The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-06-11
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East tennessee Farmers convention.
From the Nashville Union and American.


The East Tennessee Farmers Con
vention is q permanent organization
Of character, life and usefulness, OF
which Hon. o. p Temple is Presi-
dent, and Mr.. c. w Charlton is Sec
rotary. The Convention, which met
at Knoxville, May 27th, was opened
lay prayer by the Rev G. b. Lord, Of
BIount county While we should
have been better pleased to find a
larger number Of farmers in attend
ance, we were gratifed to see so
many present to take an active part
in the discussion Of those industrial
questions most intimately connected
with agriculture. Judge Temple had
prepared for the occasion an admira-
bic address, fortified by statistics,
showing that, in place Of raising so
much corn and selling it to 20 Off OF
the farm, and generally at a low fig
ure, more land should be in good
pastures and meadows. and more and
better cattle raised, for the purpose
Of making beef and producing butter
and cheese. Grain, hay and grass
consumed on the farm give a great
deal Of manure to keep up. and often
increase the fertility Of land where
As, to sell grain, hay and straw, as Is
eften done, inpOverishes the soil and
fetches less money than to convert
these substances into good meat. or
mules, horses. and dairy products
Glover. orchard grass, herds grass,
timothy and blue grass came IN for
warm commentator, as well as the
Jerseys for butter and the Ayrshire5
for cheese. lie thought farmers
should raise fewer hogs and more
bloOded cattle. II one county in
New York gets four million dollars a I
year for its cheese and butter. thirty
three counties in East Tennessee
should receive eight or ten millions
for the same staples. Agricultural .
colleges, libraries. papers and free I
schools were highly commended to .
public favor. After the Presidents
address, cattle were the first subject .
discussed, as they stand in regard to F..
the production OF beef, milk, butter
and choose; MIR. David Lee opening
the same. Mr.. Lee has been a New
York farmer in former years, coming
to Tennessee since the war from the
great butter county of Duchess. lie /
finds, from experience, that he can
raise grass and clover here as well rs
in New York, while the cost OF win
tering stock is much less. His dairy
pastures are mainly clover, orchard
grass, herds grass and blue grass.
To make a good winter pasture, clio
yer and orchard grass should not be
fed off in the summer season.
Where one wishes to have an orchard
grass pasture, lie should SOW either
clover seed or blue grass seed with
it. A mixture Of grasses is always
better forlneadow or grazing than
any single plant. Mr.. Lee gave the
preference to the short horns for
beef, and to the Ayrshires for giving
milk. Judge Caldwell, Of Bedford
county, made some interesting re-
marks in favor of the feeding quail
ties of half blood stock. They give
Il better return for grass, hay and
grain consumed than our scrub cat
tie Mr. Hubbard, Of jefferson,
thought the scrubs had more friends
in the Convention than any other"
This remark increased the interest
n the debate, which was both ear
nest and extended and without
vote on the subject, the matter was
to a committee, which has
not reported at this writing. Mr.
Lenoir, of Monroe. and other large
farmers participated in the discuss
ion. by resolution or otherwise.
An able essay was read by prac-
teal farmer, Judge Swan, on feeding
and fattening cattle for market To
realize fair profit on the business, 4
the farmer who feeds grain, or rather
meal, (Which is much better than corn
must purchase lean stock
at half the price per pound that he
to receive for the same cat
tie when fatted. 4 thousand pound
steer will eat the meal Of thirty
bushels of corn, and perhaps four
hundred pounds Of hay, to make
GOOD beef Much depends on the
condition and thriftiness OF the ami
mal when put up to fatten. Judge
Swan ties cattle in rows in a stall
with a rope to each, which serves to
lead the beast to water. A good
dry bed Of straw or forest leaves is
provided for every inmate of tue
stable. In this way a large quantity
of valuable manure is formed. The
high price charged by railroads for
freights, is the chief hiudrance to
the extensive practice Of this bust
ness in East Tennessee Cattle are
sent from Kansas to New York by
rail about rs cheap as from Knox