ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE SWINE INDUSTRY 7 



Credits and swine production. One important reason 

 why more southern farmers have not entered into an 

 extensive system of pork production has been the lack of 

 adequate capital, for some capital is required, and bank- 

 ers and merchants have not been willing to credit farmers 

 on many crops except cotton. With some farmers it is 

 therefore compulsory that they raise cotton exclusively. 

 Conditions in this respect are rapidly improving, how- 

 ever, and banks and bankers are encouraging in every 

 way possible a greater production of live stock, especially 

 swine. The merchants will be influenced by the action of 

 the bankers, and this great drawback will gradually be 

 overcome, and the farmers will reduce their cotton acre- 

 age and devote more attention to a permanent system of 

 live stock farming that will guarantee a more permanent 

 agriculture for the cotton belt. The time is near at hand 

 when live stock will be considered as much or more of an 

 asset than so much cotton. 



Labor a limiting factor. One of the important limiting 

 factors upon a greater swine industry in the South is that 

 of labor. It is not so much a question of quantity of 

 labor as of quality. The average cotton negro has no 

 interest in live stock and has little natural ability in the 

 care, feeding and management of animals. This is due 

 to congenital conditions and environment. A few 

 negroes that have been brought up with live stock about 

 them in early life may by proper training become excel- 

 lent caretakers and manifest some interest and love for 

 the work. While the labor question requires careful 

 consideration, yet it is a difficulty that will decrease 

 readily with effort toward education. The average cotton 

 negro has not been trained to properly take care of swine. 



