The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1921-02-05
DAIRYMEN CALLED
MOST PROSPEROUS
In Better Financial Shape
Than Other Farmers,
Says Expert.

jackson, Miss, Feb. 1.--"There is
probably more interest in dairying
IN the state Of Mississippi at this
time" says Professor Ferguson, dali
ry specialist, than ever before. The
reason for this is that as class the
men who have been doing dairy work
are in better shape financially than
any other class of farmers. AS near
ly every farmer has few cows OF
some sort, present conditions make
it look like dairying is way out OF
their difficulties. And they are cor
rect in this belief. but perhaps not
in the way some of them may think.
Radical changes are not advisable
even in the present emergency.
"Dairying should not be taken up
and considered merely in the light
of an emergency occupation. 1t
should be looked at as a business pro-
position and taken up with the idea
of making it a permanent part Of the
farm program. Taken up in this way
it will greatly strengthen the posit-
ion of the farmer in the South. There
are few farmers who cannot milk
and care for a few cows and do 1t
without the outlay of any additional
money for labor. 1t is line of work
that fits in we'll with any system
of farming. One of the crying needs
of Southern agriculture is some oc-
cupation that will bring the farmers
a steady cash income in order to les
sen the evils of the present system
of farm credits.
Conservation is the watchword In
all lines at this time and so It should
be in dairying. Any man lacking
experience should start in a small
way and grow into the business, stu
dying his way along. The farm
should be the source of feed supply
instead of depending on the feed
mills. Corn can be planted for grain
with the velvet beans grown in the
corn. Velvet beans ground In the
pod make an excellent feed. Cow
peas, soy beans or lespedeza can be
grown for hay. Good pastures con
be developed by putting a variety of
grasses and clovers on it.
What the farmer asks is: Will
it pay?' That should no longer be
question with him. We have too
many examples where it is paying in
all parts of the state. A dairyman
near Hattiesburg made the statement
that he could get two dollars a BUSH
Ell for corn when fed to dairy cows.
Another man in the same community
using a silo for the first time this
winter, said he was not buying half
as much feed this year as he did
last and his cows are in better con-
dition. Nearly all dairymen will a.
gree that one dollar spent for labor
viii produce at least two dollars
worth of feed. However, no matter
what the source of feed il COW is
fed properly she must be fed liber-
ally to pay. The last few pounds
OF feed consumed, and not the first
ones are the ones that pay the pro-
fits. The dairy extension specialist
at Jackson will be glad to give more
detailed information to any one wri-
ting for same"
SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED.
Superintendent w. F. Bond has
just received notice for the authori-
ties of the Johns Hopkins University
stating that, at least, two scholar
ships are open at that institution to
Mississippi students. One scholar
ship is in the Department of Educa-
ton and has an income of $275. 90
per annum. 1t is offered to candi-
dates who can give evidence of a lib
eral education preferably in connec-
tion with a system of public schools
somewhere in the South. The other
scholarship entities the holder to free
tuition. for one year. Students are
eligible as candidates who reside in
the South or Southwest.