American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-08-21

lost all they possessed except the clothes
on their backs. Not single Europe
an or natise Christian is left alive in
Delhi or i'll the neighborhood." .3
REARING CATTLE FOR BEEF. S
J. What is the cause of the high price
OF beef? How long will the present
rates continue? These questions are
asked every day, and it is natural they
should be, when as according to our
last quotations, cattle sell on the foot
at from 80 to $40 per hundred. In
relation to the first question, there are
several reasons why beef is high. L.
The profits of making butter and cheese
have been such for few years past,
that in many sections where beef was
formerly an object, everything has Civ.
en- place to the dairy. Calves are on
ly reared with refernce to this. In ma
ny neighborhoods the dairyman rear
no stocks at all, but buy their own COWS
from distance to fill the places Of
those which are worn out. The calves
even are not fatted for veal--hundreds
every year being deaconed, ii. c. knock
ed in the head, and consigned to the
compost heap, almost as soon as they
are born. This increase of the dairy.
ing business has taken place more or
less in all tho New England States, in
New York, Pennsylvania, and north
ern Ohio. 2. The rapid settlement of
the new Western States, including Cal
ifornia and Oregon, has made great
demand for cattle as breeding stock for
the settlers. This has greatly lessen
ed the number which would otherwise
been turned to beef. 3. The inferior
character of the last corn crop in the
West--defciency by drouth and dam,
age by frost-dcprived the farmers to
some extent of fattcning their CATTLE
4. The exposure which many of the
western cattle are obliged to endure in
winter, with poor feeding causes great
loss-not only in flesh, but loss of life.
The emigrant credits the land specula-
tors story of a "mild climate" and
goes to Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Min
ncssota or Nebraska, with an idea that
his cattle will fatten all winter on the
prairie grass, and is only convinced Of
the deception when he finds the car.
cass of his animals frozen on the bleak
and snow covered plains. .'.. D
These cause have been operating till
there is of course a scarcity of the ma
terial for making beef. The atten-
tion of farmers is now somewhat arous.
ed to the subject. They are compar-
ing the prices of beef with those of
milk, butter, and cheese, and are con
sidering whether the former is not
worthy of more attention than it has
heretofore received. .'.. .....
AS to the second question, it will be
sometime before there will be a glut in
the beef market. Cattle cannot be
multiplied as rapidly as swine. If pork
is scarce one year, it may be plenty
the next by simply raising all the pigs
that come, and fattening them at six
to twelve months old. Sheep too will
increase much more rapidly than cat
tie, and two years will give market
able article of mutton. But good beef
cannot be had under three or four
years from the start. Cattle may be
killed at an earlier day and their flesh
may be called beef, but it is far from
having the flavor or nutriment of that
OF moro mature animals and the doc
tors tell us is less wholesome.
On the whole, We think some per.
sons may at least be made to under
stand-that The tendency to fattcn in
cattle is really desirable quality. 1t
has been kept too much in the back
ground. That is, cattle, whose lead
ing traits was fattenihg, have not been
as highly appreciated, in many cases,
as they ought to have been. We would
by no means have the dairy breeds
give place every where to beef breeds.
Every farmer should consider what he
can do to the best advantage. If lie
is certain that he can do best ut dairy
ing let him take breed whose most
prominent characteristics adapt them
to that purpose. II is not advisable
that he should take beef breed and
try to make u superior milk breed out
OF 1t. Neither is it advisable that he
should try to combine all qualities in
one breed. Let each be cultivated for
Q aspocific object, and brought to the
highest practicable standard in refer.
encc to that object, Whether it be milk
or beef 1T q farmer who breeds fat.
tenlng stock wants better dairy COW
than his own herd affords, let him buy
of a breeder Of dairy stock. On the
other hand, the breeder of dairy stock
may buy bis oxen and beef cattle Of one
whose object is toproducc these in per.
lection. Boston Caltivator.