The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-06-27
The Stock Question.

Ihere Is cOmmeuuaUte ucSiiS ou eHo P"lS
of many planters throughout the cotton States,
20 improve their breeds of cattle, sheep and
hogs. by the introduction of imported or tho
roughbred animals: Many whom we know,
have,g gone to considerable expense and trouble
to procure valuable breeding animals. Some
propose to raise the pure imported stock alone,
and have banished from their enclosures all the
common.bIooded animals, male and female, OF
the kind; to avoid all possibility of deteriora-
ton. Others, and the greater number, have.
introduced the pure or thoroughbreds among
their common stock, of whatever kind, mean
ing to improve the latter, by crossing with the
former. This is the more feasible, and we
think the wisest plan to adopt, since our COM
mon breeds, whether of cattle, sheep or hogs
have all certain good and essential qualities OF
healthfuness and thrift in our climate, which
It is desirable to retain in the grades. Too
many of the imported animals of either kind
when bred pure, retrogradei in quality, or prove
unthrifty in the South, and some degenerate to,
or below the level of our common stocks.
BY crossing the best specimens OF our own
stocks upon imported thoroughbreds, of desira--
Bile quality, we get progeny that is great
improvement on what we have before ihad, and
isaf the same time at home with us, needing
no acclimatlop, and no risk Incurred as to their
doing we'll.
We know several stocks of cattle, that have
improved by the introduction of, pure Durham
or Alderney bulls upon good common COWS,
and the whole stock brought up by careful
breeding, to value four times that of the
original stock. Likewise fiocks of sheep have
been made from Inferior to prime, healthy,
heavy feeced animals, by few years breeding
from the Spanish Merino, orSouthdown bucks;
herds of swine of the lean pike-ncse razor
back species, to q round, easy fattened, and at
the same time healthy, thrifty breed, by mixed
breeding, of the Essex and Buckshire boars
and in some cases also by the Chester White
boars, though the white breeds of hogs do not
equal the black, in our climate.
To pursue such course with the stock on
plantation, involves care and expense, and sew
al wears of wa.chful patience. Those who un-
dertake it deserve credit, for they work good to
the community, and do it under many difficult
ties. The condition of the stock laws in the
Southern States is a great obstacle 10 contend
against, and in some circumstances operates as
q bar against the introduction of valuable ami
mails as breeders. Every farm and plantation
in the South has its runty bull or two below
ing over the open felds-its two or three sandy
boar pigs, all nose and saddle bags and no body
on which to breed bacon-its miserable ragged
scrimpy, half naked rams and in addition to
these very often, marsh bred and ugly poin-
ted stallion or maybe, an equally clsgrace1ul
lack. These male animals roam at large, and
disseminate their seed throughout all the stock
in the pastures, like the seeds of poisonous
weeds and thistles. No mans cattle, or hogs,
OF, sheep are free from them, unless closely
pehned up. If any one farmer in county
wishes to improve his. own stock, hemust fence
in his pastures vigorously, with double precau..
tions to keep such ramblers as Theses out, and
his own stock in. Any accident Of storm or
wind, or any carelessness with gates or bars
may admit such casualty of mis-breeding as
will destroy all his hopes of keeping his stock
pure.
There can be nc general Improvement of our
stock that will reach the country at large, so
long as the pastures and road-sides abound in
male animals of no blood or value, that are
tnrned loose to aefeat every select or careful
breeding The remedy lies in such laws as
will compel every man to keep his own stock
n his own pastures, under heavy penalties,
with perhaps such tax on all stations, bulis,s
rams and boars, as will make poor breeders not,
worth the keeping, and thus bring good breed
ers into repute and demand. Certainly there
is small inducement now, of security offered to
enc who would spend several hundred dollars
10 get good animals for his own herds, and yet
incur all the risk of having his plans defeated
by rambling, worthless breeds that infest the
fields and roads of the country.-Banner Of the
South e. Planters Journal.