4 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



are fortunate in having a few good swine breeders scat- 

 tered widely over the South. It is largely due to their 

 efforts and courage that the southern swine industry has 

 developed so rapidly in the past 10 years. They have 

 demonstrated what can be done. They have not only 

 produced pork at a profit, but they have enriched their 

 soils, greatly increased their acre yields, and now have a 

 competence. It is high time that others follow their 

 example. The higher prices of meats in general, the 

 continued depletion of our soils under the one-crop 

 system, the tenancy evil, and the boll weevil menace, are 

 all sufficient reasons in themselves to cause every farmer 

 to enter the field of live stock production. The four 

 combined reasons make either pork production or the 

 beginning of some other form of live stock work an eco- 

 nomic necessity, to which we must acquiesce sooner or later. 



Adaptability of the South for swine production. — The 



South is pre-eminently adapted to pork production for 

 several reasons. In the first place, we can supply feeds 

 for swine cheaper than any other section. We have grass 

 a greater number of days in the year than elsewhere. 

 This is a blessing in disguise, for grass is the basis of any 

 system of live stock farming. The South can have cheap 

 grass in the greatest abundance. The mild climate per- 

 mits a long growing season for cultivated feed crops. 

 Also, the expense of housing and sheds for protection 

 from the elements is not so great as in the more severe 

 climates. Cheap lands are abundant, and most of these 

 are admirably adapted to pork production. The amount 

 of tillable land is ample to produce the forage and other 

 crops. We can grow the greatest variety of forage crops, 

 especially the legumes, which not only supply an abun- 



