The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-05-28
RAISE MORE STOCK.

RAISE MORE STOCK.
With its unsurpassed resources as
q stock raising country is 1t surpris-
ing that Maury county has so few
herds of pure bred cattle, so small
number of sheep and that the rails
ing of colts is not a more extensive
industry. Our climate is almost an
ideal one for growing stock. The
lands are especially adapted to the
growth of blue grass the most royal
Of all the pasture grasses known.
Our grass lands produce pasture
that makes for bone and weight in
stock. Our lands are favored by ma
ture with plenty of clear, crystal
running water. The winters are
short and as a rule rains are sufi-
eient in the growing season to make
grass for at least nine of the twelve
months in sufficient quantity to keep
most of our stock without feed.
Lands that are in grass do not
wash or leach away. Labor bills are
largely done away with. There are
in this county hundreds and thou
sands of acres of hill side lands.
These lands have been denuded of
their trees and have been cultivated
until they are the constant prey of
every rain. They leach and wash in
every spring or summer freshet.
Lands are gone that can never be
returned. In few years we have
great gullies and H the lands are
cultivated at all one must run the
corn rows up and down the hill"
This is an economic waste that can
have no defense. There are thou.
sands of acres of these lands that to
cultivate them is little less than a
crime against nature.
This very land, taken before it is
too far gone, before the great, ugly
gullies are washed and all of the
soil has eroded, will produce wonder.
fully lush blue grass. They will
feed more stock than any grain
grown upon them could feed and the
labor bill is saved, the land is say.
cd and the resources of the country
are conserved. We talk a great deal
about conserving our water power,
and our minerals and our timber, but
we do not have enough to say about
the conservation of our soil, the
foundation of nearly all wealth and
the first essential to life, the happi-
ness and the welfare of all humaH
hind.
The acreage of grass in this coun-
~ could easily be doubled and the
number of stock of all kinds should
be more than doubled Very few
farmers give their pastures half a
chance. They use them more for a
convenience than anything else.
They really do not know how profit
able the grass land can be made
Too many farmers run their heavy
stock on the pastures almost ths
entire year. Often the weeds are
not mown and some of the richest
and most valuable places in the |
pastures are lost to the stock be- |
cause allowed to grow up in briars |
and iron weeds Only an incense
Quential number of farmers treat |
their grass lands to any sort OF
dressing. Lime we have in the very
greatest abundance all over the
county but very few of us make 1t
available for the plant.
If every farmer in Maury county
would now solemnly resolve that
during the next two years, barring
unforeseen seasons he would double
his grass acreage, increase the num-
Der of his stock and go to breeding
better cattle and sheep and hogs it
would not be ten years until the
wealth of the county on its farms
would be more than doubled Not
only that but this country would be
twice as pretty as it is today. What
q Joy, what pleasure, what a pride
we could indeed make this "dimple"
II only we would realize our great
opportunities and try our very best to
up to them.