The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-05-15
AIKEN ON AGRICULTURAL BILL.
Urges More Liberal Support Of the
b Agricultural Department-Helps
to Secure Appropriations for
~ Experiments in Dairying
in the South.


its advancement.
desire to direct special attention
to certain provision Of The agricul-
tural bill, and incidentally to refer
to the general matter Of appropria-
tions for agricultural purposes
The item of the agricultural appro-
priation bill which authorizes the ex-
penditure of $4,000 "to further de-
velop The dairy industry Of the South
ern states by conducting experiments,
holding institutes, and giving object
lessons in dairying," n separate prop
osition incorporated in the bill at the
instance of my colleague (Mr. Lever,
is good measure, and wish to ex-
press my hcarticst Endorsement of it.
The only objection that T have to the
measure is that the amount appropri-
ated is too small. But many meas
ures which prove to he of the greatest
importance have had just such small
beginning and so this one, once it's ad-
vantages have been impressed upon
the public mind, may find more liberal
support in Congress.
There are many advantages which
peculiarly recommend the south as a
dairying section; and that this is not
one Of its chief industries today is
due more to the lack Of information
on the subject than to any other
cause.
Perhaps one of the greatest advan-
tages that the south offers as a dairy
ing section is the cheapness of land
and the sparseness of its population.
Pasture lands are necessary for prof.
table dairying and pasture lands
come pretty high at forty or fifty
dollars per acre, the common price in
populous sections.
In South Carolina we have some
19,000,000 acres of land. of which
only about 100000 acres are in cul-
tivation, and South Carolina perhaps,
,ffers little advantage over other
Southern states in this particular.
More than two-thirds Of our land is
idle, in measure Improbable, for
the lack Of sufficient farming popula-
tion. n large per cent Of this land is
well adapted tu pastiring for beef and
dairying purposes. If only our farm
ers could be brought to realize the
profits of dairying as an Independent
industry these lands, now unprof1-
table would furnish new source Of
wealth TO that section: or if dairy
ing could be carried on more extern
sively or more Systematically as an ad-
junct to the well-conductcd farm. the
advantage to the farmer in land
building as well as in receipts from
dairy products would make it we'll
worth his while
Most of the Southern states have n
luXuriant growth Of natural grass
that is green nine or ten months Of
the year; and in my own state Bemu-
da and many other introduced grass
es grow in perfection. The hay from
this Bermuda grass is unexcelled in
the world. This I can personally
vouch for.
While grass alone cannot be relied
on for profitable dairying it is an es-
sential, and properly used, with cot
ton seed hulls and meal produces
splendid results. The natural grass
es Of South Carolina would furnish
ample a"u.,r sc for great herds of
cattle ten u onths in the year. ~ ex-,
tensive effort has ever been made to
grow winter grasses, but in thousands
Of yards and lawns may be seen a
practical demonstration of the fact
that blue grass and lawn grass both
grow there beautifully under proper
conditions.
I, The great difficulty with our south
em people has been the one crop idea :;
VI and so profitable has been this crop
4 for the past few years that they have
81 not felt the necessity for diversified
u ton. The man who is doing we'll
raising cotton never thinks that he
Il might do better raising something
else.
Even the local demand for dairy
products in the south far exceeds the
4 4 supply, to say nothing of the demand
u at most profitable prices, coming from
our large cities. 1t would be hard to
l2 Rhd a small town in the south that has
mot had it's periodical butter famine,
y and yet nature has made this favor
ed spot for the production Of that ar
SS99ticle. l..s'..