The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-10-09
Cattle Raising
Chester Reporter.


In the mad rush to raise cotton
the South has lost sight of innum-
erable opportunities to, make money
otherwise, the superb climate and
soil that this section enjoys making
1t possible to produce practically
everything that the population re-
quires; and If more attention were
only paid to some of. these other
crops and Industries, the South
would not be PROSTATE today, but
could readily sell this years cotton
crop for good figure, or if the
farmers preferred could store the
cotton for better hrices, while COM
placently watching ithe outcome of
the European war. In connection
with cattle raising, the Florida
Times-Union had the following ex-
cellent article few days ago.
I'm 1860 the South was as much
1914, but at the call OF necessity
she made quick change that
amounted to a transformation; she
fed her armies, and from the fields
untouched by the enemy she took a
great surplus in 1865. Once more
the call has gone forth, and the
same change can be made if she be
wise. Cotton at 10 cents pays ex-
penses, and she can not hope to do
better with it until she has once
more a market in Europe-the war
may endure for year or two but
the recuperation OF the industrial
population cannot occur Immediate
ly; it will be five years before there
can be a demand for cotton which
took the crop OF last year.
But the South need not depend
on one crop. Meat and bread are
wanted now, and the lands OF the
South can give US cheaper meat
than those Of the West. In 1866
the herds and fiocks OF the South
were notable for both numbers and
good conditions; the old cotton
fields would have continued to serve
as pastures, but for the fact that at
idle population OF irresponsible
new citizens were hungry enough to
dare the shotgun for good, and con-
ditions, legal and political, made it
impossible to protect food in the
open, waiting to be taken at night
also, the phenomenal prices OF cot
ton raised hope that even casual la
Dor could be made profitable.
To-day cattle and sheep and hogs
are reasonably safe, and the negro
has very largely deserted the old
black belts. The land is cheap and
the climate is more favorable than
that which threatened the Western
pastures with the necessity Of feed
ing during the winter and the posi-
bility of blizzard weather for weeks.
The Improbable fields of cotton
states can again be transformed in
to profitable pastures, and the old
plantation becomes once more a
stock farm provided due care and
knowledge be enlisted in the change.
Our European cotton market has
failed, but our meat market is at the
door-the South is no longer divld-
ed into neighborhoods by lack OF
transportation facilities.
Instead of begging private capital
and the public treasury to help us
in the business of growing cotton
Why not transform the plantations
into ranches and go to foddering The
COWS? The man who can grow two
bales of cotton can care for a herd
OF cattle with less work and more
profit, provided order and law has
been now so well established that
the laborer thrown out of employ.
ment can be made TO respect the
property OF another. The South
can escape the shame or begging
others for help If she will but avail
herself of the advantages Offered
her by nature, and she needs nc
help except that she should find al
home in her lands, her climate and
har