Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-21

dertakIng. Inere is grave Danger
of -ploitation. Dairying is nc {
a panacea for all our ills, and the
INSCRIPTIONS promoter is often as
dangerous as dynamite. I hope Our
farmers will hasten to improve their
dairy herds and furnish these fac
tories with all the sour cream or
sweet milk necessary to enable Their
70 operate on an extensive and prof
liable basis. Unless this is done
these institutions will fail with
calamitous results.
1t will be observed rat we have
ia, 704 head of work stock and that
we are trying to cultivate over so
acres Of land per farm. 1t is need
less to point out that we need
larger animals and heavier nipple
ments So that the soil may be work
ed thoroughly and thus insure
larger yields per acre. The returns
from the average crop now harvested
are so low as to make the cultiva-
ton OF the land improbable. This
is condition which we should pro-
coed to remedy with the utmost ex-
petition. 1t can be accomplished
most quickly and at the least, cost
OF materially increasing the yield
per acre.
Our sheep industry is practically
negligible. AS a nation, we are
credited with consuming pounds
of mutton per capita. If we eat any
lamb or mutton in Georgia it evil
IDENTIFY comes from without the state.
We are also said to consume 100
pounds of pork per capita. I doubt
if the 392,524 hogs said to be in
these 80 counties would weigh an
average Of 100 pounds apiece. Even
if they did and all of it were good
meat instead of about 70 per cent,
we would have to destroy QUE hog
industry to feed ourselves next ycar.
What we need to do is to maintain
on every farm at least two brood
sows and so handle them as to &C.
crue two filters a year. This would
give us an aggregate of 20 hogs on
each farm per year, of which II
could be sold after supplying the
family with meat. Instead of haV-
ing 392, 524 hogs on our 66,S52 farms
we would then have 1887 ,040 hogs.
We could raise all the feed needed
to develop and finish them for mar
ket within the territory. These II
hogs, if sold at no more than $40
apiece would bring in $94O. This req
resents the price received ordinarily
for 4 to 5 bales of cotton. In this
way alone, we would make up a
great part of the loss accruing as a
result of the depreciation of our cot
ton fields by the boil weevil. There
is hardly farmer who cannot Sc
cure one or two brood sows. n a
year they would produce a progeny
of 20 If they are properly cared for
and the farmer can. thus add $340
to his revenues without. spending
any money for feed other than that
grown on his farm.
The hoof of the hog has proven to
be a golden asset wherever it has
been given en- opportunity to serve
the needs of an agricultural comnlu-
nifty. 1t will do the same thing in
Georgia that it did for Kansas, Ne
braska and other western states. 1t
is one of our greatest unexpected
resources, but we have not capitaliz-
ed it on a basis commensurate WITH
our needs in the past. Remember
that our conditions in Georgia Gre
essentially different from those Pre-
vailing in the west. We arc not
normally great producers of cheap
corn. To make the industry a de-
sirable asset to our state we must
employ grazing crops to the fullest
extent and minimize the use OF grain
tnS n
slbIe: g. - .- "-..'.-
In regard to chickens, it appears
there were 1,353,939 hens on the
farms of these 80 counties. The
average Georgia hen produces about
SO eggs. 1t is considered by dieti-
tians thata one egg per day is USED
per capita Of our entire population.
We would thus need to provide 208,-
10000 eggs for local consumption
1t would take 4,161,000 of the kind
of chickens we have now to accom-
plish this end. There is no reason
why We should not replace the scrub
chicken on our farms by standard
breeds which will lay. If properly
fed, 100 eggs per annum. l am told
that the markets in Atlanta and in
many other cities, presumably in
Guiding Macon, are largely supplied
with poultry and eggs that come
from without the state. This is a
situation which. should not be al.
lowed to continue any longer. There
are no soil or climatic conditions un-
der which chickens can be raised
more cheaply or quickly than in
Georgia. There is no reason why
we should rot maintain 100000
this We would be able to supply our
local markets with plenty of eggs
of first quality and an abundance
Of poultry products as we'll. 1t is
said the average adult in the south
consumes 57.5 pounds of poultry per
annum. This represents the weight
probably of IL to IS of our avera re
dressed birds. Presenting thata two.
thirds Of the population Of this group
Of counties are adults, there would
be 3S0,320 people who would con
sumo minimum of at least II birds
per capita. It would require ,593, SAC
birds to supply this need.
According to the figures sent out
from the United States Bureau OF
Markets and Crop Estimates, the
acres devoted to agricultural crops
in Georgia as a while in 1921 was
reduced considerably, and the yields
Of most of our crops were much less
than anticipated. 1919 was compar
atively a good crop year. Accord
ing to the analysis which has been
made there was no surplus Of foo6
crops available in these 30 counties
during that year. In fact, the rec
ord would indicate that much money
was sent out Of this section to pur
chase hay, grain, canned goods
meat, dairy and poultry products. II
this be true, 1t does not seem posi-
kla that there nn11ld he anv 1nnntnria