Nebraska advertiser., 1868-02-20
MOarEszz EEB-, Feb. nth, 1858.

MoNrEBzE NEB- Feb. 18th, 1858.
Nr. Editor: Observing hat your paper has an
Agricultural Department, ana that some pf ny
farmer friends ere writing for publication their
views upon matters coming under their OBSERVE
ton, I though il not improper to write Jon a lev
facts, and then Isazs the matter at yOur discretion
as to whether tbes are Of sufficient inter est to your
readers to pay for publishing or not.
Farmers toll hard through the summer to raise
their corn, wheat, oats and hay, and gather the
products 10 70 cribs in the falL and surely ought to
realize all they are worth or viii bring in the best
market, or should convert them into that which
will nav them the best when sold. Our farmers, By
The present system in vogue, are supporting from
three 10 four big, stout, lazy men, in each little
town On the river, who style themselves grain
buyers. Yes, I might go farther ard say they are
taxed, or tax themselves, heavily, not only to fur
nish these grain-buyers With 8 living, cigars,
whisky. and fancy livery teams and top buggies,
but they pay steam boat eaptains and deck hands
large sums annually, which we're be tier kept in
the pockets Of the farmers, or paid out for some
thing to improve the farm.
and now I propose to show you what they would
tax a farmer of my capacity but 1 can't " see it."
so 1 save the money for other purposes. I had
last fall, in q good state Of preservation, forty tons
Of bay, and about three thousand bushels Of corn
for sale, twenty. i've miles frOmths Missouri river.
The river has been frozen up al this time 50 we're
/ over 50 much inclined, could not take my grain
there in the only tina Of the year which I have to
spare for that purpose. Some other mode Of dis
posing Of the same must be resOrted to. I took
from q drove Of cattle thirty hsadaf oxen, and
agreed to feed them from the first day Of Novsm
Der to the first day Of May, all the corn and hay
they viii eat. The cattle were weighed to me at
four cents per pound, and I am to weigh them back
to the owners at Eve cents per pound, gross, on the
first day Of May next. This I calculate is equiva-
lent to nine cents fOz each additional pound I
make them weigh in the spring over their fall
weight. The additional weight per OK win at a
low estimate be three hundred pounds. I bought
sixty hogs to run in the same yard with the cattle
at FIVE dollars a peace. Now for the fgures:
80 head Of cattle at 800 b per head, will
produce 5000 b Of beef, at 9 cts. per ID,
contract price 10000. .SSl0,O0
60 head Of hogs. at $50 b perhead, win pro-
duce $4,000 b. of pork, which at 5 cents
per b will amount to -. 10000
FOtarincome I $4,000
Cash for so shoats 300.0 90
1900 bushels Of corr, at 40 cts per bushel. 720 90
80 tons Of hay, at SIS per On..-."-r'.-- 10000
Total expense -. l,l10,O
Clean profits $4,000
The expense Of feeding is about the same % that Of
haulin g grain Co market.
Now, | thing this 1890 is about the tax each
farmer in Richardson county has to pay for the
support of these middle men, or in the aggregate
about 100000 annually. But, thank God, they
don't live BY the sweat of my brow, to any large
extent.
The manure they make is worth more to me than
the cost of feeding the cattle and you viii OBJ
serve that this process Of d~ispOsing Of my hay and
grain teaves,my farm still in the State Of Nebraska.
Now as economy is my aim and study, ! would be
glad if my Of your readers would give US a cheaper
and a better plan to ship their hay and grain to
market.
1 am your regular subscriber,
WILLIAM HALL.