Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-02-08
For the American.
Stock Running at Large.


INTENDED as an attack on the opinions of
friend Justice" on the same subject, so
much as an expression Of thoughts long
entertained, and which his brief remarks
lre-awakened. More recently find him
again in the field as an advocate for the
ancient system of grazing. 1t may not be
amiss to say just here, that as / have no
guess who ~ is, / could not, in M for
mer article, Rave intended to be personal;
my characters were assumed without
thought that my friend would find any
thing in himself that he or anybody else
would recognize as indicating one of the
originals. If lie wM claim the likeness,
am sorry, that's all.
But tc tho points made in his last. As
he seems disposed to abandon the highway
question. l will pass to the thousands of
unfenced lands which he thinks ought to
be pastured. so say l; Of course they ought
to be, and by their respective owners; and
lust here is where we differ. He wants
his hogs to eat my acorns, and beech and
hickory nuts, and / want them to eat has,
and has corn too. bought my land for
my use, and not for his l grant there is
much wood land not fenced, but most of
it ought to be, and soon would be, under
the operation of ruch STRAW ss I advocate
as the owners would not be long in dis
covering il to be their interest, aud this is
precisely the state Of things in any COM
munity Of good farmers; at all events, |
have 70 found it. cannot agree with
him that our wealth in cattle is greater
noto than it would be if every man was
required to Craze his own land. The rub
Dish and small timber would be removed
from much Of the timber land, if inclosed,
as some farmers are already doing; thus
Igreatly increasing the quantity and qualify
Of the grass, and afording the means of
keeping far more stock than now. have
the proof of this every day before me.
Another item of bad economy, in those
who feed stock whilst running at large, is
the loss Of the droppings How many
are there who think of this source of
wealth, when they see the roads almost
black with this invaluable fertilizer. The
rains and winds soon dissipate the most
Of it, and it is forever lost, and this when
the soil is growing poorer every year, from
the abstraction of its productive power, a
part Of which is thus foolishly wasted by
its thoughtess owner.
Many observing farmers contend that,
il the produce of land be fed upon it. it
will increase in fertility, and l am not
prepared to disprOve it. Look at the ef-
feet Of feeding corn crop to hogs on the
land which produced it, or on an equal
number of acres The land really seems
to grow better. doubt not that saving
Of from 5 to 10 bushels of corn per acre
may be gained By such coursc-not that
the annual yield would be increased by
that much above its production, at the
beginning Of the experiment, but that it
would be saved from running down."
and so increased in fertility as to be ben
Gifted to the extent named. Twenty five
millions Of dollars is low estimate of the
value Of the corn crop Of this State this
year. Estimating tho ier;ilizing proper
ties at D per cent. OF the value OF the feed,
We would have more than one million Of
dollars; counting only one-half as being
fed, we have more than six hundred thou
sand dollars as the yearly value of the
crop as fertilizer; a very considerable
part of which my friend would waste, un
der his ancient regime, or devote TO the
production Of burs, jamestown weeds, and
dog icnnel. | do not propose TO abandon
the grazing Of the wood lands, but to
greatly increase their production. The
question how to retain and increase the
fertility Of the soil, is one big with interest
to ourselves and the generations to come.
aud the man who wo1ld discourage or
suppress thoughts or inquiry on this sub
ject is no friend to his country or race.
Another thought. The value Of stock
depends much on its qualify. 1t is easily
proven, and perhaps will not be disputed,
that well fattened hogs of the best breeds,
ut maturity, are worth 20 per cent. more
than ordinary kinds; and the same is true
Of sheep and cattle; indeed. our census
tables would bear me out in saying 80 per
cent. l need not enter into particulars
TO prove that no man can be successful in
improving his stock who permits it to run
at large, and this friend j knows, or ought
to know as well as l. l have yet to find
the first successful stock breeder who does
not, as general rule, keep his stock in
his fields or stables; and | apprehend |
would DO thought very stupid for asking
the reasons, as they are so apparent.
AS to what majority OF J "a neighbors
might say on the question at issue be-
tween US, do not know. presume diff
feront communities would arrive at differ
cut conclusions, as they do, from the same
premises often, on almost every question.
But DO not, for one moment, believe
that the majority OF our people, after care
fully examining the subject, would agree
with friendJ.
Should We, however, choose them as
umpires in our controversy, shall insist
that the habits, moral standing, and the
degree Of piety Of lny friend, ought not, in
any way, affect his argument on this ques
ton. Whether be, like his new tangled
stock, takes his drinks from jug. or from
glass at fashionable bar, or whether he
INDUCES in the critter at all; whether he
prays siunding or kneeling, or doesn't pray
1T oil, except for more unincosed land,
and liiploy county swine, to taAe up the
second row Of potatoes, through his neigh.
boris fence, thus "extending .ho area OF
freedom or whether he silly insinuates
how great are his charities, whilst indug
ing IN very uacharitoLie remarks about
Others; all these side issues, | wall con-
| ta,I aksH uct h. nged a oo,nsf NV f~.and