THli ALABAMA OPPORTUNITY. 103 



which approaches the Murphy ranch in size and nnportance, 

 nc other that has 1,100 head of cattle. 



"1 went into cattle-raising in Hale county because it is the 

 best grass county in the world," said Mr. Murphy. "I have vis- 

 ited all the great grazing sections of our country. I have 

 raised cattle in what is considered the greatest grazing fields of 

 the West, but I have never seen a section where grass grows 

 so luxuriantly as it does here. A section where the grass is 

 se rich is a section where cattle can be raised profitably. 



"There is but one problem that the cattle raiser here has to 

 solve, that is the growing of a winter grass. This is not ab- 

 solutely essential, for cattle in West Alabama can be pastured 

 in the canebrakes throughout the winter. Our cattle, for in- 

 stance, we drive in the winter from our ranch in Hale county 

 tt the canebrakes of the Green county place. But cattle brought 

 from Texas are not acquainted with a diet of cane, and it re- 

 quires' some time for them to become accustomed to it. 



"The feeding of cattle through the winter months, say for 

 three months, will cut too deep into the profits. The finding of 

 a winter grass for Alabama is a thing that will mean a great 

 deal for the future of the cattle business. I think I have solved 

 that problem with the burr clover. I believe that burr clover 

 will thrive in Alabama in the worst winters the State has. We 

 experimented with burr clover last winter, but the seed we got 

 from the dealers were admittedly defective. Next fall we will 

 plant the best seed that can be secured anywhere for the suc- 

 cessful growth of burr clover means much to us, and to the fu- 

 ture cattle interests of the State. As for mellilotus, Johnson 

 grass and bermuda grass. I do not believe that they do better 

 anywhere in the world than right here in Hale county. 



GRAZING CATTLE. 



"On our place in Hale county," continued Mr. Murphy, "we 

 follow a different plan in grazing our cattle than the one which 

 is usually followed in this section. The practice here of keep- 

 ing cattle continuously in one pasture is an error. The best re- 

 sults are secured by changing pastures, by moving the cattle 

 from one pasture to another. We have divided the Hale county 

 place into eleven different pastures, all of which are sowed in 

 grass, and the cattle are moved from one to another." 



