The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-25
CATTLE. RAISING
CAN BEAT COTTON
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tCont'uucd From First PaEe3
,dirt-cheap prices. From year to year
the tillablc land became poorer. while
the farmers fertilizer bill mounted
higher and higher. Facing his row
end in miserable circumstances the
cotton and tobacco farmer disposed of
his home and land and hiI;ed away to
the city or maybe to tho mill villages.
Large tracts of these deserted farms
were purchased by Professor williams
at the price OF only n few dollars an
acre.
Profiting 10y the experience Of the
farmer, who persisted in growing cot
ton or tobacco. the philosopher immc-
diutcly classified many OF the tracts
as abandoned farms az far as cultiva-
ton was concerned. lie purchased I'm
mense rolls of barb wire and fenced en-
tire farms Into grazing lands. Cat
tic. big and little. walked In and took
possession. TO be sure. the tramplcd
farms were at first scanty. and the
"pickings' for the herds OF cattle
were found in scattering spots. In the
course Of months, however tho nrass
began TO grow in luxuriant quantities
In the bottom lands, and even the hill
sides furnished grazing patches of
green grass Then II was that the
cattle waxed fat IN a few years the
profits Of the investment werc in sight
Only last year the proceeds OF one cat
Ito herd were sufficient to purchase a
100-acre tract of land.
III 1913. Professor Williams sold
twenty steers on the local market at
an average proit OF $50 per head, and
the brag steer of The bunch ncttcd a
profit of over $40. The demand of the
local market alone is induccncn;
enough to encourage cattle raising in
Orange and surrounding counties Tie
consumption is at the rate OF two hecvcs
a day. and IL is estimated that the
beef supplied The village and college
community for wear would amount
to the sum Of 10000.
Lesson From Virginia and Texas.
The suggestions OF Professor Will
liams necessary to successful cattle
raising arc twofold--thai Of obtaining
well bred stock of cattle. and that
OF supplying them Will, an abund =.
ance Of salt. water ANA food That they
VIII grow while YOU sleep. he rests
assured. II" SAYS that cattle are the
only thing that can thrive in Orange
County-thc steer Will bring prosperi-
~ when cotton would bring poverty.
In his plea for extensive cattle rails :
! ing in Orange and other counties in
Piedmont North Carolina Professor
Williams calls attention to the fact
that Goverror-elcct Henry Stuart OF
Virginia, Is feeding 1000 cattle this
B
as arc being wintercd in Orange
County.
As an encouragement of abandoning
the growth Of cotton in the county in
favor of cattle growing Professor
Williams thinks that we might we'll
learn lessons from Texas boy This
particular boy. OF the Lone star State,
was enlisted in a club. known as the
Boys BABY Eccf Club. He won first
prize, and his record runs this way: He
paid $40 for n steer: fed him $50 days
AZ cost OF I23.3o. The steer then
weighed 10Oi pounds, and was sold
| for nine and half cents n pound
/ $4,000. Tie steer was fed 10y the boy
outside OF school hours. He cost s56.53.
won $40 in prizes and made n profit
to the owner of $7S.5G. Not including
prizes. Il profit OF $3.50 was realized
| Professor Williams is of the opin-
/ ion that half dozen boys in sew
eral North Carolina counties could or
gani1e these Boys Baby Beef Clubs,
and the outgrowth from this small be-
ginning would divert the attention of
many land poor" farmers from Gull
tivating cotton to the profitable indus
try OF raising cattle. This lesson would
be an entering wedge and the oft re-
peatcd plea for diversified crops would
be partially solved.