The Lexington advertiser., 1939-09-28
Schwietert Reviews
Livestock In State

The following interesting and informa-
tive article written by H. j. Schwietert,
general agricultural agent for the Illi-
nois Central System, will be read with
interest by Holmes county people as the
article pertains to the livestock move
ment in Mississippi and a means of
stabilizing farming. The writer has the
following to state:
agricultural stability is only attain
able through diversified farming. And
Diversified Farming in it's truest and
broadest sense is balanced agriculture
on every farm with livestock as a basis.
The exception might be where some
highly specialized branch of farming is
being carried on, such as fruit growing,
vegetable trucking, etc.
"An unbalanced agriculture is quite
similar to an unbalanced budget, both
are unsound and must be corrected, or
eventually the entire structure must col
lapse.
Every farm should be a self sup
porting unit. A one crop system can
not make it so. Crop diversification and
, enough livestock to consume the crops is
the answer to a balanced agriculture. 1t
is not only the answer to agricultural
stability, but it is also the answer to
, the maintenance of soil fertility. Soil
fertility is basic to agricultural prosper
ity. Where there is no soil fertility,
there can be no prosperity. A rich soil
means a prosperous people and a poor
, soil means poor people. Either the
farmer must bring the soil up to his
standard or the soil will pull the farmer
down to its level.
"The wealth or the country is CEN
tered in those states composing what is
commonly referred to as the corn belt.
This is especially true where there is a
diversity of crops with corn predominant
ing and where hogs, beef cattle, and
sheep are fed and finished for slaughter
and where dairying is carried on ex-
tensively. In these states soil fertility
, is largely maintained though diversi-
fled livestock operations are absent, it
is exceedingly more difficult to maintain
the highest degree of soil fertility.
"The South has suffered in this re-
spect. However, the states in the south
ern group that have included livestock in
their farm programs have more nearly
approached the ideal.
"Where are the conditions more ideal
for the raising of livestock than in Mis-
sissippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Lou
isiana? Here we find cheap lands for
pasture, mild climate, good water, and
favorable environment, all of which are
essential to the economical production
of livestock. Here we find millions of
acres unsuitable for the growing of cul-
tivated crops but if aided by man would
provide an abundance of pasture for mil
lions of head of cattle. Utilized for this
purpose the hazard of soil erosion would
be greatly minimized and in most cases
practically stopped. Nature at on e
would start to rebuild wornout soils and
replenish the lost fertility if given half
a chance. Then why not work with ma
ture and make the job of soil rehabilita-
tion an easy one, and it is likewise far
cheaper. The whole economic structure
Of the south and the Nation is based
largely on agriculture. Therefore the
firmer our agricultural foundation, the
more secure our agricultural structure.
"The demand for good feeder cattle
cannot be adequately supplied at this
time. Men engaged in the feeding of
livestock are searching the country in
an effort to locate feeders to fill their
feed lots. They are experiencing diff
culties in finding what they want. This
is the South's golden opportunity. The
question is "Will she grasp it"?
"In review of conditions in the
South, we find that at one time the
South was a cattle country. The live
stock in this section was not inferior to
the native stock of the Plains area,
which today is the largest livestock pro-
ducing center in the United States. It
is not unlikely that the foundation stock
Of both sections was the same. The i'm
proved herds we find in the West are the
! result of proper breeding, feeding,