dairymen in Georgia when
began dairying at Pamela. farm. / think
the future grows brighter, the country
greener, the pastures more abundant and
that American pluck will win over all
ordinary obstacles In all the higher de-
partments of diversified agriculture. We
must remember that the negro was simply
a cotton raiser. We who are pioneers In
dairying and stock raising must educate
our necessary labor in the south. Every
well-conducted dairy farm is school,
whose benefits to posterity will be meal
culable. B. w. HUNT
Thanks to the Lagrange correspondent
for her interesting letter.