The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-08-02
The Importance of the Live Stock Industry in the
South.

most important work in the development of the
livestock industry and the prevention and con-
troll of diseases of domestic animals. Two very
strong reasons exist why we should endeavor to
develop our livestock industry. First, it is es-
sential to successful agriculture because it af-
fords the best home market for the disposal of the
raw products of the farm, and returns to the
farm a large share of the fertilizer materials
taken from the soil by the growing of the crops.
Second, because our soil and climate conditions
are especially. suitable for the growing of grass
and other forage crops.
This great want and the best of facilities for
supplying it should at once command the best
efforts of the State departments of agriculture.
Owing to a lack of livestock our lands have
become Impoverished until thief e~rtilizer bills
have become a heavy tax on the farmers of the
South. Had sufficient livestock been raised and
fed, commercial fertilizers would not have be-
come such a necessity, but we need livestock at
present in order that the plant food taken from
the air and deep portions of the soil by legu-
minous crops may be returned to the farm and
the fertilizer bills of the future reduced to a
minimum.
Products of the farm when fed to good live
stock bring both their food value and a large per-
centage of their fertilizer value. Marketed in
any other way only one or the other value is OBJ
tanned, never both. If we are to introduce more
livestock into our system of agriculture it is i'm
portant that it be of the best quality and re-
ceive such care and feed as will make it most
profitable. By encouraging the Importation of
better stock and. the dissemination of correct in
formation concerning the modern methods of
breeding, care and feeding, the State depart
ments of agriculture may do much for the ad-
vancement of agricultural interests. 1t is also
important that our advantages for the growing of
forage and crops should be placed before the peo-
pie in a plain, practical manner, and Informal
ton as to the best of these and the methods of
seeding, cultivation and gathering be given wide
circulation. In short, actual experiments in the
breeding of livestock, the raising of forage and
feeding should be made to plainly demonstrate
the advantages of livestock and the feasibility of
producing the best at a reasonable profit on
Southern farms. To make this live stock profit
able, it must be maintained in good health and
marketed at the best possible advantage.
A close supervision must be maintained over
the stock imported to insure that no dangerous
disease is introduced, and the health / of that with
in the State must be guarded by the control and
suppression of all extensive outbreaks of conta-
gious or other diseases. The cattle industry can
never be most successful while a Federal or other
cattle quarantine restrictions prevent the mar
keting of cattle where they will bring the best
price at any time of the year.
To-day the cattle tick (Boophilus bovis) is
not only a serious and costly obstacle to the local
and interstate traffic, but in many States it is the
source of larger losses than is experienced from
all other diseases of cattle combined. The exter-
mination of the cattle tick is entirely feasible,
and when sufficient information is spread among
the people showing the advantages of such exter-
m~ination and the ease with which it may be done,