Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-02-22
The Right Breeds of Cattle for the West
ern Farmer.


FROM 'he Nhicago Republican.
The question is often asked what
kinds or breeds of stock are most
profitable for the Western farmer to
raise!?
There are only three uses or pur-
poses in stock raising, to-wit: Beet.
dairy products, and working oxen.
Beef has been the main interest. and
hence the short horn stock has in
the past been the ruling breed. and
undoubtedly is yet in the general es-
timation. But this preference has,
most likely, soon TO undergo a
change, in part at least.
The rapidly developing spirit for
dairying, and the great and sure
profit of the business, when well
started and conducted, is bound to
bring itself rapidly into notice, and
this line of business calls for rood
cows in large numbers. Cows that
give good milk, and good quantities
of it, and for good long season.
Such and such only are the cows
that pay in dairying; and Durham
fat is not TIE style that deveIopes
such COWS as rule, the cow that
takes on fat gives little milk.
Neither are any Of our native grades
of cows Of much account, except in
isolated cases, and cannot be depend
ed upon, rs whole. But the expe-
rience of good dairymen, both in this
country and Great Britain, point first
and last to the Alderny and Jersey
stock, as the mixers, for good and
rich milk, and fair quantities of it
rather small and slender in appear
ance, almost fawn-like, in fact, still
they are among the best for milk.
But the nearest we can readily at
tain to such stock in large quantities,
is 10 cross Thorn upon our best native
grades. thus somewhat charging the
animal, and still retaining enough Of
the foreign blood to secure good
mixers.
The Devon, upon our native stock,
is also fair mixer, fair beeve, and
first rate, handsome and good
working OK. Still, so far as cows
are wanted mainly for dairy purpos-
es, the Alderney and Jersey crosses
are the right ones.
But what of it all !? asks some i'm
patient reader, ere this. Just this
grow them, if you continue to raise
stock to profit, in the West; you will
soon learn that cows are the stock
that will pay you best, either to keep
or sell. The time is close at hand, if
it has not already arrived, when q
first class cow will bring more money
in proportion to her cost than any of
the horned tribe. A good COW is
good fora product of from $50 to SIS
per annum, and still good as ever.
Not so with steer or OK. Upon an
ordinary farm, some can work them,
to be sure, but few can to advantage
or satisfaction, except upon woody,
stumpy farms and prairie breakings
Yes, farmers and communities,
who mean to be up to, and just a
little ahead of the times, will do well
to start, no matter how soon, to get
up the right kind of calves, and to
grow good cows, and instead of going
wholly on the Durham, switch in the
Alderney and Jersey bull, the very
best you can get and be sure and
get the best good neighborhoods
can easily afford it, in fact they can
not afford to DO anything else so we'll
a good bull in the neighborhood,
and good common cows, selected for
him, and how soon the 500 cows
and heifers VIII be multiplying
around in abundance.
Look to the quality of your grass
es and hay, at the same time, and
see that they are also brought up to
the right standard, and how soon a
first-class cheese or butter factory
can be started with everything all
right, and success sure. What farm
err, what neighborhood, would not be
proud of having hand in bringing
about such result. Such products
can be sent to market at frem three
to six per cent. of their value, while
wheat, the great folly of tie West,
costs from forty to sixty per cent. of
the crop to market it and after rail-
road consolidation has gone little
further, it will take seventy-fve per
cent. Of the whert crop to market il,
leaving bare existence to the
wheat-grower. Farmers should do
what thep can to avoid these evils,
which are already too large for them
to control
Texas cattle can now be driven in
to Kansas until March, aud large ar
mics are said to be on the way.
There are reported to be from three
to four times rs many head of cattle
IN Texas now as at the close Of the
war, which goes to show how rapid
ly they can be produced there. Then
the mild climated Indian country,
vast in extent, and rich in good,
sweet grasses, is much of il rapidly
filling up with settlements; and the
main business of all that country will
be TO grow stock ; either started first
from Texas, or raised outright by
themselves, even the latter can be
done at the least item of cost. All
these causes, so rapidly developing,
must, in the ond, as we have before
said, make beef stock too cheap to
he proftably produced in cold win
ter climates, requiring feed, care, and
shelter.
To BAKE BEANs.-Boil quart of
white beans in two or three quarts of
mill tIo,,