The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-10-05
Clemson Extension ork--Article
XXI.

The increased interest in the feeding OF
live stock by the farmers is one OF the
most encouraging signs that's different and
better system of agriculture is gradually
being developed. Farmers are beginning
to realize that some means be devised 1oi
obtaining maximum yields OF The several
crops at the minimum expense Of fertilizer,
and fortunately there is no section OF The
country where the soil fertility can he per-
manently increased more economically.
The continuous growing of cotton on the
same fields year after year and the wash
ing of the land during the winter months
has been the chief cause of depicting the
fertility and reducing the yield upon the
average farms. Yet if a rational system
of agriculture was followed, these c0ndl-
lions would be quickly removed and the
value and productiveness OF the land per-
manently increased. :.
While cotton seed meal contains pfactl-
cally all the fertility extracted from the
soil by the cotton crop and is n OF the
most valuable fertilizers We have, it Is also
equally as valuable for feeding live stock.
The cotton lint and the oil contain no fer
tility whatever and can he sold from the
farm without loss which mean that if the
cotton seed meal now produced in this
state was fed to beef and dairy cattle and
other animals good enough to return the
owner the market price OF the meal
in the form of milk or Increased flesh, the
wealth of the state would be increased
over So, OO0, 900 annually and if the manure
were carefully saved and returned To the
soil, the annually account for FERTILIZER
which is now 500, 600, 900 could DC reduced
to the extent Of the value of the meal. II
would only require a few years OF this sys-
TEN of farming to enable every farmer to
make his own fertilizer free of cost and
double our present yield and revenue per
acre. Many farmers are now endenvorlllg
to do this by feeding of beef cattle and II
Intelligent methods are followed This c II
be developed into Il profitable business.
In looking over the feeding records OF
last year we find that many farmers could
have materially increased their profits had
better methods of selecting feeding and
caring fortheir cattle been followed. For
feeding purposes farmers should insist OH
buying nothing but the lest quality and
highest grade meal that is offered. The
cheaper low grade meal and fixed feed are
always the least profitable and should not
be used except at 4 much lower price than
they are usually sold for.
In buying cattle it is Important that
they should he Of good beef type and mi
form in size, color and age. The cattle
should be weighed after being twelve hours
without feed or water or with Il 3 per cent
shrink. II they are weighed with 80 to IS
pounds of water and feed in each animal
in might easily off set the profits Of feed
ing them.
The profits in feeding cattle will depend
largely on the character of the cattle. The
only kind that can be fed prOiitahly are
those that will increase in value as they
put on flesh. The scrub narrow backed
steer can only be fed at II loss and one OF
the first rpuuiSitpS i'm successful cattle
feeding is TO become Il competent Judge
and be able to make al Intelligent sclcc-
ton. The Agricultural Fairs should assist
materially in this matter by establishing
Judging classes, and wherever the farmers
of the state are sufficiently Interested i'll
the breeding, feeding, Judging and caring
for any kind of live stock to call Il meeting,
the Extension Departments at Clemson Col
lege will gladly send men who are spe-
cially trained in this line Of work to rem
der every possible assistance or will bc
glad to render assistance by corrrspon-
dence.
Prof. \. Smith.
Clemson College, $. {.