Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-06
Wonderful Georgia Opportunities

The recent progress and the present possibil-
titles of the live stock industry in Georgia
strikingly set forth in book of facts and figures
issued by the Southern Bell Telephone Company
a part of its preparedness campaign against the
coming of the boil weevil. 1t appears from
full census of twenty-five Georgia counties which
have been large cotton growers that in 1916 they
had upwards of one hundred and eighty-foUr thou
sand hogs and nearly seventy-three thousand head
OF cattle. representing at the most conservative
tuTate aggregate value of four million, eight
hundred and fOrty-nine thousand dollars. The same
twenty-five counties, if assured OF a market for
their animal products will raise this year hun
dred and twenty thousand hogs and upwards of
forty-six thousand head of cattle which, together
with those already hand would represent sum
of nearly eight million dollars. The average thus
indicated reveals truly wonderful possibilities for
the State whole: and if to the beef and pork
which be produced is added a proportionate
measure OF dairy products. the total will compare
favorably with the major items of prosperity.
The fact that most demands attention. however.
is the need of dependable home markets. for hogs
and cattle. Some time ago the Southern Bell Tie
phone Company undertook, with distinctly success
full results. assist in organizing cooperative
ketng association among its ruralline patrons who
had hogs to SELL One of the particularly valuable
features of the book il has recently issued is
fully compiled report giving the and ada
dresses of farmers who have hogs cattle for sale
and stating also the number of animals avail
able in each instance and the number the farmer
is prepared to raise il assured of a market. This
report, though covering only limited number of
counties, should be of substantial service TO buy
ers as well as to growers of live stock; and the
idea it exemplides is one which the State should
Kopt through the establishment of a market
p1dreau and the issuance of regular bulletins.
That the market problem has been much sim
pIifed in the last year so. is manifest In 1916
ten or more packing houses, representing an ag
gregate investment of several million dollars,
were established or responsbly projected in Geor-
gia and adjacent States. These industries will
stimulate as nothing else could, the raising of hogs
and cattle and thus will be prime factors in deyel
oping a weII-balanced, diversified system of farm
ing. Il is evident however, that much remains to
be done before all districts of the State ade-
quately provided with markets for live stick.
Hence the Importance of such educational work
as the Southern Bell Company along with the
Southern Express Company, several railway COM
panies and other institutions is doing.
Animal husbandry is among The soundest forms
of insurance against the boil weeviI. While Geor-
gia farmers can continue to raise cotton despite
the weeviI If they employ proper methods, they
will be compelled to plant smaller cotton acreage
in the infected districts. The important question
then will be- how to make the land and labor thus
diverted from cotton most profitable3 The answer
will work itself ont. of course in food and forage
crops and the raising OF live stock. And, if the
farmers realize their opportunity the result will be
that at the end Of the weeviI invasion, Georgia
will be richer and more prosperous than ever be-
fore