THE DEMONSTRATION WORK 



of primary consideration. All that is necessary is to prepare the 

 soil in the best way and use good farm methods and the South will 

 develop into one of the best com regions of the United States. We 

 have produced the past year, under test, from eighty to one hundred 

 and fifty bushels of corn per acre. For pasture and hay the South 

 is also superior to most of the northern states, first because of the 

 great rainfall and secondly, because of more favorable climatic 

 conditions. The reason the South has not developed in this line is 

 because the farmers have been so engrossed in other crops that they 

 have paid but little attention to hay and pasture lands and have 

 failed to use the best methods. Under trial the past year we have 

 been able to produce from four to six tons of hay per acre where the 

 soil was thoroughly prepared and the proper seed used. Then there 

 is a great variety of forage plants, such as the velvet beans, the 

 cowpea, soy beans, Japan ribbon cane, etc., that grow with amazing 

 vigor in the Southern States and are exceedingly nutritious so that 

 there can be an abundant supply of forage for stock all seasons of 

 the year. 



In three respects a large portion of the South is superlatively 

 adapted to stock-raising. First, because of the abundant forage that 

 can be provided, as stated above, and secondly, because of the tem- 

 perature which is so mild that it does not tax the vitality of the 

 animal, and it reduces the amount of food necessary to sustain life 

 and vigor. Thirdly, as compared with the extreme North there is a 

 great reduction in the expense of providing shelter in the winter, all 

 of which means an addition to the the vigor of the animal, and its 

 immunity from disease such as tuberculosis, etc. Then the longer 

 period of pasture makes it more economical. The comparatively 

 low price of lumber for building purposes is another important item. 



These facts are especially emphasized in case of pork produc- 

 tion. Hogs can be pastured the year round on a variety of pasture 

 forage that will nearly mature them for market without the addition 

 of corn. Under the final adjustment of agriculture in the United 

 States, I believe that a large portion of the South will be found pre- 

 eminently adapted to dairying, to the production of horses, mules 

 and swine; poultry and in the mountain districts to sheep, that it 

 will be found that they can be raised more economically there than 

 in most any other portion of the world.'' 



[30] 



