The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-01-07
STOCK RAISING. r
Dr.. Nesom. the Clemson Veterinarian
Writes O. Il.
ITS GREAT POSSIBILITIES.
Summary OF What Has Eeccntiy
Been Accomplished i'll This
Direction. Z List OF
STOCn, RAISING.
DR.. Nesom. the Clemson Veterinarian
ITS GREAT POSSIBILITIES.

Pioneers.

The business of raising cattle in
South Carolina is not aow what 1t
used to be. The editorials in The State
during the last few months have
shown that at one time cattle became
50 numerous in the State that it be-
came necessary to kill them on the
range with no other object in view
than to lesson the increasing number.
''Palmy days" those must have been.
when the price of a whole beef was a
shot from rifle.
Things have changed much since
then and now the breeding OF cattle is
practically limited to family milk COWS
with the production Of beef as Il minor
and secondary consideration. The
farmer who keeps a few COWS Ior milk
may incidentally produce enough beef
to supply the needs Of his family or
plantation. This condition Of affairs
might prove entirely satisfactory If
the entire population Of tie State was
rural. but South Carolina is no longer
q commonwealth Of farms and rural
communities. Railroads. commerce and
manufactures have placed in the State
a large element Of population who are
not producers OF food stutls and must
buy in tie markets what they con-
sur1e. The demand for meats is 50
rrcar. That the local s;loolv becomes
irs;rniticart. and This consuming class
is forced 70 re}y on markets outside Of
rho S-a4e for fhe hu;s or beef As vel;
&C nor,, hecnn lard hams and canned
n9aa;s THIS wear beef has cost more
ON an average than it ever mas before
within the memory of men. and i: has
been really a luxury in many parts OF
the South where western beef is sold
after the 4reiSnt lor ioils Aau1 naS
been ad0eo to tae original coSI. we
may tank that the beet trust IS re-
Spcnslte Tor TINS, Dut II you loon al
the last cenSls you Will at least ma
foOd-f0r thought. No one doubts that
the days Of the ranch are drawing 20
a close and That oeef preeolng must
come back to It's legitimate nome, the
farm. According to the last census
the entire west. from Kansas to the
Pacific coast, contained oEy about
20, 600, 900 head Of cattle outside o!
Texas, which HoIds the banner Tor a
ranchlng Stale WIN 9,Voo:ooo mean.
All The rest OF tue Soutn rom IeAas
to Maryland and up TO the ONO hlVer
contained only about 1000: :oOO heao.>
just think OF that. ana then tnlhk OF
the thousands OF itt!e, thin cattle
that enter into the count 10 make even
in such large territory, Ihe South
cannot be looked upon as q Prooucef
of beef, but must be regarded as a
consumer.
Some say that beef cattle cannot be
raised here, and try to support the
argument with the assertion that the
climate is TOO warm, the soil too poor.
or something else Us wide of the mark.
The only real barrier in the way OF
the industry is the question OF Texas
fever and the fact thai Southern cat
tie carrying ticks are QGarantlned out
of the Northern markets for ten
months of the year. If the people OF
these States Will take hold of this
problem and rid their cattle Of ticks.
buv better breeding stock. make real
pa astures out of what are now the
worn hillsides, cuilies, briar patches
and plum thickets, there is no reason
why cattle raising can not be made a
success in South Carolina or any other
part Of the South. These who expect
to enter the business and buy feed for
their catt' would 90 well to consider
the price, :. feed stutTs in this coun-
try and tll:n decide to stay out or go
into il on farm where foods can be
produced. 1t is fact long since re-
cognized that home raised grain and
grass are absolutely essential to this
Industry, and financial success in any
case depends on the ability to produce
them Good soil. plenty of moisture.
and an abundance Of sunshine will
make grain and grass in abundance.
Then what else is needed? True the
average Southern soil is not as good as
the rich Western prairies, but land is
cheap and millions Of acres producing
absolutely nothing. How can they be
improved faster than with cattle On
the farm? As to moisture 1t IS mat
hnS ~