The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-03-20
BY F. BACHEMIN.


rapidly. The West was used as fre
range. The states which now compos,
the corn belt were then grazing cattle
The business expanded and fourishet
until the early COS, when prices bega1
to drop and then the industry decreas
ed until many Of the large ranches O
the West were broken up. The period
from 1892 to 1900 was hard one fol
cattlemen, and cattle other than mill
COWS decreased 100000 head.
When the prices of cattle fell so low
during the period of 1893-1896 many Of
the farmers through the Middle West
began to reduce the size of their herds
Wheat and corn became the staple
crops, and they were given far more
attention than cattle. The price OF
land throughout this section began to
increase very rapidly and as a result
the herds of cattle diminished. With
the advance of land values immigrants
kept pushing farther west, and the
settlers, homesteaders, and sheepmen
began crowding the cattlemen farther
from the good grazing lands to the
less desirable sections.
The production of beef was discour-
aged and retarded not only by the low
prices and the decrease of breeding
stock, but also by the cutting up of
ranges, the increased value of farm
lands, and the prevailing prices paid
for grain. The price of cattle did not
keep pace with the price of other
commodities.
There has been much discussion
about methods of increasing the supply
Iof beef and many remedial measures
have been proposed, among which the
one most frequently discussed is the
passing of laws in all the states max
ing it a crime to slaughter any female
cattle under years of age. This is
not feasible at the present time, as it
would work hardship on many a
small farmer who could not keep all
OF his females until years of age, and
1t would be greater handicap to the
dairyman, who breeds his COWS pri.
marily that the milk supply may be
kept up and not for the value of the
calf produced. He can feed a calf for
a few weeks and sell it for SO to $12
for veal, which if kept would not make
IA desirable beef animal, nor one suit
able for breeding purposes One meas
ure which has been advocated would
probably come nearer to inducing the
farmer to keep his female calves than
any other, and that would be to ex-
empt all female cattle from taxation
for period Of years. The plan which
should be followed, however should
mot be to deprive the public Of veal
but to stimulate the production of
cattle so that the public demand may
be satisfied, be it for beef or veal.
There Is an urgent demand for more
cattle, but where are they to come
from? Not from the corn belt, where
the land is worth from S75 to 5000 per
acre and corn has advanced from 25
ito so cents per bushel; not from the
ranges Of the West and Southwest, for
the supply of cattle from these sections
lis decreasing yearly and the large
ranches are being cut up for the home
steaders and small farmers who are
not giving their attention to beef
production.
Possibilities of the South.
There is one section that can pro-
duce more cattle, and produce them
more cheaply, than any other section
of the whole country, for the lands are
still cheap, the grazing is good, the
pasture season is long, feeds can be
produced at minimum cost, and in
expensive shelter only is required.
That section is the SOUTH.
While slavery existed in the South,
cattle, hogs, and sheep were to be
found upon every plantation, and on
many of them were very good beef
animals, some herds of which contain
ed large infusion of Shorthorn blood.
At this time the South produced all of
the beef, pork and mutton that was
needed to supply her demands At the
close Of the Civil War few cattle were
left and these were bred among them
selves without the addition of any new
blood, except occasionally cross with
the Jersey, the result of which was
class of native cattle which were small,
slow in growth, and of very poor quail
ity for beef. AT this time farmers were
discouraged from bringing In pure.bred
animals from the North, as very large
proportion of them, sometimes IS per
cent, would die the first year from a
disease caused by cattle ticks (the
Texas fever), the direct cause of which