The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-06-20
RAISING BEEF CATTLE IN THE
OUT

tBy -. i, Gray and w. +. ward
The work of e~radicating the Texas
fever tick Is progressing satisfactorily
in the South: every year new areas ara
freed from the tick and with the pro-
SreSS of the work there comes an add
ed interest in all kinds Of cattle pro-
duction. When the ticks inc one sec
ton of the country are extermiated,
renewed interest beinS to be imme-
diately maifeSted nthe beef cattle
business. as the Southern farmers now
realize that the Texas fever tick has
been practically the only awb To
the cattle business in the past. When
the tick is finally exterminated nc sec
ton Of the United States Will be better
suited to beef production than the
South, because Of its mild climate,
long grazing season and cheap Lands.
There are many reasons why the
Southern States should raise more
beef. First, the South. under the
present system of farming. has thou
sands of acres-and good ones, too
which are not being used at all. Sta
tistics tell us that only about 40 per
cent of the tillable or arable land OF
the South is being used. Sixty per
cent of the land is lying idle and re-
turns to the owner not a cent in
wealth. All Of the lands cannot be
used as cotton lands, because, first,
there are not enough people TO work
the lands in any such way, and sec
ond, many of these acres are not suit
able for cultivation. In fact. many
acres that are now under cotton Gull
tivation should be turned into perma-
nent pastures and graZed with live
stock. No state can become wealthy
when only 40 per cent of the land cap
ital is being used. The grocer or the
banker, or the hardware merchant
could not possibly make a profit on
his business if he used only 40 per
/ nnnt of hic nanjt91 md tho farmer
cannot hope to be successful in his
operations until he begins to make
use of at least a reasonable proper
ton of his capital. No farming bus
mess can be made successful when
only $4,000 out Of a possible $4,000
is being used.
Then again beef cattle should be
more generally introduced because Of
the good the do in building up and
maintaining soils. Under the present
system of cotton farming the soils
are becoming poorer and poorer. WIN
the Introduction Of cattle the SOIL VIII
begin TO be built up.
Athird reason why beef should be
more generally produced in the South
is that there is a demand for 1t. and
the demand should be met in order
that the money be kept at home. Al
the present time the South
but a small proportion of the meat
mat nGT pSOpic CpllSdII4t- n
houses are now being built throughout
the South, and good markets are as
sured for the beef animals which the
farmer produces.
Beef cattle are peculiarly suited to
fit into the farming operations of the
South. The farms are large. ana
many acres are not being used because
of the lack of sufficient labor. At pres
ent there is no better way 10 put the
whole farm to work th3n by intro
ducing beef cattle into the system OF
farming. They require but a STnali
amount of labor in addition To that
used upon the average cotton tdrHn.
The hog, while he deserves Z proml-
nent place upon almost every farm,
cannot be made To use all o. tee large
uncultivated areas on the farms. Tor he
is not strictly a grazing animal. Many
farmers who have the large uncultl-
waited areas are not now sufficiently
skilled in the handling Of live stock u
introduce sheep or dairy cattle.
as the sheep and dairy business re-
ouire more skill than the beef business.
Then. too, the dairy business require
an increase in the amour Or LABOR
used upon the farm: and the labor
item is one that many farmers are try
ing to reduce.