The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-12
FINLEY TO
SOUTHERN FARMERS
Head of Southern Railway Company Writes Letter Full of
Practical Suggestions-Lays Special Stress
on Dairy Farming
on Dairy Farming

me Following letter, full Of prac-
tcal and timely suggestions TO the
farmers OF the South. has Just been
sent out by President w. w. Finley,
of the Southern railway
Washington, ID. c., June 2. 1911.
10 the Farmers OF the South:
There is no branch OF agriculture
that is more needed In &he South than
dairying. 1t il not only a profita bl
industry in itself. but It may be made
the means of increasing the produc-
ton OF the soll and promoting a bet
ter type OF agriculture.
The above paragraph is quoted
from paper on Why Dairying is
tndeveioped in the South" written
! by Or. b. II. Rawl forme rly of South
Carolina, now chief of the dairy divt-
sion Ina the United States agricultural
| department..
| one or the most important reoui-
sites TO the success of any business
| enterprise Is the certainty OF a mar
! ket Tor its products. There Is an as
sured market for all OF the dairy
products that can be produced in the
Southeastern States. Statistics com
piled by the United States agricul-
tural department for the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1905, show that In
that Year thirty eight cities in the
| Southeastern States consumed IA, $685.
| ia1 pounds OF creamery butter In
the same year the States In which
these cities are located produced only
| 6I7.s4a pounds of creamery butter,
the remaining l4.22730 pounds
| being shipped into the South from the
North ana West, at an estimated cost
| of s4.765000 In the same year the
same cities consumed approximately
2,pUU.0b0 pounds OF Northern and
! Western renovated butter, costing
| about $500, 900: 100000 pounds OF
| Northern and Western oleomargarine.
! costing about $4,000: 3o,500,000
pounds OF cheese, costing about $4,-
! 100000. and 22,00oo00 pounds OF
| condensed milk, costing about S2.-
100000. To supply these thirty eight
cities. representing but a fraction Of
the consumption of dairy products in
! the Southeastern States. involved the
sending out OF our section OF at least
! si2,6S5.0 900 There has been some
increase in production since 1906, but
consumption ~ also increasing with
| the rapid growth of our Southern
| cities and towns, and it Is safe to say
| that the amount OF dairy products
shipped into the Southeastern States
annually Is at least as great as in
| the year mentioned, and that South
ern farmers can. therefore. rely upon
their home markets for the consump-
ton of their output OF dairy products
for many years to come. When their
home markets have been fully sup
piled the constantly growing demand
OF the dehsely populated Northeastern
section OF the country will enable
] them Still further to expand their
production The cities OF the North
eastern section are constantly draw
ing dairy products from greater dis
| tances and their markets will afford
the great opportunity OF the future
for the Southern dairyHrraF. ''"s''ee''1.'a'
| Considering these market oppor-
| tunities in connection with the pc
culiar advantages OF the Southeastern
: States for dairy farming. growing out
OF the mildness Of climate and the
| length OF the grazing season. be-
| lieve that II will be profitable for our
Southern farmers to devote more at
| tention to this industry. In the re-
port to which ! have referred. DR..
| Rawl says:
! There are hundreds Of farmers
throughout the South. each Of whom
could add q 15-cow dairy to his farm.
and could. besides. in a short while.
easily produce more OF other crops
than he Is producing at present.
/ Dairying ~ undeveloped In the South
eastern States. largely because the
farmers OF that section do not Under
| stand how to make II profitable