Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-07-31
Agricultural.
Getting re ID, lor the Cattle show.

From EraaIe;'s Farm Talk.
Getting re .dy ior the Cattle Show.
Oar County Agricultural Society annual
fairs and cattle shows. or exhibitions. are
very powerful Influences towards ele'atins
and lettering the condition Of the common
farmer. and advancing the cause OF agrlcuI-
ture, if they are properly conducted. bu'
that's what the matter. loo many OF theIh
are made the vehicle for setting forth the
peculiar ideas of certain men. and TOO many
more are conducted in manner not IN accoI-
dance with the intentions OF the act moor
,,,-atiur then. One makes lowelsa special
ify. another fayors sheep. ami good many
..run all II horse. horse walking, trottlng.
,p5 racing. with al the usual concomitants,
.-intemrer7nce. gambling. and immoralitlcs.
But we are glad to say, that hOrse-raclng.
in connection with our agricultural eXhibl-
ti,ns. II every year growing less frequent,
and the leading farmers and agricultural
papers in the country are taking firm and
decided stand against it.
This matter Of cattle shows was brought
to nv mind yesterday while over 10 neighbor
Smiths He is preparing for the cattle
show in fact, has been preparing for the
last six months. He has been getting ready
at the rate Of a little less than dollar day
The particular line in which Smith VIII ex-
hibit this year is in bulls He il raising a
bull calf which. he says, he ''is bound shall
take the shine Off anything in our county,
and it is my private opinion he Will get the
premium. You see. last February. one Of
Smiths COWS dropped a large bull calf, and
be Immediately conceived the idea Of making
a premium animal out OF him. - he has
had the milk of the dam, and also most OF
the milk Of another COW. all summer, and as
a consequence has grown rapidly. being now
about the size of one of my yearlngs smith
has taken the very best care Of him. feeding
plenty Of grass, and what meal he would eat,
and now he is "a miracle of size and iatness.
What DO You think of BIN 2 said Smith
to me, looking admirinely at bis bovine pet.
He large, certainly. and sleek too
Wont he make splendid bull
swell. be looks ike 1t but you can
Away. tell when they are 30 young.
That was as fully as dared ind1r>e smith 2
opinion When remembered that the calf 2
sire was '--eruh' bull, and the dam only a
common native, ! knew That nine chances To-
one the calf would make an inferior stock
animal This is why We need hlo5dcd OF
thoroughbred animals for stock getting or
breeding they almost invariably mark their
.-get" with their own valuable pccullariie7
and characteristics. whereas, If a natl1c-bred
bull he used Doe be- never So wcll-iormed and
fine au animal. his offspring are likely to
..cry back o. bic scrub parentage. These
are facts. well grounded. and should be daily
Needed DIS every stock raiser, be his special
itv cattle. horses. sheep. or swine.
But Smith 5 bun calf VIII receive the first
premium. and a good deal OF praise gratis.
There's no doubt in my mind about that.
vet the question comes up. VIII It P0y
.-Ay. there's the rub. ! asked Smith
GLOW do your pig grow -
They don't seem to grow very fast.
Takes an awful sight Of milk for pigs.
Butter is pretty well up, ism IL
Don't know haven't sold any this sum
mcr. Been feeding the calf, you know.
That shows where the shoe pinche,. But
Smith has got fine, YES, an extra bull calf.
and viii get the premium. and perhaps a
..diplomv That's a a foregOne conclu-
sion. Tie wise and tar-seeing committee on
..bulls. COWS. and heiicrs. viii view Smith f
specimen of adiposc matter with a look of
wisdom and knowledge which only commit
tee men can assume and pronounce favor
ably. for fat GOES a great ways in their opin-
ion. and. like wealth. covers a multitude of
sins and deiormities
Thus fat and size are made the criterion
and this false idea prevails extensively, as
witness the decisions of too many of the
..iudres at our annual cattle shows. Do