Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-04-08
BEEF FROM DIXlE-By Frederic j. Haskin

it is under the plow Meantime, as cattle
range it can serve a great and much-needed
purpose. And part of it will doubtless al
ways be cattle range, while much of 1T will
be devoted to raising grain for fattenlng
stock on the farms.
One interesting thing about this southern
cattle development is that a large part OF
it is being done by corporations and on a
large scale. The individual owner is in the
game too, and has all the advantages that
go with being on the spot all the time. But
the corporations which have been formed
for the purpose of raising live stock have al
rady demonstrated that big business can run
ranch as well as factory or bank.
One big corporation, for example, has
taken over an old Carolina rice plantation OF
five thousand acres, which has lain idle since
about the time of the Civil war. Some OF
the keenest men in the business world are in
this venture. They are improving and STOCK
ing the old place as cattle ranch IN Inc most
approved manner, and by their sk1lltul man
agement the wonderful advantages which this
region has over any other in the united
States as a cattle range. The tick, which is
the only serious enemy to be commended Wltn'
is eliminated by one dipping of the stock each
year. The pasture lands will support the
cattle practically all winter. Fatten1ng crops
of corn and peas are raised with greatest
ease and cottonseed meal is cheap.
The cotton planter does not take so read
lily to the idea of using part of his land, or all
of his land part of the time, for the produc-
ton of live stock Yet he is doing SO more
and, more. He is beginning to realize that
grass, which he has been fighting as an enemy
in the cotton rows all his life, can be made
a most useful friend.
It REQUIRES an extensive readjustment for
the cotton planter to change from his one
crop system, and to include the production of
live stock in his operations. For one thing
the whole credit system of the country IS
based on the cotton crop, and the planter
must make new arrangements with MS mer-
chant and banker. Generally the merchant
and banker are cooperating with MIN 10 Ihls
end.
In going into general farming the cotton
planter has a great advantage in the fact
that he is accustomed to the liberal and skill
full use of fertilizer. He considers fertilizer
Just as necessary to crop as water. He IL
not therefore, in much danger of wearing
out his land no matter what he plants.
The farmers in this section have quite gen
orally adopted system of fertilizing the corn
crop, known as the Williamson plan, which
seems to be eminently satisfactory for the
purposes of this region. You have seen pho
tographs of Kansas corn ten feet high, offered
as proof of what fine corn is raised in that
region. Well, the southern planter says that
he is not raising corn for the stalks, but for
the grain. And he argues that the more en-
ergy the plant uses in making stalk the less
it uses in making ear. The Williamson plan
seems to prove this contention. 1t consists
of planting the corn without any fertilizer,
placing a little fertilizer about the roots of
the plant when about two feet high. and
then letting it alone until about six feet high.
At this time the ears begin to appear on the
stunted stalk, whereupon heavy dose of fer
tilizer, including some nitrate, is placed about
the roots. This does not start the stalk
growing again, but it causes the ears or
fruit" as it is locally called, to develop to
an unusual size. Thus do farmers skilled in
the use of fertilizer put one over on Mother
Nature.