Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-03-04
a Record of Progress

A Record Of Progress
Much has been said and written
in recent years about the necessity
Of developing our animal industries:
many of our editors. 1t has repre-
sented the chief effort of the State
College of Agriculture and the large
number of county agents operating
under its direction. 1t has been
the one end kept in view by men,
bers of the boys and girls calf,
pig and poultry clubs. 1t is worth
while looking into the situation,
therefore, and ascertaining just what
has been accomplished as a result
public sentiment under intelligent
leadership along a single line.
To discover just what has taken
place it will be necessary to turn
back to the census report for the
that Georgia. had 295,348 head of
mules. In 1918 We were credited
with possessing 344,OoO. Of horses
we had 120,067 in 1919, and $4,000
in 1918. Thus in spite of the heavy
war purposes, we have, made some
progress in adding to the power in
the collar" thing which, as every
one knows, is essential to the per-
manent progress of our agriculture.
While we have made progress along
this line it is not sufficient to meet
our needs
Unless we increase the number of
our work animals very materially
in the next few years we must turn
to the enlarged use of farm tractors,
for it is certain that the most thor
now become essential. We must be
in position to cultivate it more in
tensively, to prepare and plant larg-
err areas in a shorter period of
q> ~ IL 1T Dc,
necessary that we increase not only
sources of farm power as well.
Everyone realizes that farm la
Dor is now relatively scarce and the
wages high. No doubt there will be
near future, but it does not seem
reasonable to suppose that the time
will ever come again when farm Ia
Dor will be as cheap and abundant
as 1t was ten years ago. Moreover,
when, one can multiply the labor of
er to operate his land with one
mule and one man to the pillow.
The time has come when we must
have from two as q minimum to six
Or eight animals handled by the la
Dor Of one individual. 1t will take
ture profitable and progressive, but
to provide our people with a plen-
tiful supply of food at prices they
can afford to pay for the same:
From this it should not be concluded
that the writer believes the farmer
is not entitled to liberal profit on
his efforts and that his aim should
be concentrated on the production
of cheap foods for city workers.
Must Pc Organized
On the other hand, it is evident
that any consuming population has
a given purchasing power and pro-
duction mus be so organized and
population WITH what it needs at
prices it can afford to pay. The
prices which the consuming popu
lation of the United States can af-
ford to pay will be sufficiently high
to enable the intelligent operator of
land to make relatively large prof
it's on the capital and intelligence
invested ir his er terprise.
A mismanage" factory will, of
course, fail.
A mismanaged farm will not be
profitable. Taey are on parity.
We cannot afford to make the
mistake Of concluding that everyone
stty, be successful and make large
profits from his enterprise. If he
wishes to succeed he must conduct
his business nationally and with
reasonable degree of intelligence.
Everyone knows that commendable
progress has been made in the Grad
ication of cartle tick and we have
accomplished greater emphasis would
be laid IN the production of beef
and dairy cattle The figures avail
able indicate this TO be true. For
instance, the increase in beef cattle
amounted to about $4,000 between the
period Of 1910 ard 1918. The increase
in dairy cattle amounted to about
$1,000 during the same period.
In other worcs, the gain in cattle
was represented by about $4,000
head. These figures are below what
we should undertake to produce IN
order that we may supply our own
people with plenty of milk and butter
and beef. OF beef cattle we should
have in this state at least 9O0,OOO
and Of dairy cattle a. least half
million. We are, however, making
progress n TIE right direction. In
fact, if we c2n Eeep up the present
rate for few years, we VII! attain
and pass the goals set for this state
along the two lines Indicated. OF
course, we have the undeveloped land
for beef cattle, and now that extern
sive experiments nave been under
taken looking to the determination
of what grasses tan be used most
effectively on tl.s&e lands, we may
expect a larger development OF the
beef cattle industry under semi
ranching conditions.
Milk Most Important
Our cities continue to grow and
everyone realizes that milk is now
regarded as a more important item IN
the dietary than ever before IN the
history Of the world. There is an
insistent demand Tor II at profitable
prices, therefore II seems reasonable
to suppose that ibis industry Will
continue to gov and develop.
Of hogs, W. possessed 1,7S3,684 In
1910, and 3,04G,OGO in 1915. Observe,
therefore, that there was an increase
in eight years CT cveI 100000 hogs.
Georgia IS now sixth among all
tho states in the matter of hog pro.
duction. and if the present rate or
DEVELOPMENT ard expansion is kept
in a short period of time. There IS
no reason why we should not increase
thy number Of our hogs to 3,5OO,0OO
That indeed should he our goal IN
1919. There are Individuals who are
complaining about the price OF hogs
at present, but they should not over
look the fact that this class OF an
imals caa be maintained and fin
ished more cheaply in Georgia than
any other kind of live stock.
In sheep husbandry we have
fallen behind. This is greatly to pc
regretted, for we have conditions un-
% With "9 great S" economy. There has
been a constant fight on for years,
however, between sheep and dogs
and, for the time being at least, the
dogs seem to have won. whenever
this menace is eliminated or prop
erly controlled there is every reason
to believe that the sheep industry
will assume considerable proper
s I have 100000 head OF sheep
to supply our needs of lamb ana
Poultry Progress
In poultry production we are max
inc cOnSidera BILE progress. 1t is