Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-08
Total value of live stock

Total value of live stock
and products, -. IS ,270, 900
Thus it appears from the census,
that in a little more than five years
the dairy cattle and dairy products
of Dallas county have been devel-
oped to a point where they yielded
the farmers $240,000 more than they
received for their cotton. including
the returns received from the sale
of cotton seed.
And in considering the dairy
products returns, it should be re-
membered, also, that the abundant
corn, hay and velvet bean crops, not
to mention the hog, industry, were
the result of the growth of the dai.
~ business in Dallas county.
The Lesson "2cheS
But what has the prosperity of
Dallas county, Alabama, to do with
the difficulties that confront the
farmers of Georgia? you ask.
Nothing, directly, but it points the
way to better things. It demon
strates as nothing else can the pos
gibilities of diversification along the
right lines. That explains my visit
to Selma. It was inspired by my
trip to Ashburn and the efforts of
Turner county to promote the dairy
ing industry in south Georgia.
George T. Belts, a dynamic force
in the establishment of the cream
cry at Ashburn, directed my atten-
ton to the venture in Dallas coun-
ty, and my Investigations here have
confirmed everything Mr.. Belts told
me about the Selma enterprise.
But, as heretofore remarked, it
would be financially ruinous, and do
lncalculable injury to the develop
fnent of the industry in Georgia, if
every enterprising community
should undertake to establish a
creamery of it's own.
= There isn't enough milk and cream
produced in Georgia at the present
t4R q keep a modern creamery sup
piled. In these circumstances, the
sensible thing is to encourage the
productions of more and better COWS,
to the end that the creameries al
ready established may be assured an
abundance of raw material.
That was the program followed at
Selma. The original creamery was
a small, simple thing-a churn and
a pasteurizer. But it was amply ade-
Quate to handle all the cream that
the scrubby, undernurtured COWS of
Dallas county and vicinity could fur
niSh.
AS the farmers were made to real
lie the possibilities of dairying and
to appreciate it's certain return in
dollars and cents, they began the
importation of more and better cat
tie, thus increasing the supply of
cream and milk for the modest, little
creamery at Selma.
And now they have two very large
creameries at Selma, another at
Montgomery, and others at Demop-
oils, Marion and Talladega. Middle
Alabama fast is becoming a dairy
country, and the products Of these
several creameries not only are sup
plying all local requirements, but
are bringing in money received from
the distribution of dairy products
throughout the country.
A Logical Step
That Selma turned to dairying in
the emMsency that confronted Dali
las county was entirely logical. Even
before the boil weevil appeared, the
farmers had made some little prog.
ress in raising beef cattle, and it had
been demonstrated that the county
afforded excellent pasturage. But
the beef cattle business hadn't been
success, and Accent cotton had
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