The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-11-03
A FARM HERD THAT EARNS
MONEY IN A PRACTICAL WAY
)ne in Mecklenburg That is Not Playing Exhibition
Game But is Really a Business Proposition-Obser-
vations as to Cattle and Dairying Industry.

it is a different question. To this farm
come the new farmers of North Caro-
lima, among the humble many of them
the yonug men who have come from
the agricultural colleges, and they
want the best breeding stock they can
buy. These young chaps have learned
20 value q good calf, and they try to
get such stock into the herds at home.
In that way this farm is scattering
over much Of this State a superior
blood which is having an important
influence on cattle raising.
Another Phase.
That brings us back to another
phase of cattle raising. Before North
Carolina farmers can be expected to
go far into a business Of raising cattle
it must be determined definitely tina
this is a State adapted for cattle. The
experiment on the Selwyn Hotel farm
has gone so far hat it nov all
possible doubt. The enormously in
creased fertility OF the land has re-
moved all doubt Of the ability to make
feed. The grazing that the fields af.
ford the big herds settles the possibil-
ity Of sufficient natural umner feed
for the ~cattless h matter is in pro-
cess OF experiment at the present
time on q rather large scale now in
Mecklenburg and also across the river
in Castor and York counties. MIR.
Moore has bought q tract OF eight
hundred acres on the river in Neck
lenburg county, and there he is max
ng a cattle farm to which he expects
to subsequently remove his operations.
Where he is now located will in the
course OF time be required for the
expanding city OF Charlotte, and then
his cattle will have to go further out
INTO the country to find room. The
place on the river was bought to at
fOrG vhn ~A$~o -.
make a model cattle farm. Every
thing there is planned with an eye to
the accommodation Of the stock that
VIII gradually grow up on it.
e Cattle Farm.
On the other side of the river the
Riverside Farm Company is laying out
an enormous work. This is an organ
lzatlon of which w. T. Rankin Of Gas
tonla is the head, with other CASTOR
and Mecklenburg men. They have
secured over thirty thousand acres Of
land along the river, and there they
are making the beginning of a beef
cattle farm. With the cattle farming
Will go cotton and other things, corn
and hay being a prime factor in the
cattle feeding as we'll as in the general
system or farm operation, the cattle
helping to maintain the fertility Of
the IAN as Well as to maintain the
income which is expected from the
business as a successful concern.
The Riverside folks will not confine
themselves to cattle, but will make
cattle feeding a feature, and with it
they vii! have a large cotton and corn
farm, With any thing on the side that
will promise to be profitable. This
farm Is putting out a lot OF Bermuda
grass, a plant that the cotton farmer
Ooks on as a hopeless pest, but MT.
Rankin argues hat if he can establish
Bermuda grass SO thoroughly on he
big farm that it will prevent raising
cotton the place will have a better
crop than cotton. But he Is not afraid
the grass will drive out cotton, for he
DelleVeS each can be handled. A
large acreage was planted in Bermuda
grass during the past year, and more
will be given to the grass as fast as
possible. 1t is in line with this prac-
tlce at Riverside to say that Mr.. Moore
grass and he is not afraid
OF it either.
Grass Dividing Line.
The fact is that Bermuda grass may
De taken as a sort Of dividing line be-
tween the old n the new. To the
OLD cotton farmer Bermuda grass has
been regarded as a contamination to
be kept off Of the place regardless OF
cost or trouble. The cattleman looks
on the grass as "a forage plant worth
putting on the farm regardless Of it's
influence on other crops. Now come
the new farmer who recognizes the
value OF the Bermuda as a pasture
grass who also figures thai he can
raise cotton with Bermuda grass.
1t is more than q battle between
the followers Of the a and it's enc
mics. Here is a campaign starting
that is to be carried on until the status
of cattle on the farms Of North Caro-
lima is decided.
The way cattle in North Carolina
are increasing gives some light on the
possible. outcome Of this battle. Ten
years ago Moth Carolina had less
than two hundred thousand milk
cows, and less than three hundred
thousand other cattle. the whole
bunch being worth $500, 900. In the
ten years the number Of milk cows
has increased fifty six per cent. and
the whole bunch being worth nov oya,
ST. 900, or two and a half times