Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-27

is a considerable falling off. 30 DOUBT
this is attributable 20 the dominating
influence which the worthless cur
seems TO exercise at the present time.
although Georgia has as fine natural
conditions for the raising of sheep as
one could ask for anywhere. and instead
Of having 10000 we should have D.
geo 600 head. The chances are that
Whenever the cur is controlled and
placed i'm proper relation TO this Indus
try that the number Of sheep maintain
ed in the state will quickly increase in
some degree al least commensurate with
our needs.
In the matter OF swine there has
been a marvellous increase since 1909,
not only i'm numbers. but i'm value as
well For instance. the number has
increased by SOI.Sl6 and the individual
value from s3.O4 to go and the total
value from S5.429.0l6 To S23,265.00O. or
a difference of sl7.S35.9S4. which is
equivalent TO an Increase of $4,000 900
a year since 1909. Some will say that
this increase was due solely TO a change
in market values and commercial de-
mands. Some Of IL is no doubt at
tributabIe TO this cause. hut unques-
tionabIy the character and quality of
the hogs maintained on the average
Georgia farm is improving. and improv-
ing rapidly. More attention is being
given to their feeding and management
than ever before. and the very fact that
more than 1852. 200 were treated by the
agents for cholera illustrates this point
in the most graphic manner. a much
larger number of hogs are being raised
on grazing crops. particularly in the
southwestern par; of the state. and
since this can be done at a rational
to
and there Is every reason TO believe
that Georgia will presently be produc-
ing at least 100000 swine. Already.
she is the eighth state i'm the union in
the number of hogs raised. and there
Is no reason why she should not go
steadily forward. and in the course of
a few years reach the top.
II is not unnatural to wonder why the
swine industry should have developed
so rapidly in the state. To the writer
the answer does not seem difficult OF
discovery. First Of all the farmer can
establish a herd Of hogs more cheaply
and quickly than any other class of live
stock. In the second place. the boys
pig clubs have eXerted a wonderful in
nuence. since not only the sympathy OF
the boy and the father have been en-
listed. but i'm hundreds of instances that
of the business men and banker as we'll.
Since the boys i'm the clubs must handle
pure bred animals, a great object les
son has been given the farmers them
selves. thereby Inducing them to inn
prove the class and quality OF their
hogs with a CONSEQUENT increase ia val
Ne. The advent of the boil weevil in
southwest Georgia has also induced
many farmers to give greater considera-
ton to the raising of swine. Last. but
by no means least. the establishment of
packing plant at Moultrie, and the
subsequent establishment of these in
situations in other parts of the state
has provided the farmer with a ready
and definite market and afforded him a
place for d!spOsing of his hogs for
cash as soon as they are ready for sale.
All Of these things taken together with
the systematic campaign of education
which has been waged by the college and
its associated interests have resulted in
the notable development of the swine
industry which has taken place in
Georgia In recent years
Returning again for a moment to a
of the figures presented
il appears that the total value of the
live stock in Georgia. according to the
census Of 1909. was ST7.966,636: in 1917
il was sllS.459.O 600. or a net gain Of
NAl-AS-s1bA- rms Is very large sum
and will go a long way towards on
setting the losses which the boil weevil
may cause i'm Georgia. When we con-
slider shat il IS easily possible in "a pc
riod OF two years at the rate Of growth
shown sor the last three years TO raise
the number Of swine produced In Geor-
gia TO over three million, il is easy TO
see how a further part OF the losses
which the boil weeviI may cause the
cotton farmers may be rapidly and
quickly liquidated. An increase. for in
stance OF 100000 hogs in the period
mentioned at Sl2 per head. a price they
should easily bring if properly finished
for slaughter. would add $4,000 600 a
wear TO the present revenue Of our farm
eTs- For these reasons an agent should
De appointed In every county and sup
ported and encouraged in every way and
every effort made TO develop the serum
plant at Athens TO that point where IL
can make at the lowest possible cost a
sufficient amount OF serum to meet the
demands OF the hog raisers OF Geor-
gia-