MARKETING LIVE STOCK IN THE SOUTH. 9 



dealers have started operations in the vicinity, which have curtailed 

 the business of the stock yards company. An extended interest in 

 live-stock production by farmers in the surrounding country has been 

 noted. 



BATTLE SALES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 



The extension department of Clemson Agricultural College, South 

 Carolina, cooperating with the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, has instituted a plan for marketing cattle which has been 

 followed two years and has proved sufficiently successful to warrant 

 its continuance. The plan is a direct outgrowth of a movement to 

 increase the production and fattening of cattle in the State. At the 

 outset the main purpose of the work was to interest small farmers 

 in raising and feeding cattle, and by improving feeding 'methods to 

 show T them the advantages to be derived from putting their stock in 

 marketable condition. With this object in view a number of farmers 

 in various sections of the State were induced to feed from two to five 

 head of cattle under the direction of live-stock specialists employed 

 jointly by the extension department of the college and the United 

 States Department of Agriculture. At this juncture the question of 

 marketing these cattle arose. The -local markets at this time, in 

 many sections of the State, were found to be unsatisfactory, and 

 therefore very little encouragement was offered the farmers to in- 

 crease or improve their live stock. To overcome these difficulties the 

 following plan was outlined : Three places which would be accessible 

 to the farmers feeding cattle were designated, and a market day was 

 arranged for each place. On the days set for the sales the cattle 

 were assembled at these points, and by previous arrangement buyers 

 from several of the northern markets were present to bid on the 

 cattle. The sales were conducted on the private-sale plan rather 

 than as auctions. The results were satisfactory from the stand- 

 point of both buyer and seller, the cattle netting from one-half to 1 

 cent a pound more than local buyers were offering. 



Aside from the benefits derived from the market itself, the educa- 

 tional feature of having these sales at home was of no little value to 

 the farmers. It enabled them to study the grades under which 

 cattle are sold and to see the reason one lot of cattle brought a 

 higher price than another. Cooperation on the part of the rail- 

 roads in offering better shipping facilities has added to the success 

 of the sales. Expert cattle salesmen were obtained to conduct the 

 sales the second year, which added to their success. 



The extent to which this plan is practicable for other parts of 

 the South will be determined wholly by local conditions. It is 

 thought by many who are familiar with southern conditions that 

 until the live-stock industry is well established in the South a 



