Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-09-27
AGRICULTURAL.
ON BUYING AND STOCKING a
FARM WITH CATTLE.

Ine hrSt oDlcct al lttenliOn, Is 10 con-
s;der the proportion b'-,ween his sock a,ld
the>quaniiy Of feed which will be necessary
20 support them. Tne nature, situation,
ald fertility ofthe soils that compose his
farm arc worthy ofno'ice also the purpose
for which he designs more particularly TO-
rear or feed his cattle; whether for the
pail, or for beef.
In fact, it will be expcdient TO observe
the greatest exactness in this Poporrlon,,
because, ifhe should overstork lis land, he
will BE- compelled to re-seI! before the cat
tie are in fit state for the market, and,
consequently, at certain loss while, ON
the other hand, he will incur loss in his
profit, he should not sock his land with as
many cattle as it will beat.
Formerly, a great prejudice prevailed in
favor of big-boned, large beasts, but It has
been asccrtained, that this breed is, in ,oint
Of profit, much inferior to the lniddlc.sized
kind. By careful attention to the seec-
ion of stock great progress may be made
towards the improvement Of the different
species. Among the various professional
breeders of modern times, few have attain.
ed greater celebrity than the late Mr..
Bakewell Of England, 10 whom we are in.
deb:ed for many new and important i'm
provements in the science Of rearing cattle.
The principle which he invariably adop.
ted was, to select the beast, that would
weigh mos! in the valuable poin !; so that,
while he gained in point Of shape, he also
acquired more hardy brced-By attend.
ing to the kindAness of their skin, he be-
came possessed ola race which was more
easily E,ttencd than any o her.,
For many years the practice was to judge
by the eye only, without regarding the 9th.
er qualities of the animal. But in the,
present improved age, more rational mode
Of forming the judgment has been adopted.
The sense Of touch is now brought in aid Of
the sigh. By repeated practice, tue art OF
judging ofthe kildlinesss TO lauen has been
brought to such perfection, that any well
informed breeder, will tell almos: ins,anta.
ueously, in what poin Scr par 8 they will or
will no, fatten.
la the seIcc ion, therefore, of live stock
in general, the young farmer will find it ne.
cessary aien:ively to consider the following
particulars Beauty or symmetry Of shape
in which the form is 81 compact, tlat
every part of the animal bears IN exact
consistency, while the carcass shoulI be-
deep and broad, and the less VALUABLE. pars.
(sucl as the head, bones, &c. oug',, to-
b. as small as possible. Further, the
shoulders ought not only to BE- light Of
| bone, and rounded off at the lower point,
but also broad and we'll covered with flesh.
The back also ought 10 be wide and level
throughout.
In rearing Evs stock Of any description,
it should be an inyariable rule to have the
increase from small. boned, straight backed,
healthy. clean, kindly-skinned, round bod
led, and barrel. I.shaped animals.
In the purchasing Of cattle, whether in a
lean or fat state, the farmer should on no
account buy beasts out Of richer or better
grounds than these into which he intends
to turn them. For, in this case. he mus.
inevitably sustain very material loss, by
the cat,lo not thriving, particularly il they
be old. 1t will. therefore, ~ advisable To-
select them, ether from stock feeding l.,
the neighhorhood, or from such breeds ;ss
are best adapted to the nature ami situation
ofthc soil.
Docility ofd;sposikon, withou, being
deficient in spirit, is Of equal moment. 10.
dependeatIy ofthc damage committed by
cattle Of wild tempers ON fences fields, &c.
it is fact, that tame beass require less food
to rear, support and fattcn them ceuse-
qrnnly every attention ought to b. paid,
early to accustom them 10 be docilc and
familiar.
Hardness q constitution, particularly in
tleak and exposed dis rc!s, is indeed a most
important requisite. In every case it is
highly essential to a farmers interest to
have breed that is liable neither 10 disease
nor 10 any hereditary distemper.
Connected with hardness Of constitution
is cariy maturity. This, however, can only
be attained by feeding cattle in such man.
ner as 10 keep them constantly in grow.
/ ing state. b. an observance Of this prin.