Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-20
FARM AND GARDEN.
RAISING AND FSTrENING NEAT
CATTLE.


CATTLE.
The Boston CultiUator says. not more
than the thirtieth part of the cattle
slaughtered at Brighton, for Boston
consumption, is raised in New En-.
gland. This is remarkable fact, and
shows how much farmers of the West
and South have the advantage over
those of the comparatively poor North
ern States in producing choice beef
for all New England manufacturing
and commercial towns and cities. The
GbattOir, or slaughtering establishment,
has cost half million dollars; and, as
beef Is easily kept for months in the
best refrigerators, there is reason TO
believe it may be taken in steam
ers from Boston to Liverpool.
for consumption in England. When
Englishmen of capital are purchas-
ing land by the 100000 acres
In western Kansas and Colorado for
raising beef cate and fat sheep for
English markets, we who are nearly a
thousand miles nearer those markets.
and IN far better climate, may at least
study the great meat question as a
branch of farm industry.
Too many farmers fail to read the
newspapers and keep posted in the
progress of agricultural and CONNER
cial enterprise. To raise lean cattle
with much bone and little flesh don't
pay, because it robs the soil of the cost
ly stuff that make bones, wheat and
cotton, makes the land and its owner
poor, for the poor brute brings no
money. The fatter the beast the more
cheap air and water in the carcass, and
the less earthly matter to be returned
to mother earth.
Analize this beef problem. One poor
COW sold for beef at two cents a pound
may weigh 400 pounds and give the
farmer eight dollars. Three young fat
heifers of small bone will contain no
more bone material than the COW, yet
they weigh an average of 400 pounds
each, sell for four cents a pound, and
bring the farmer SIC instead of So.
The young stock secure quick return
of capital, and, if necessary, two dol
lars may be paid from the SIC to pur-
chase superphosphates and form the
bones of more heifers. Mean, poor
cattle can only be raised at loss to
the soil, and to the State where such
folly is perpetrated. 1t is a waste of
labor and OF fertility.
There may be ten wrong ways to do
a thing to one right way. All indus
trial operations are ike sums in arith-
metic. Nine times nine may be thought
to make many other numbers
than 81; but are they right
As man may be mistaken in his
arithmetic, so he may be in his farm
ing calculations. Everywhere people
who have money to pay for beef great
ly prefer a good article. Why not
meet this universal demand for first
class shipping steers and heifers, fat
COWS and oxen? No other will bear
transportation to any city on the Hud-
son river, or east of II.
By using short-horn bulls to improve
our common stock, and pushing calves
from birth, we may DON have two year
old steers and heifers that will weigh |
1000 pounds, and sell for fifty and |
sixty dollars a head. With cheap
transportation, either the farms of |
New York, New England and old Eng |
land must fall greatly in value, or ours
rise to double the price which they
now sell for. Our lands willappreciate
while theirs will hold all the advance
attained.
We often see trains of three cent So
called beef cattle leave Nashville or
Edgefeld for Northern markets. This
Tennessee stock should bring the pro-
ducer at least five cents a pound live
weight, and should be worth the money:
Better bluegrass and orchard grass
pastures, and ten times more of them,
with the best English blood IN the
veins Of our best native animals, would
soon change the whole character of our
agriculture and population. Three |
thousand years ago Jacob knew how to
breed speckled cattle, and we ought to
know as much as stock raisers IN his |
time. Our stock and poor pastures do /
not belong 10 the age of steamships, |
railways, and Geographic diffusion of |
knowledge. |