Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-08-12
INSTITUTE
HELD AT EDGEFlELD.
Clemson ana Winthrop Specialists Deliver Stirring
Addresses to Farmers On Livestock, Soil
Building and Domestic Science.
Attendance Small.

crAat is the pity that larger
number of farmers were not pres
enr 20 hear the very excellent ad-
dresses delivered in the conr!
bopse Thursday, the occasion oe-
;n~ the farmers institute that was
announced recantlv several times IN
Tha Advertiser. The meeting was
nrss;aed over by county demonstra-
wb1,ss r,Tn efforts three Institutes were
bel5: ona at Mckendree TUESDAY;
another at Cleora Wednesday y ana
the third at the county seat lh"rs-
day.
Address On Livestock.
There has been an appreciable in
crease in stock raising throughout
the county for the past several
wears. and had all of the farmers
heard the address OF Prof. II. L.
shields of Clemson college, they
woald have been aroused and stlm-
Mated to the point of revivlng
and enlarging at once this depart
ment of their farm life. Prot
shields stated that until within re-
cent wears this country exported
large quantities of meat and 1--we,
stock, but that now the United
states purchase meat in Australia
South America and other countries.
In some parts OF this country the
butter that is consumed comes from
Australia. Our population is IN,
creasing more rapidly than our food
supply, which has greatly added to
the cost of living. Prot. Shields
zsrargd~ snap-ehe presene-hish cost ei.
living could be very materially re-
duced if the south engaged more
largely in stock raising. He SAID
to that for another reason, our
enormous area OF waste and unpro-
duc,ive lands, the farmers OF the
south need to increase the livestock
an their farms. While soil can be
restored 10 worn and neglected
lands through rotation of crops ana
the planting OF legumeS, yet there
is no more effective way of render
ing thin soil more productive
than through the application OF
barnyard manure.
Prof. Shields stated that 1t is
generally thought that pasture lands
could not be had in the south, but
in travelling over parts of this coun'
ty he is convinced that nowhere IN
the country can finer pastures be
had than right here in Edeeheld
county where Bermuda grass and
other pasture grasses flourish. he
also referred TO the advantage tnat
the south has through the feeding
OF cotton seed meal, which ne sta
ted can also be FED to hogs if prop
er!v used. There is no better 1eed
than cotton seed meal when mixed
of course with other feed in the
proper proportion. European conn-
tries realize the value of cotton
seed meal as a dairy food, conSe'
quen,ly thousands of tons are snip
ped abroad annually.
Prot. Shields spoke at length OF
the Importance Of raising pure
breeds. He illustrated this point
hv means OF chart, showing the
results obtained through having a
thoroRgh:brcd sire and a grade
sire. lie urged The purchase OF a
sire Of the pure>t breed ob,alnap:e,
whether ii oc hogs, cows, sheep or
horse. In em5ar+:in@ upon stock
raIsiu@ he advised that small be-
ginning be made. The farmers OF TINS
section have been >cho"ied IN gro w
inc cotton and can not reasonably
expect at .he outset to make sue
cess of stock raising OH a large
scale. This would be rs unreasona-
bic as to expect an Illinois corn
grower 20 come South and make a
success of growing cotton the first
Year. In speaking of which is the
best breed of hogs, horses or dairy
COWS, Prof. Shields advised farmers
TO select the breed for which he has
personal preference. stating that
farmer is more likely 10 give
close attention 10 the breed that he
likes best. The speaker also laid
empas;s upon giving stock personal
attention. as, generally speaking
pure breeds require more attention
than scrubs, if they are 10 prove
profitable to their owners.