LIVE STOCK breeders' ASSOCIATION, 21 ! 



mercial fertilizers, and there i_s just one thing about them I have learned, 

 and that is this, that barnyard manure is a splendid thing to put on the 

 land, and that is all I know about commercial fertilizers. "But," some 

 farmers say, "it is out of the question for us to put manure on our 

 soils, because we have not got the live stock." "What shall we do 

 then ?" The only answer I can make to that is, get the Jive stock. 

 There is no other answer to the question that I know of. I am not 

 saying that commercial fertilizers are not a good thing. I know one 

 state — the state of Georgia — which spent ten millions of dollars this 

 year for commercial fertilizers, and I presume it paid. I don't know 

 whether it did or not. They produce a good deal of cotton down there. 

 The average family of five people who grow cotton on rented land in 

 the state of Georgia has an average yearly income of $80.00. So it 

 must pay. And that is what the people back on the Atlantic Coast are 

 coming to, who are depending upon fertilizers instead of live stock. 

 Now, I have been preaching to the people of the south just what Mr. 

 Cowan has preached here today, just the same sort of sermon over and 

 over again, although I was not particularly championing that magnificent 

 breed of cattle which he represents, but live stock in general. One 

 thing I tell those old playmates of mine in Lawrence county when they 

 talk about commercial fertilizers is, "you have got to get out of the 

 method of farming your fathers used and go to raising more live 

 stock." And they are doing it, too. We have established a rotation on 

 our farm down there for the express purpose of raising feed for live 

 stock, and we are going to see if it can be made to pay. I think there 

 is no doubt about it ; in fact, it has already paid for the manure we put 

 on the land. 



A short time ago there was a farmer came into my office to talk 

 over this question of commercial fertilizers. I don't know why they 

 come to me, for I don't know a thing about it. After talking with him 

 for a while he saw that he and I did not dififer much about the use of 

 fertilizers, and he said, "Well, Mr. Spillman, I have always thought 

 that commercial fertilizers are to the soil just what the lash is to the 

 jaded horse. You put the lash on the horse and he will make speed, but 

 it does not do him any good." I am inclined to think that is what com- 

 mercial fertilizers do for the soil. I may be wrong. I don't know 

 much about it. Instead of using commercial fertilizers on my own 

 farm, which was all run down when I took hold of it, I am growing 

 alfalfa and red clover, timothy, corn, hay and oats, and feeding every 

 bit of it to stock, and I don't believe I will need any fertilizers ; that is 

 not saying I shall not at some time use them ; I may find it will pay to 

 do so ; but I am depending on other means to build up my soil. 



