The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-10-09

On several occasions the Journal
has advised young farmers to go into
the cattle business, whether they
raised dairy or beef cattle. 1t may
be we'll to repeat some OF the sug-
gestions made heretofore. 1t is sur
prising that many intelligent persons
do not read special advice in papers
until they need it. The habit Of
storing valuable information in the
mind is a good one. 1t is always
ready when needed.
In the first place. the farmer should
decide whether he will go in for beef
or dairy cattle. That being settled
he should select the breed best suited
to his purpose. 1t should be a thor
oughbred. or at least the foundation
stock should be.
In the second place, he should pre-
pare Bermuda pasture for summer,
so that his cattle will have an abun-
dance of grass. We say Bermuda.
FOR that is the best grass for sum-
mer pasture we know. 1t is good
from the first of May to the killing
froSts OF winter. Then he should
build a silo OF as many as he will
need for mis- herd of cattle. He will
need Il gasoline engine. a supply Of
water in his lot ana a good feed eat
.er.
re should not begin with more
cattle than he can feed well the year
.ound without buying food. When
ne begins buying hay, bran, cotton
seed meal ard grain to feed his cat
lie. he will come out at the same
hole he went in, only it will be a
little smaller.
He should increase the number Of
cattle as he increases his food and
never take on more than he can feed
well. The poorest investment in the
world is lot Of half-starved cattle
Rye sown about the first of Septem-
er will make fine pasture for the
cary spring. l. sown on a rich lot.
I may be moved tnree times and
.ien the saiCe land planted in some
ther crop fhe first of May. Grim
tCn clover also makes fine crop Of
hay in April if the land Is rich. Sor-
ghum makes excellent green food,
but 1t shoulc be run through a feed
2 utter. 1t also makes good silage.
=. orn however, is the bes' silage crop,
I cut about the time it is roasting
anr stage. In this climate silos are
aiua q for long cold spells in win
.er. when there is no green food, or
in dry spell in summer when pas
turage fails.
Beef and dairy cattle should he
fotcetea !rm tn" -,N..rly cold and
'.rt weather, especially tGe latter
Yet -he Mis- souri, experiment station
iemonstrated that beef cattle did
letter IN ar open hc!d than =.
good barn. They bought three
punches Of cattle and weighed them.
They put cne lot in an open field
without any protection. A second
lot they put in an old barn, which
was quite open and dilapidated. The
third lot they put in a new close barn
built In best style. Now the Mis-
souri, climate Is colder than it Is
here. These three punches of cattle
we're fed the same food. When ready
FOR market ii was ascertained that
the cattle ir, the open field had made
the most gain; the lot In the old
barn came next and the bunch in
the new fire barn made the least
gain. If you accept that experiment
as worth anything, shelters with open
exposures on the south are better
than close barns and they should be
used only in rough weather.
Then our advice to young farmers
is this:
Go into the cattle business.
Prepare we'll before hand for II
Go slow. or you will get disheart-
ened.
Never take on more cattle than
you can feed well winter and sum-
mer.
III you raise beef cattle do not keep
them but one winter.
lf on raise dairy cattle improve
the stock and select the best. 1t
costs no more TO raise $500 COW
han one worth $4,000.
Save all The manure possible for
therein lies the chief nrofit