The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-09-26

tant way, which i 70 improve the condi-
ton Of our farms We purchase no
artificial feed, except rarely Western corn
meal The vast quantities of cotton-seed
and oil-seed cake produced 60 past our
doors, and sent abroad to be used BY The
English farmers, whose example has here
been used as an illustration Of the moral
we design 70 point American farmers
merely feed, and do not fatten. 1t is the
faitening animal that leaves behind il the
richest manure; the feeder carries away
with il the most valuable parts Of it's food,
(the phosphates,) and leaves manure
behind it which is comparatively weak and
poor in fertilizing agents. To have the
best effect in both ways, in weight Of car
cass and value Of manure, the feeding
must be high,
There is ample scope for this division
Of labor in feeding cattle to be carried out
to vastly increased extent. Noone need
fear that, by and by, or before he can re-
alize return for his investment, the mar
ket may be oyerstocked and prices fall.
The beef market cannot be oyerstocked in
many years, nor the market for mutton, il
only real mutton is produced, instead Of
the poor excuse therefor we now produce.
Stock feeding is the safest business the
farmer can engage I'M safer than hops, or
tobacco, or fruit, or any other special crops
that are 50 attractive to them. Stock and
dairy products can hardly keep even with
the increased demand during the next
quarter Of century, if they ever overtake
the demand consequent upon the increase
Of population and manufacturing industry.
Already the consumers Of America are
threatened with brisk competition in
their own markets by those of Europe,
and facts point to an effective one ere long.
II would seem then that we could not
err in holding out every iuducement to an
increased production of meat. We have
every necessary and facility therefor.
There are abundant and cheap grazing
lands at the West, where beef may be
raised for three cents per pound. We
saw, this Spring, several hundred herd
sold in Western Kansas at Eve cents per
pound. The business Of stock raising
there must then be very profitable. A
section Of land may be purchased in the
Arkansas or Platte Valleys on long credit
for Eve dollars per acre. Abundant per-
ennial pasture, with abundant water, may
be had around any chosen section for many
years for nothing, The purchased section
would furnish pasture, or food and shelter
and water during Winter. Texan or
Cherokee stockers or heifers for breeding,
can be bought for seven or eight dollars
per head, and If crossed with shorthorn
blood, will make greatly improved cattle,
which must be greatly more profitable than
the lanky Texans. This is the promise
aout West" In the central States there
is vast possibility for corn for many
years to come, and the experience of the
past few years will probably lead to a
much more extensive consumption Of corn
by beef cattle. 1t is in the East that the
system Of farming must undergo the great
est change to become adapted to profitable
stock farming. The usual rotation must
be changed somewhat, and more clover or
grass, with one crop of roots, should be
interposed. Instead Of grass, corn, oats,
wheat, a rotation Of grass or clover, corn,
roots, (mangels or beets being the most
suitable --or we may substitute for the
roots, rape, peas, vegetables or similar
fodder-oats or barley, clover, wheat,
clover or grass should be adopted thus
adding two fodder crops and placing them
between the three grain crops, and making
seven years rotation instead Of one Of Eve
years. This would add greatly to the
feeding capacity Of the farm and to the
production of manure. The employment
Of more working capital would be rendered
necessary for the purchase Of stock and
supplies Of artificial food and fertilizers,
which would be proftably used to increase
the crops. II is enough to say that the
possibility Of doing this business easily
and proftably has been satisfactorily prov
ed. We have in mind more than one
American farmer who has found abundant
success in farming on such system, and
the experience Of the writer himself fully
bears out the statements made, and abun-
dainty promises the results foreshadowed
herein. --NeT Fork Times.