Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-10-28
RAISING eEEF CATTLE.
An Avenue of Profit Open to South
Carolins Farmers.

WHEN Ouc lOOhS over the WdSIc
places Of this state and considers that
thousands Of cattle and sheep might
be raised where now there is not q
sheep on thousand hills. nor dozen
herds Of beef cattle In the state, he
sees the necessity for q revival. The
beef trust Is fastened on the people.
The price Of cut meat Is fixed by the
trust, which is encouraged by our ma
tional legislation. There is no sign Of
a reduction in the price. Our people
should be exhorted to raise beef cat
tie on a large scale. On the rivers and
abandoned lands Of the state there Is
ample room for thousands Of cattle.
Raising beef or fat cattle is a spec
ialty. The dairy business, thorough
bred hogs, sheep and horses cannot 60
along with 1t. The fact Is the
farmer who is trying a half dozen or
more specialties at the same time will
generally fail. FIe should have big
bank account, and then he may get
some fun out of the business. Let
him, take that one thing for which he
and his land are best suited and stick
to 1t through thick and thin. II cot
ton is his crop, let him plant cotton
with only enough small grain, corn
and truck to supply the farm. IF in
the dairy business, let him raise dairy
cattle and subordinate all his efforts
toward getting the best dairy possi-
BILE. II he goes into the fat cattle bus
mess, let every crop planted and ev-
cry house built be to the interest Of
beef cattle. That is the only way to
succeed in South Carolina. Two years
ago a carload Of young Shorthorns
and grades were sold in Spartanburg.
They were bought by farmers. Up to
this date no special improvement has
been reported In size or quality Of
cattle.
W. R. Walker Of Union, 8. c., Is go
Ing into the beef cattle business in
the right way. His farm Is In the
lower part Of Cherokee county, ex-
tending from Pacolet to Br ad river,
a mile or two above their junction.
He has large bodies Of bottom lands.
Some Of the hills are rugged and
rough. The Japan clover grows where
it has a chance. The Means or john
son grass is found on the river lands.
Much Of the upland is nearly level or
rolling and well adapted to hold crops.
He is about twenty miles from rail-
way station and the roads are not
very good. He concluded to go into
the cattle business about two years
ago. He bought some Shorthorns.
While they are fine cattle they were
too large and unwieldy for his hills
and rough ground. He thinks they are
best to cross with our common scrub
stock for the grades will have the ac-
tivity Of the scrub and the beef quail
ity Of the Shorthorn- He began to in
vestigate the other breeds. He was
not after an all-purpose COW, but one
that would make only beef and make
1t quick. Last winter he bought SIX
ty or seventy Angus polled cattle. all
Of them being nearly pure, and three
bulls and some cows thoroughbred.
He will soon work all his cattle up
to the Angus type. He now has about
100 and they are generally in fine
condition. Not one has died during
the summer. These cattle are pure
black and without horns, the latter
having a great advantage in ship
ping. He is at no trouble about milk
ing, for the cows scarcely afford
enough milk to raise their calves.
For summer pasture he depended
the present year on Japan clover,
Johnson grass and native grasses. He
has found out that all bushes and
sprouts have to be taken from a pas
ture, for no grass will flourish in the
shade. He has set twenty-five or
thirty acres in Bermuda grass and
proposes to increase the acreage
largely.
The Johnson grass has always been
considered a terror to farmers, but
Mr.. Walker likes it. Where he has
good stand he cleans the land OF
and sows q bushel or two OF sorghum
seed to the acre with cutaway har-
row as soon as 1t will germinate. He
gets two cuttings from the mixture
and the hay Is fine. He thinks ne
made six tons of dried sorghum hay
from one acre Of swamp land that
heretofore produced only common
grass. He plants fields Of sorghum
near his pasture fence 80 that when
grass gets short or when cold weather
approaches he can cut that and throw
1t over in the pasture. He considers
peas and sorghum the best and cheap
est feed possible for cattle. In all his
corn land he plants or sows peas or
will hereafter and this will give his
cattle several weeks fine feed after
the corn Is gathered. The roots and
vines will improve the land. Winter
pasture is receiving his attention Tor
It is necessary to have good pastur-
age for calves. cows with young
calves, or cattle In bad condition. He
will try a mixture Of wheat, oats ana
rye with some crimson clover. DE
will shelter his cattle in the winter
and herd them IN lots during the sum-
mer. He expects to cut down his fer
tilizer bills and soon do away with
purchasing any. Cotton will be an In
cidental crop and as the manure in
creases the land will improve rapidly.
Thus Mr.. Walker has only one idea
and that is to raise the finest beef
cattle, II he has to buy his milk and
butter from his neighbors. The next
consideration is the gradual improve
ment Of his land. He proposes to at
tempt nothing that will be In the way
of his one object. It may be two or