The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-05-19
LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY.
Source of Prosperity That is Neglect
ed in South Carolina.

Sumter. Mr.. b. Harris. president of
the State Farmers Union delivered
the following interesting address on
the livestock Industry:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men: 1t affords me thc greatest Of
pleasure to meet with the representa-
tive Farmers Of South Carolina, and
especially OF Sumter county. have
been assigned to talk to You about
the livestock industry in our state
and It's needs. | find that :ne average
farmer in South Calonna needs cdu-
cation along the line Of breeding, de-
vclopin@ and handling livestock, more
than in any other branch of agricu-
turc. And | wish to say right here,
that a state cannot prosper, if it does
not make livestock one OF the leading
features Of agriculture
The first question, that arises in
the minds Of our South Carolina
farmers. is whether or not the South
is adapted to the breeding and raising
Of livestock. I hope that we will b.
able to prove to y~- that the fault
it not with the conditions existing in
South Carolina, but that the fault
lies with the farmers themselves. If
you were to ask me what county was
the best adapted to stock raising in
this State. I would answer you Sum-
ter county. Then if ~ were to ask
what kind Of livestock would be the
most profitable to raise in South
Carolina, I would answer dairy eat
tie. horses. sheep. h-3s. and poultry.
II You ask me why I say Sumter
county could foster stock saisinc with
such great profit. would reply be-
cause there is no section that offers
more natural advantages for The
brcedin" and raiSin" Of livestock. [
say tins because You can raise such
a diversity Of forage crops. Ten
months out Of the twelve Won can
have some kind of Soiling crop to
feed TO your cattle. horses, sheep and
hogs. I will not attempt TO name the
kind Of soiling crops for this within
itself would require too much time.
Howcver, | will say thai The Bcrmu-
da grass will do for the South what
blue grass has done for Kentucky. T
know Of one place in particular where
one-quarter Of an acre Of Bermuda
grass. furnishes all the grazing that a
1900 pound bull can eat for seven
months ont of the year and it takes
an average Of one acre of Kentucky
blue grass for steer. Right mere in
Sumter county, one acre of Bermuda
grass will furnish grazing for three
head. There is no country where feed
can be raised cheaper than in South
Carolina and whore stock is frecr from
disease. Healthy stock should be cx-
pected, for they can have outdoor
exercise every day Of the year, which
is very essential to the health of
animals.
Now as to the necessity for raising
livestock in our southland. How are
We to reclaim our worn out soil? Can
we do it with commercial fertilizers?
The answer is no. We will have to do
it with livestock. I wish to make
comparison of conditions along this
line as they exist in Iowa and in South
Carolina. In the state Of Iowa YOU
will find that this ratio cxists-to
every inhabitant there are one and
onc-half milch COWS and in South
Carolina TO every eleven inhabitants
there is onl v one milch COW. Tn Iowa
there is one sheep to every mhabi:ant,
in South Carolina there is one to
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