The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-05-13
The Dairy.
DAIRYING, THE OPPORTUNITY OF
SOUTHERN RARMERS.

A Rich Harvest Awaits Those Who Engage
in it, Properly Equlppsd-The Natural Ad-
vantages are Ours-Why Has the North
Outstripped Us?
Correspondence OF The Progressive Farmer.
In the South, there are few in
dustries which are more profitable
than dairying, and yet it has not
been given very much consideration.
This is evidenced by the small num-
Der OF miloh COWS kept in the South.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF COWS.
According to the twelfth census,
there were 18, ,112,7O7 dairy COWS in
the United States June 1, 1900, or
about five COWS for every twenty-one
persons but they are not distributed
among the different States in pro-
portion to their population. For
example, Iowa has a population of
2,251, 1926 and ], ,42S, ,648 dairy COWS, or
about two COWS for every three per.
sons; Illinois has a population of
4,821, $50 and ], 1854, 491 dairy COWS, or
little more than one COW for every
five persons and Wisconsin has q
population of 2, ,O68, ,963 and ], ,O32, ,S11
milch COWS or about one COW for
every two persons.
Bat here are the figures for some
Southern States: North Carolina
has a population of 1891, 1873 and
only 246, 755 dairy COWS or less than
two COWS for every fifteen persons;
Florida has population of 52S, ,542
and 81, 274 dairy animals or less than
one for every six persons and South
Carolina has population of 1,S4O,-
312 and only 1876, 1888 dairy animals,
or i'm round numbers, about one cow
for every ten persons.
SOUTHERN COWS ARE POOR GRADE.
In addition TO the small number of
dairy COWS kept in the Southern
States which were taken for COM
parison, their COWS are less valuable
than the former. The census report
heretofore mentioned shows that the
value of the dairy cow of Iowa is
1886; of Illinois, $S4 OF; and Of
Wisconsin, $29.36; while that of
North Carolina is only S18 90, South
Carolina, 500 O6, and Florida, $13.31
This great difference in the dis
tribution of dairy COWS for the man
ufaoture of butter and cheese is not
due altogether to climatic conditions,
for it is generally conceded that good
butter and cheese can be made in
nearly all parts of the United States.
Furthermore, the winters are shorter
here than they are in New York,
Iowa, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wis
consin, Minnesota, Ohio and other
States where dairying has become
one of the leading agricultural in.
terests.
THE SOUTH ADAPTED TO DAIRYING.
One of the most important requi-
sites for successful dairying is a con-
tinuous supply of food hence when
CONSIDER the vast amount of meadow
hay, corn, cow peas, clover, rye,
vetch, lucerne, alfalfa and cotton
seed which might be produced in the
South, exclaim in the language of
the Breeders Gazette: "Nature is
indeed kindly disposed toward the
Southern planters, too many Of
whom stand in their own hight by
persisting in cotton culture to the
exclusion of everything else -
WHY DAIRYMG LANGUsHEs.
A lack of interest in the dairy in
dustry, is possibly due to several
causes, some of which may be men,
toned:
(1) The Southern soil and climate
are we'll suited to the growth of cet-
ton, which until recent years has
commanded very high price, and
has caused a corresponding increase
in it's demands.
(2) The Southern people have not
been sufficiently trained in the
science and art of agriculture TO
cause them TO realize the important
place to which dairying is entitled In
Southern husbandy. This statement
is substantiated by the Bureau of
Animal Industry reports which
show that the States that give
special instruction in the manufac-
ture Of butter and cheese and the
sciences of breeding and feeding cat
tie, are leading the dairy industry.
Repol ts show that special instruc-
tion I'm dairying il offered in thirty