New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-10
Dairy Farming
in the South

The South has new and growing
industry. Its farmers are coming TO
learn that they can raise cows and
produce milk just as proftably as their
Northern neighbors, and are doing so
on an increasing scale. A campaign
has been started to spread the propa-
ganda Of dairy farming TO those por-
tons of the South where it is practica-
BILE. So far the results have surprised
the opponents of the new industry.
The development of dairy farming
on large scale in the South, which
has long depended on cotton and a
few other staple crops, is an out
growth of the effort TO promote a
greater Investigation of agricultural
activity in that section OF the coun-
try. Persons who have the welfare OF
the South at heart have contended that
the Southern farmer must get away
from the single crop idea if he hopes
to find a more permanent basis OF
prosperity. In the past the South's
dependence on cotton, its great staple
crop, ha. brought alternating periods
OF poverty and prosperity as the mar
ket for that staple has risen or fallen.
Now il IS prosperity, with 2O-cent cot
ton. Two years ago it was poverty
with six-cent cotton.
Some of the most important inter
ests in the South are back OF the cam
paign for the promotion of dairy farm
ing. The Southern Railway, whose
prosperity is bound up closely with
the territory which it serves, is
strongly advocating the new industry
"The Southern Field" the monthly
publication issued by that road, re-
Gently devoted an entire issue to a
discussion of dairy farming in the
South.
The South, it said, has only lately
begun dairy farming in practical way.
There is, however, in these beginnings
of the industry the promise of rapid
growth.
Many factors are pointed to as favor
ing the Southern dairy farm, as COM
pared with the industry in the North. A
mild climate, for instance, gives the
longest pssturage period and the mini
mum housing time in winter, a condi-
ton which reduces the cost of milk
production and makes for healthier ami
mails. The mild winters also make I'M
necessary the expensive barns required
in the Northern states.
Everywhere throughout the South, in
regions adapted for dairy farming
there is an abundant supply of pure
water. Then there is the greatest va
riety of nutritious grasses and forage
crops, with abundant pasturage for
eight to ten months in the year. The
( long growing season permits larger
yields of corn and hay and Of such
1 silage crops as sorghum.
Experiments show that the cost OF
keeping dairy cattle is lower in the
/ South than in the North and therefore
the farmer has a smaller production
cost for his milk and cream.
There is no lack for a market foi
such dairy products as the South might
produce. Every year the Southern
states import approximately 100000
| 900 worth of dairy products from tn
/ North. In fact, the South buys most
of its butter to-day in the North, and
is annually sending outside its borders
many million dollars for dairy
products. Southern cities, mining and
factory districts, with their growing
population demand increasing supplies
of milk and cream.
| Heretofore the greatest drawback to
dairy farming and the raising of beet
I cattle in the South has been the "tick,
a parasite which gets onto the cattle
and drives them crazy, if it does not
cause them to die with fever. The
United States Department Of Agricul-
ture, cooperating with the state author
tiles, the agricultural colleges and pri-
vate interests, has. however, achieved
splendid results from its efforts to
/ eradicate this nest
The State of Tennessee is now prac-
tically free from it. The methods OF
tick eradication inaugurated by the late
Hermanus B. Duryea, well known
sportsman, on his Lespidesia farm OF
ten thousand acres have been adopted
, by the Tennessee farmers generally
with remarkable success. Mississippi
is also making rapid progress in free
ing its soil from tick infection. and the
other Southern states are falling into
( the spirit of this work with enthusiasm
The tick once out OF the way, the chief
! obstacle TO cattle raising in the South
ern states will be removed, and con-
ditions then will be most favorable
for a rapid development of the dairy
farming industry in that section.