The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1906-08-18

Capt. j. f. Merry, general lmml-
grafton agent for the Illinois Central
railroad, gives the following reasons
for sending out an article on stock
raising by Prof. Lloyd of the A. & M.
College:
Farmers Of the west and northwest
understand how impossible it is for a
farm to grow single crop successfully
for long term Of years. There must
be a rotation of crops, and a certain
amount OF fertilization. The soil con-
ditions of the South are similar TO
those Of the North and West. In some
localities like the YazOo Mississippi
Valley, the lands are SO fertile that
for several years they will produce
large crops of cotton and corn without
fertilization. But even these lands
would be more productive under a
systematic rotation Of crops and lib
eral use OF barnyard manure. We
have for years insisted that stock
growing in Mississippi and Louisiana
should. and would in the near future,
become profitable industry The fol-
lowing excellent article firm the pen
of Prof. E. r. Lloyd, professor of ag-
riculture at the Mississippi Agricul-
tural and Mechanical college, will be
read with interest," The time is near
at hand when farming in Mississippi
and Louisiana will be done as 1T is In
Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, except
that the two Southern states will have
the advantage ia this, that they can
grow in addition to all that is grown
in the North, cotton, one OF the most
profitable of all our staple crops. With
Mississippi and Louisiana growing
stock, cotton, corn, oats, alfalfa, all
kinds of fruit and vegetables, home
seekers should visit these states and
study their resources and possibilities
before deciding where they will per-
manently locate:"
The following is in part Prof.
Lloyd's article:
There are many things agricultural
that are still in the experimental
stage, but there are some things
which we know are settled. One OF the
things count as settled and proved
is that good farming cannot be diSaS-
sociated from live stock breeding,
raising and feeding. If had to choose
between the two extremes, l would
put all the farm in pasture, keep live
stock to Craze it, and buy all other
feed needed rather than put all the
farm in cotton and corn to be harveS-
ted and sold off the farm, keeping no
live stock to consume it. Good farm
ing is that kind which will get from
the land In series Of years normal
yields of the crops planted without
lessening the fertility but increasing
it.
There cannot exist anywhere per-
manent agricultural prosperity where
the system Of farming is Of the kind
that certainly, however gradually and
slowly, lessons the fertility OF the soil.
The only known practical method OF
maintaining or increasing the fertili-
ty of the soil, while taking crops out
of it year after year, is to keep live
stock to consume some due proportion
of these crops.
Live stock husbandry is a higher
branch of farm study. 1t calls for the
completeSt exercise of faculties only
partially engaged in the ordinary rou-
tine of planting, tilling and gather
ing. 1t is more difficult business
than simply sowing and reaping, but
as it is more difficult, it is more inter-
eSting.
am inclined to think that many
farmers du not breed and raise more
live stock because. to succeed with it
and make profit out of it, requires
more thought, study and care than
they are willing to give. Instead Of
avoiding live stock breeding because
of its difficulties, would assign these
as leading reasons for engaging in it,
We have read and heard much in
recent years about the great migra-
tion of boys aud older ul.cs from the
farm 10 the town. A..lt great move
ment uf rural population towards the
city was PROBABLY tie most OminOuS
single economic fact Of the last quar-
ter of century. 1t gave agricultural
prosperity in the Sodth d black eye
that will take d long time to clear up.
l.
cause, us all things liave. Is this
cause NOT due, at least TO some extent,
to the system oT farming that pre-
vailed, up 10 a few years ago, in the
South.
~ With beef cattle the farmer
is en- ib,ed to utilize the maximum
amount of labor, which alone should
be a strong incentive for more and
better cattle.
The beef steer is very liberal rem
ter, claiming nothing for himself, CIV
ing to the owner all that he takes
from the soil, in meat and manure.
Besides an abuI Idance of cheap grazing
lands. the South has other advanta-
ges for producing beef at profit. Our
climate is not only sufficiently mild
for out door feeding in winter, but
the warmth enables the soil to yield
an almost perennial pasture. The
South is rich in every kind OF feed for