Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-02-14
DOWNING COMES
TO DECLARE WAR
ON SCRUB SIRES

In a systematic effort to raise the
quality of livestock produced in Geor-
gia, the state college of agriculture
ha sundertaken campaign to be in
augurated in "a counties in Georgia,
of which Sumter has been selected as
one, to replace all scrub sires-hOgs,
cattle. horses and all other stock
with pure bred animals.
The campaign in each county will
consume one week. The week begin
ming March has been allotted to Sum-
ter county, and on that date a mass
meeting will be held at the courthouse
here for the purpose of explaining the
objects of the campaign to the farm
ers and securing their cooperation in
carrying it out ~
]. E. Downing of the state college
of agriculture, who originated the pig
club movement in Georgia, is one Of
the promoters of the purebred sire
movement. and he was in Americas
late yesterday making preliminary ar
engagements for the campaign. He was
enthusiastic about the movement and
sees in it means of boosting vastly
the reputation of Georgia live stock
outside of our own state.
There will not be so much to do in
Sumter county" said Mr.. Downing
''for there are very few scrub sires
here compared with other places. The
pure Bred stock is scattered thickIy
all over Sumter county, and l do not
think it will require all of one week
to complete the campaign here. Your
farmers already know the value of
pure bred stock, and our only Job
will be to clean UP, if possible. the lit
tie scrub stuff left and make this 100
per cent. blooded stock county,.
A squad of stock experts will be
here to conduct the campaign, inelud-
ing hog man, cattle expert and a
veterinarian.
Mr.. Downing prepared for The
Times Recorder a statement outlining
the campaign which is to be put on
here, as follows: a... ....
"The State College of Agriculture
has undertaken a pure bred sire cam
paign in twentyfour counties of the
state. The plan is to convert two
counties in each congressional dis
trict into pure bred sire counties as
a center of the district from which
these activities may be enlarged on
later. A crew of livestock experts
will be provided for each county by
the college and the first thing on the
program will be big meeting of far
mers at the county courthouse. At
that meeting the plans in detail will
be made known. Other meetings over
the county will be provided to follow
the big meeting at the courthouse.
Sumter and Lee counties have been
selected as the counties in the Third
Congressional district in which the
campaign will be carried on. The
meeting in the courthouse at Americas
will be held on Monday March 8, at
which time the experts from the COL
lege will be present and go into de-
tails as to the objects of the cam
paign.
mot only will pure bred sires be the
means of making more valuable the
live stock of the state, but it will
create a demand for pure bred indi-
vfduals to I'll the orders created by
the campaign. It is the intention Of
the experts who will be in charge of
the campaign to secure the sires so
far as is possible in the county and
IL necessary to go outside the county
to provide them within the state from
native stock. This will serve two pur-
poses In that It win provide mar
ket for homegrown stock, thereby en-
eouraging the breeder to further e6-
forts, and at the same time provide the
purchaser with an animal accustomed
TO the climate.
THE campaign is regarded, by the
college authorities as one Of far-reach-
ing possibilities. and the time and Ct