The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-17

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 versify is the best business policy. We advocate specializing, for this section, in sheep. Some localities in the. United States, are adapted to diyersifying, but not Alabama. It must be cotton or wool, and under present conditions there is no comparison of which to choose. Sheep solves the negro labor problem, and places at the farmers com mand the weapon with which to re- build declining estates.
 According to a report furnished by the Moorman Manufacturing company, a sheep feeding concern, with head quarters at Quincy, H., there were slaughtered in the United States, dur ing the year 1921, approximately 18,- 100000 lambs, and about 13,000, 900 or a few more were under federal super vision, so there is no question as to this number having been slaughtered.
 This tremendous number, to the aver age persons, who has never thought se- riously nor had the opportunity of learning the number of lambs pro- duced in the United States. What makes the spring lamb of more than general interest to folks of this sec tion, is the fact that nearly all the lambs produced are forced on the mar ket over a period of 90 days, in the fall of the year, due to the natural weather conditions, of the section wherein the lambs are grown. This, if you please, ranges from northern Canada, to southern Mexico, in every imaginable climate, and under extreme varying conditions-giving one an idea of what the sheep is capable of adapt ing itself to in the way of climate.
 With the climatic conditions govern ing the marketing of lambs, by the fact that most places have to let tthe lamb drop in the springtime, and with the climatic condition of this section of the south, being made to order for the production of spring lambs, it would be easily seen that this section of the world has the better of it, from Q climatic standpoint alone, while to mention the, grazing condition in com parison with other sections, there IS no wonder there being so much im- portance attached to the spring lamb production in the south.
 Condition Of Marketing.
 One of the reasons, however, making it very profitable to the grower after having grown the spring lamb, is the peculiar condition of the marketing. All or nearly all of the lRmbs grown in the United States as bove stated are forced on the market in q. period of 90 days and while there were ap- proximately 16 million lambs slaugh- tered in the year 1921, this does not mean they were all slaughtered in the 0O-day period. All the lambs coming on the market at about the same time, has brought about a branch of the sheep industry, the feeding of lambs for the market. By buying feeder or lambs that are not fat enough for the butcher, the feeder buyer, has a chance for increase in price, by buying when there is an oversupply, and putting on from 15 to 30 pounds of gain in weight, thus affording this branch of the sheep game, a chance to sell his farm product at a much better price than by hauling it off by the wagonload.
 We have no chance to make money feeding lambs in this state. Our lambs come to market at a time when there are no such things as over-produetton or oversupply on the market, so the price is in the hands of the grower, more or less, or can be made so. This feeding ranges over periods of one hun dred days, to six months, according to the individual and his condition sur his markets and feeding sup ply. This branch of the sheep industry is entirely eliminated in this state by the spring lamb production. The other fellow has an overhead that puts him out of the running when competing with us. What he does has no bearing on us, nor can we follow him in any other than in general way, for our conditions make our own problems something we must solve for ourselves to get the best results.
 In order to get the best results, we must first turn to the production of quality, for quality in anything is a predominating feature. Anyone who wishes to especially attract the GUS toner advertises quality. It applies to the growing of lambs as we'll as every thing else. Quality commands the price, and enables the producer to de- mand the price. We are enabled to produce the highest quality as we have topped the northern markets with grasa-grown spring lambs. We know we can produce them. Then let us not be content with anything but the very best quality in order to make the most dollars and cents.
 To Get Quality.
 To get quality we must not allow ourselves to be satisfied with anything but a pure blood sire. We cannot all raise pure bred sheep, but enough of us should raise them to supply the rest with pure bred breeding stock. After getting quality to start with, then the most important feature is uni formity. In order to get this one must give. the breeding special attention at the time when it should be done. Quali- ty lambs born at all times of the year, are simply smearing up a good game. We have discovered by trying 1t out,