The Pensacola journal., 1907-07-14

In the early days of Florida, during
The 40s and sos, the ruling price of
stock cattle was $3 per head, and at
that low figure their owners became
moneyed men, and foundations were
laid for some snug fortunes AL
though stocks we're increasing the
price also increased, so that from
1870 to 1882 steers brought an aver
age price of $3.50 per head, and no
less than 100000 were exported from
one Florida port. During the two
wars in Cuba $12, 2,210,000 were receiv-
ed by Florida range men for ship
ments from Punta Rassa alone. The
total exports Of cattle from the Uni
ted States to the West Indies, Wind
ward and Leeward Islands, aggrega-
ed the enormous sum of S143, ,000, 900
But leaving off the duty of feeding
these islanders, our own citizens are
eating 10000 head per annum, and
will consume twice the number if
provision is made to have them ready
for the butcher every month in the
twelve.
Prof. H. H. Stockbridge, late of
the Florida Experimental Station, re-
Gently said before the Southeastern
Stock Growers Association:
In the growing and feeding of cat
tie. land is The largest single invest
ment. Cheap lands, therefore, are in
diSpenSible to the success of the busi-
ness. This is a historic as well as
economic fact. From biblical days
the cry of the herdsman has been for
cheap lands.
The cheapest lands now remain
ing in the United States adapted to
the production of cattle food-stuffs
are the 'cut-Over' pine lands Of the
Gulf States. The same economic con-
ditions which have brought cotton
mills to the cotton fields will in the
near future, as inevitably, transfer
the great cattle industry from the
high-priced lands of the 'corn-belt' TO
the cheap, denuded forest lands OF
the 'wire-grass' South Millions of
acres of these lands, perfectly adap-
ted to grazing and the growing OF
abundant crops, now lying in all the
unattractiveness following in the
wake of the despoiling sawmill and
turpentine still, are now available to
the StOckman, at prices so insign1f1-
cant as to be hardly worth quoting.
Already large areas are being devoted
TO this business. the center of which
must eventually move from the west
to the south
50 The climatic conditions Offer-
ed by this section are necessarily i'm
portant in controlling results.
Among these conditions, that of
temperature is doubtless the most
important. Food is used in the ami
NAL economy for two purposes. First,
ing animal wastes. Second, for keep
10 hnof nf the
blood This latter function of food
is accomplished by actual combus-
ton. The amount, or proportion, of
food used for this purpose depends on
surrounding temperature. In other
words, the colder the climate, the
more combustion and use of food is
required to maintain animal heat, eX-
actly as is the case with the con-
of fuel for keeping any
place or article warm.
The practical bearing of this fact
is demonstrated in actual feeding eX-
periments, which show that 20 days
of feeding in our climate accomplish
essentially the same results attained
in 120 days in the feeding sections of
the northwest. This means that the
time and expense of feeding are di-
minished 41.6 per cent by OUT favor
able climate alone.
In addition to this saving of food
must be considered the far less eX
pense for shelter, and the saving in
labor in the matter of care and feed
ing.
''3 Whoever is at all familiar with
the DISASTROUS results of drought in
the western cattle sections will ap-
preciate the blessings of adequate wa
ter supply. Everywhere in QUIZ ter
ritory, rivers, creeks, springs and
clear lakes supply ineXhaustible guam
titles of the best water. Moreover.
in most parts of this entire section
the purest of artesian water is avail
able within easy reach Of the surface,
bountiful supplies of flow
ing water. No stock man among us
need ever haul water miles, from
drying creeks, nor eXpend a
fortune constructing dams and earth