Cut-Over Pine Lands in the South. 19 



Serious mistakes have been made by lumbermen who went into 

 the cattle business on a scale out of proportion to their experience 

 and knowledge of conditions. The most serious blunder has been 

 to purchase large numbers of cattle and turn them loose without 

 any provision for care or winter feed. Such mistakes have been 

 costly and discouraging. In a great many cases lumbermen have 

 been discouraged from. entering the cattle business or have declared 

 the business unprofitable because dividends are not quickly real- 

 ized. In the production of beef cattle a large part of the profits 

 are to be expected from the increase in the herd, and from : 1 to 4 

 years are necessary to produce an animal for market. 



As a general rule, cattle operations should begin on a small scale 

 and be increased gradually, as the owner gains experience and is 

 able to work out definite plan- for the profitable enlargement of 

 the business. 



IMPROVEMENT OF CATTLE. 



Considerable effort has been made to find a breed of cattle better 

 suited to this region than the recognized beef breeds and larger than 

 the native cattle. Cattle have been imported from tropical countries 

 to cross on the native cattle or to breed pure. Undomesticated graz- 

 ing animals have also been tried. Such experiments have naturally 

 been disappointing because the object in view was to get a breed 

 bettor adapted to the unfavorable conditions rather than to improve 

 conditions themselves. It is not reasonable to expect satisfaction 

 with any breed of cattle when half starved and covered with ticks. 

 With the eradication of the tick- and the production of feed no other 

 cattle will be better adapted for this region than the principal beef 

 breeds which we already have. 



The choice of a breed for this region is a matter for the individual 

 owner to decide after his own conditions are taken into consideration. 

 The "rustling'' ability and hardiness of a breed usually is an im- 

 portant consideration, but the individual owner, if possible, should 

 select the breed of cattle most generally grown in his community. 

 The solution of the problem lies in fitting conditions to the cattle 

 and not the cattle to conditions. 



The foundation herd should be of native cows whenever possible. 

 These are small and of inferior quality, but are also cheap. With 

 the continued use of a pure-bred bull and judicious selection a valua- 

 ble herd may be quickly built up. Quicker results may be obtained 

 by purchasing grade cows at the beginning, but it is probable that 

 the cheap native cows already acclimated and accustomed to the 

 ranges will be better as a business proposition than cows brought in 

 from other regions. Prospects for success in the Piney TVoods are 



