The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1912-08-22
STOCK RAISING.
John F. M'Kay of the A. and M
College Urges that People
Raise Cattle.

Mechanical College. who is one OF
the best versed agriculturists In
the State, is firmly of the opinion
that the financial salvation of Mis-
sissippi is in raising blooded stock.
Anent that subject Mr.. Mckay
yesterday gave out the following:
There are millions of idle MIS-
sissippi acres covered with grass,
waiting to be grazed by thousands
of herds of stock, there are millions
of meat-hungry people calling for
the product. There are millions
of acres of land needing the fer
tilizer from barnyards and from
crops like peas. clovers, beans, etc.,
incidental to the stock business.
Every farmer who owns forty acres
or more should make some kind OF
animal industry his basic operation.
1t fits in and aids any other line OF
farm husbandry. It's easier to
market crops on foot than it is on
wheels over bad roads. A search
of the State would fail to raveal
any failures among stock men who
have pursued the business with
any sort of Intelligence, even with
lower prices, tick fever and bad
weather conditions. 1t is business
less affected by extremes of or vio-
lent markel fluctuations. Cattle
especially have few diseases in
Mississippi and with the dipping
vat and some little protection in
the worst weather, and saving of
feed tor winter, these troubles are
mainly remedied. Cattle on foot
and ready for slaughter are now
worth nine cents. Fortunes have
been made at one-third the price.
Butcher shops arc closing, clubs
are being organized by consumers
to reduce the use of meat; western
ranches have been cut up into
farms for grain, fruit and other
purposes. Our cities and towns
are building larger; over produc-
ton seems a distant proposition;
Young calves are being bought up
and slaughtered. A campaign
should start at once to save to the
farmers at least their heifer calves
for breeding purpose until each
place has all the herd it can carry.
We should have cow clubs, sheep
clubs, etc. It's all right to pic
ture the beauties and independence
of farm life, to preach the gospel of
efficiency. talk of the physical re-
generation of the South, and dis
cuss philosphically as to how to
keep the young men on the farm.
There is little in such piatitudes to
wake up to a boy who Is dreaming
of bis future. If he were given a
COW, few sheep. coop of some
improved breed of poultry, or a
good mare, and their increase, a
binding tie would be created and
something given in the material
way to appeal to his ambition. Our
sheep industry has gone to the
dogs. Is it because our lawmakers
and Board of Supervisors have
not the courage to handle the dog
matter, or from pure neglect on
their parts Our State should be
stirred from end to end on the SUBJ
iect of animal husbandry. The
writer after exhaustive study of
the industrial conditions and the
adaptability of our State to the live
stock business. is so thoroughly
convinced that this industry would
solve many of our financial pro.
blems that he loses no opportunity
In his work as conductor of far
mers institute to pass this matter
before the people with all the
strength and vigor at his command.
Impetus is being given to this in
dustry by various agencies at work
in the State and much progress is
being made, but Instructions need
ed in every community and agita-
ton in every hamlet. The bankers
might aid very much by arranging
ahd advertising some uniform plar
for advances like they have In the
Observation-Disclosures.
"NOw Therefore Perform the
Doing Of II"
Among the trite and homely say
mo of our colored population j