Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-03-14
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
~ DR. ANDREW NJ. SOULE
CUR Progregg in PORK production

Our Progress in Pork Production
Georgia has achieved distinction
as a hog producing state in rCccn
years. The nature and extent OF the
progress made may not be fully &p
preciated, and therefore some idea Of
what has been accomplished may DC
fittingly set forth at this time as dr
encouragement to those who have
helped develop this hog industry anc
reaped a satisfactory fnanclal re-
ward therefrom and as an ooJect
lesson to those who have failed tC
rtolize that the hog is the best mort
gage lifted we can employ when one
is in a tight place financially.
We have talked for a long time
about the special facilities and op
portunities which our climate ant
soil afforded, but at last we have gone
earnestly and successfully to Worl
to demonstrate that pork can be pre-
duced in Georgia as cheaply as any
where else in the world and OF
very satisfactory grade as, well;
Our farmers are still of the oplnlGr
that they are being Disseminated
against in many instances because
their hogs do not bring the same
price as those offered for sale on the
Chicago market.
They are overlooking this impor'
tant and essential fact that lnStht
one case the hog is finished on corn
while in our case he is chiefly finish
ed on Soiling crops, in which peanuts
predominant. Peanuts make a peau
tifuI looking hog, but the rat is SOL
and oily and the meat difficult u
cure and handle, hence a cut In tile
price of such hogs is made.
If these same animals were lee
for thirty days on corn, this, D
course, would be overcome and we
could add from one to two cents pei
pound to the sale price of every pig
raised in Georgia.
p1iSh this.
The thing for us to do, therefore
is to cease debating the question anG
| proceed to handle it in hard-headed
business like way that. will be pro
ductive of results. When we nave
will again go forward by leaps ane
bounds.
Progress achieved
In order that our readers may b.
thoroughly posted relative to the &C
complishments of the last few years
a summary of some of the advances
made and achieved through the CO
operation of various agencies is Sc
forth below. We are on the hSgi
can make no mistake in emphasizing
hog production. Read the state
ments presented below and you vii
be firmly convinced of this fact. :,
Two factors have in no sinai
measure hindered, the, prosecution Of
self-sustaining. meat supply: M
draft, which disorganized the county
agents and left many counties with
out a leader and the epidemic OF In
fluenza, which became, acutely Ell
fective at a time when the fairs aac
Therefore, the displays and exhibits
which would have been some intel
lieent measure of the things ac
colnplished and the work performed
under such trying, and at times, CHS
couraginig circumstances, were II
many cases entirely abandoned after
all arrangements had been made.
In several instances the prepare
tions had been made for the fail
and exhibits on the way, when al
order of the health authorities WoulC
cause the whole undertaking to u
abandoned.
handicaps, Georgia has approached
very near. if not already ach1eyed, j;
self-sustaining meat basis. Wh1l'
| data for the year is not oDta1naD!e
there is reason to assume that TN
state has increased the number o
hogs in like ratio with the two years
past. - - -" -:
On January 1, 1917, the state was
credited with having 2,5S5,0Oo hog:
| and a. wear later. or January 1, 1918
| with having 2,766,00O. There art
supbstantiaT indications that tn
number has now reached three mil
| lion.
Price Keeps Step ."
Increasing the number, is not tn
| most significant feature of the &C
-tivities along, hog-raising lines. Tn
rrfce has kept step with the process
sion! On nJanuaaSYa1 a sdT,G atf1e aver
at nine dollars per head. On tn
same date a year later the price ha'
| Increased so per cent, or $14.50 pc
| bead SO that the capital fnveste'
| represented an increase of from S23,
| 265. 900 to $40. 100000.
It would not be fair, right or rea
| sonable to claim that pig club worl
| was directly responsible for thes
substantial increases. But it canno
| be denied that the pig club work ant
! it's associated activities have in liz
| small way contributed to the eve
| increasing sentiment favorable to hos
| raising which has undoubtedly caus
: in the business. In the early month
| of 1917 and also in 1918, every Sun
| day until well into the spring. Wd
| devoted to talking in country school
| and churches, urging farmers t
| raise their own meat supply a1oni
| with other things. Every encourage
| ment was given them and assistanc
rendered where it would bring re
| suits. The boys and girls on tn
/ farms were urged to utilize vast
about the house and farm to grow
| one or more pigs. The waste from
| school baskets in the country school,
was utilized to good advantage, an
in one county fourteen head wer
| fattened and sold at auction for $500
| Nv hich WAS Used to good adYantag