6 



of pounds of cured meats were also retailed over the city." 

 (Farmers' Bulletin No. . ..) This money should be kept 

 at home and added to the Southern wealth. Packing houses 

 are now being built throughout the South, and good markets 

 are assured for the beef animals which the farmer produces. 



The fourth reason offered in favor of beef production is, 

 that as our farmers learn the value of diversification in 

 farming operations, there will be an increased 'amount of 

 roughage, as corn, fodder, cowpea and clover hays, soy 

 beans, etc., which, many times can be marketed more profit- 

 ably through the beef animals than in any other way. The 

 beef cattle serve as important machines for converting the 

 surplus fodders into valuable barnyard manure, which 

 gives to the growing crops not only the benefits of its fer- 

 tilizing elements, but increases the mechanical condition of 

 the soil by the addition of that important compound — 

 humus. No animal can take the place of the beef steer in 

 making use of the winter corn and cotton fields. 



Beef cattle are peculiarly suited to fit into the farming 

 operations of the South. The farms are large, and many 

 acres are not being used because of the lack of sufficient 

 labor. At present there is no better way to put the whole 

 farm to work than by introducing beef cattle into the sys- 

 tem of farming. They require but a small amount of labor 

 in addition to that used upon the average cotton farm. The 

 hog, while he deserves a prominent place upon almost every 

 farm, cannot be made to use all of the large uncultivated 

 areas on the farms, for he is not strictly a grazing animal. 

 Many farmers who have the large uncultivated areas are 

 not now sufficiently skilled in the handling of live stock to 

 introduce sheep or dairy cattle, as the sheep and dairy 

 business require more skill than the beef business. Then, 

 too, the dairy business requires an increase in the amount 

 of labor used upon the farm ; and the labor item is one that 

 <nany farmers are trying to reduce. 



