The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1921-08-26
DArRYlNC BRINGS PROFIT TO
FARMERS IN SOUTHLAND
Supply Home Demand for Dairy Pro-
ducts; Build up Soil Fertility. Silos
Important Part of Equipment.

More than 9,5O0,000 pounds of but
tr was made by SO creameries in the
Southern States in the year ending
December 81, 1919. Thirty Of the 54
cheese factories scattered throughout
the mountain regions turned out 481,-
600 pounds Of Cheddar cheese. Silos,
modern dairy barns, and purebred
dairy cows are becoming common.
Fifteen years ago dairying as an in
dustry had been scarcely started in
the Southern States" said a specialist
IN the Dairy Division, United States
Department of Agriculture. The
South probably has made more pro-
gress in the last 13 years than any
other section of the country. The in-
crease in the number of dairy cows
from 1907 to 1920 was more than so
per cent. The increase for the entire
United States during the same period
was 1873 per cent"
While this increase in number of
COWS has been large, it is pointed out
! by men working comparatively with
the Federal Government and the State
agricultural colleges that the improve
ment in quality has been of even
greater importance. Purebreds have
been shipped in every year in large
numbers, and great interest has been
shown in the use of purebred sires.
There are now 48 bull associations in
these States. The latest census fig
ures available show there are 5,184
head Of purebred dairy cattle in South
Carolina and 1856 in Virginia.
Dairy development begin in the
Southern States shortly after 1906"
Isaid one of the specialists, "but the
improvement was slow at first. 1t
was difficult to convince cotton grow
ers in my territory that there was
ianything for them in dairying. But
ian objest lesson was found finally
that convinced them. On one side of
Ia road was field Of cotton that
yielded 2 bales per acre; on the other
side a field gave half a bale. The
farm that grew 2 bales to the acre
had kept cows for five years, and the
manure had produced the change.
Farmers were taken from miles
around to see those two fields.
This little demonstration illu-
,strates the purpose for which dairy
COWS were recommended IN sections
IOf the SOuth-n0t to make dairying
"a major industry. but rather to estab-
|lish system that would supply the
home demand for dairy products, and
at the same time build up and main
tain soil fertility, both by supplying
manure and by enforcing a proper
rotation of crops. This would make
possible the production Of cotton and
other staple crops at greater profit.
This was the aim OF the southern
dairy extension work, the first large
Iscale extension project attempted,
which was started under the direction
of the Dairy Division Of the Depart
|ment Of Agriculture in 1906, and
carried forward comparatively with
the State agricultural colleges"
One Of the first things corrected
was the poor feeding methods. Cot
tonseed meal and hulls formed the
basis Of the ration; farmers had no
knowledge of balanced ratiors; silOs
were few IN number, and i was not
known generally tha: thev could De
built by farm labor. 2 few sllos were
erected in 1906 as demonstrations,
and the idea began TO grow slowly in
popularity. Feed and production rec
ords, introduced into several herds IN
each State in 1906 and 1902, proved
the value Of silage. With siIos once
firmly established, better barns, bet
ter methods, and a demand for better
catle followed.
The value Of silage compared with
cOttonseed hulls was very striking.
even in the days when hulls were only
81 or SIS ton. A dairy farm near
Biloxi, Miss, where 40 tons of silage
were fed instead of cottonseed hulls,
reported a saving Of $3.50 for the
winter.
There are no figures showing how
many silos have been built since 1906,
but some idea Of the great number
may be gained from the fact that the
extension men assisted directly in
putting up 1,741. These silos served
as demonstrations, and as result
many other silos were built in the