Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-01-17
RENT YOUR LAND TO CATTLE

have farmed for years on q one crop
basis to the detriment of the land and
the pocketbook. The presence of the boil
weevil brings us face to face with a
problem of a rather complex nature. The
cotton crop can no longer be depended
on to pay our tax, square up the overdue
account, or to bring in the bacon. Then
what are we to dor
We must, of necessity, if for no other
reason, turn our attention partly to other
things that we can produce at a profit.
We cannot afford to pull up stakes and
leave the farm in which we have invested
the savings of former years, to go to
waste and ruin but we must get to
gether, fight it out, and prove ourselves
vietors in spite of adversely.
The cattle industry, in our opinion, is
our salvation. In looking over the sit
uation We are firmly convinced that the
prevailing good prices are here to stay
for a decade at least. Some of our peo-
pie have been made to believe that we
can never grow cattle of merit and quail
ity or at a profit. This is folly of the
rankest sort. Mississippi can produce
beef as cheaply as any of our states and
more so than most of them on account
of the mild short winters and the ease
with which we can produce feeds and
pastures; and today we can boast OF
homegrown cattle that will compare fa-
vorably with the best in any state in the
Union.
Stock men from other states have re-
Gently purchased large tracts of land in
Mississippi and will Immediately convert
them into beautiful stock farms and
have them flourishing with the best
types of beef and dairy cattle. These
men know good things when they see
them and are taking advantage of the
wonderful opportunities which Missis-
sippi offers. Are we going to throw
away this grand opportunity, sell our
lands for a pittance to the progressive
farmers from other sections, and later
envy their inheritance; or are we going
to get on the band wagon, keep pace
with progression and later enjoy the
fruits of a bountiful harvest.
There is only one thing to maj the
possibilities of the cattle industry in this
section and that is the tick. You know
the havoc this pest has played with
southern herds, so why dwell on it here?
The tick must 60 before the cattle in
dustry can thrive, so get rid of him and
the quicker the better.
The general belief that our climatic
conditions and the quality Of our feeds
have a strong tendency to lessen the size
of our stock year by year seems to us
absurd and without foundation. The
smallness of southern cattle can be
Justly attributed to the lack of inheri-
lance of large size, the lack of knowl-
edge of feeds and feeding, the lack of
good pastures and a positive indifference
to their welfare. Methods of this kind
spell failure in every case. Stock farm
ing can be made profitable if e only go
at it and the right way and push it for
all it is worth.
In starting a stock farm, let us sug-
gest that you begin with a few animals,
the very best to be had. If you cannot
afford to buy several animals of the best
type, buy a good bull and breed him to
the best scrub lows and heifers you have
and you will improve your herd wonder
fully and find it profitable. You can
from time to time sell these grades and
replace them with registered stock. Pre-
pare your pasture we'll and see to it that
you have plenty of good grass through
out the summer. This is one OF the big
gest factors in cattle growing. You
must have good sheds or barns and prop
erly care for your stock during rough
weather and your feed supply must be
unlimited. To grow stock proftably
they must be pushed from birth until
ready to put on the market-feeding
tells the tale.
You might as well get down to it and
u1dSUeI IHc IuchHlHS Va thC COAmo PAO
tein, carbohydrates crude fat and bal
anced rations." You cannot make a sue
cessful stock grower unless you do. The
r%ations required for young growing
stock is totally different from that re-
quired for grown cattle or for fatten'
ing purposes. The young growing stock
must have a large percentage OF protein
and a fair percentage of fat and varbo-
hydrates while for fattening purposes a
relatively smaller percentage OF protein
and a fair percentage of fat and carbo'
hydrates are required-the nutritive ra-
ito in the case of beef cattle ranging
from about 1:4.2 at two months Of age
to 1872 at two years. We must know
the value of feeds SO we will be able
to supply the nutriment in each case as
required to get the best results at the
lowest possible cost.
Get the bulletins from the state ex-
perimental stations and the agricultural
college take a few good farm papers,
read and study them. If you need ad-
vice, write your nearest experiment sta
tion. The state spends thousands of dol
lars annually in salaries to experienced
men who make a study of the farmers
needs and pave the way for his success