Pocahontas star herald., 1924-05-02
From the County Agent
There is a Place For the Cow in the
Agriculture of Randolph County.

There is a Place For the Cow in the
Agriculture of Randolph County.
Wherever the COW has taken her
rghtful place and man has done his
part we find the highest type of farm
ing; we find farmers living on their
farms raising crops in rotation, put
ting back something on the soil and liv-
ing in the way people were intended
to live.
The best methods of farming, the
largest crops and the greatest steady
return on investments are found on
the wen regulated farms where live
stock is being grown and especially
dairy stock. The dairy has transform
ed many poor, hilly farms into com
Portable country home surrounded with
conveniences and prosperity.
There are right here i'm this civilized
country, thousands Of boys and girls
who are understood, diseased, with
weak bones. bad teeth, duh intellects,
starving for the best and cheapest food
on earth--milk.
Every year tons of plant food are
hauled away and marketed in cotton
and the following spring tons of plant
food are brought back in the form of
commercial fertilizer placed in the
soil to grow one more crop.
We need cows, good cows, well cared
for cows wherever folks live and fields
are farmed and grasses grow. 1t
makes no difference whether we have
one COW or whether we have a regular
dairy herd, the idea is to get the most
and best milk, the most and best cream,
the most and best butter and the most
and best profit from the farm cows.
The best and most economical way
Of securing high producing dairy cows
IS through the use of pure-bred sires.
The farmer cannot afford to buy pure
bred cows and heifers for his founda-
tiOn stock. But by the use of good
pure-bred sire the native herds can be
built up to an economical producing
stage with very little expense. The
value of n pure-bred sire in commun-
ity cannot he estimated, because our
native cows are fair producers when
well cared for and when crossed with
some pure-bred, high producing dairy
breed will produce calves much super
ior to the native cows. 1t is possible
for a pure-bred sire to so improve
herd that the increase in milk produc-
tion and the increase on the value of
offspring will in few years amount
to the price of well-equipped dairy
farm.
The first essentials in the economi-
cal production of dairy products are
good pasture and plenty of home
grown feed With all the different
kinds of grasses that are growing and
can be grown in Randolph county
there is no reason why every farmer
could not produce at least enough milk
and butter for family use.
The cheapest and best way for the
farmers to improve their dairy cows
is through cooperative bull associa-
tiOns. bull association. composed Of
fair minded. honest dairymen can
make community famous for good
cattle, increase the milk production
and make the breeding stock of that
community bring in thousands Of dol
lars.
If we are to have the proper food
for the family and keep the soils Of
the hill country built up and in pro-
ducing condition, we must pay more
attention to the production of dairy
cattle. We cannot hope to improve
the living conditions on the farm until
greater interest is shown in the up
keep of the farm and this can best be
done through the growing of live stock,
and especially dairy stock.