The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-12
THE SOUTH AND IT'S REnE

a day or two ago the PHILADELPHIA
Press, discussing the soaring prices of
beef, said: THE Southern people have
never yet risen to the agricultural SUI
periority of their section. 1t is less
than dozen years since its advantages
as fruit raising country became an
parent. Its superiority in this respect
was quickly demonstrated when expert
ments were once made, and to-day il is
regarded as one of the chief sources of
the fruit supply of the country.
Balancing the conditions, ii is probable
that there are nearly as many advan-
tages in raising cattle for market in
the South as in the far Western states.
and considering the nearness of the
consumer, a larger percentage of profit
could be reaped by the Southern beef
raiser than by his Western COMPETE
tor"
What the Press says is true. There
are hundreds and thousands of acres
of Idle lands in the South that might
well be devoted to cattle raising. In
this section the grass is green prac-
tically the year around. so that it
would take little special feeding to put
cattle into marketable condition. What
may be done with cattle for profit in
this section is illustrated in a special
from Albany, Ga, which we published
recently. A progressive farmer in that
(Dougherty) county last week sold
forty-nine head of beef cattle, receiving
therefor $1,295 cash. The farmer did
not raise these cattle but bought them
when they were poor and scrawny,"
and brought them up to good condition
by scientific feeding" and proper care.
His profit from the transaction, it is
said, was very satisfactory; and it is
quite easy to believe the statement.
What this Dougherty county farmer
has done. other farmers throughout
Georgia can do. and if they raise their
cattle themselves their profits will be
all the bigger. First class cattle is
never drug in the market. There is
always a good demand for prime steers.
trust or no trust. We can raise as
good beef cattle in the South as they
can raise in the West 1t will be neces-
sary, however, for us to give as much
attention to our cattle as the Western
ers give theirs. There must be a Sc
lection of breeds and a scientific feed
ing if best results are to be obtained.
We have found in the cultivation of
peaches and other fruits that rule of
thumb" will not work; that their culti-
walton must be gone about in an intel
ligent manner. And so it is with cattle
raising for profit. Cattle left to shift
| for themselves winter and summer will
/ remain scrubs of little value, but with
| care and intelligent management the
native cattle can be brought to a very
acceptable beef quality. Every Geor-
gia farmer ought to make it point to
raise some cattle for market. The
business could be begun in a small way
and gradually worked up to something
/ larger. There is no good reason why it
should be necessary to import one
/ pound of Western beef into this state
So far from il, we ought to raise mil
1 lions of pounds Of beef for shipment to
the less favored sections North and
East. Every steamship leaving Sa-
vannah for New York ought to have a
cold storage compartment filled with
| Georgia beef for the metropolis.
In our dispatches OF yesterday il was
stated that the Southern States Cat
! tlemen's Association had been formed
in jackson, Miss. FOR the purpose of
fostering cattle raising as a Southern
| industry. The association win do good