Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-05-07

recognized and applauded. Still, thorough.
bred stock has not been very extensively
introduced. Go into any farming commu-
nifty, and the men who have full-blooded
stock Of any kind are the exception, aud not
the rule. But high grades are not at all
uncommon. More or less of the blood Of
improved breeds is in the veins of nearly all
farm stock, except where old prejudices root
deeply and are very hard to remove.
As the case now stands, both the thorough
breds and natives are comparatively scarce,
while the country is full ofgrades Of various
degrees Of merit. As general rule, those
sections which are the best supplied with
blooded stock, or the high grades, are the
ones in which the various departments Of
live stock business are the most profitable.
There may be exceptions, but we always
expect the dairy business to pay the best
where the best cows are kept. Sheep hus-
bandry does not pay well when only inferior
animals are kept, and the pork business pays
the best when the best breeds Of hogs are
grown. The better the stock the greater
the profit.
The inquiry then arises why thorough
bred stock has not been more extensively
disseminated. One reason may be found in
the fact that farmers, and many dairymen,
do not realize how much superior to the
stock they now have the thoroughbreds are.
And many of the grades which are kept in
good locations are very meritorious animals
They have so much of the improved blood,
and are so productive, that the owners are
very well satisfied with them, and have lit
tie desire to change. But the main reason
is to be found in the immense cost of blood
ed stock. The ordinary farmer may be
fully convinced that thoroughbreds are very
much better than the stock which he has,
and wish that he was able to change for the
improved breeds but he is met at once by
the insuperable objection that he has not the
means with which to do it. He cannot pay
from two to FIVE hundred dollars each for
COWS, twenty to one hundred dollars apiece
for sheep, or ten dollars each for sucking
pigs. He cannot pay the market prices.
But if the farmer will take time, have
patience, and use proper care, he can, with
no great outlay, greatly improve his farm
stock. If he cannot have thoroughbreds,
let him do the next best thing, and get Just
as good stock as he can. Let him watch
the market. Occasionally first class animals
are for sale very low. The owner has a
surplus stock, or does not want to breed in
and-in so much, and buyers not being plen-
ty, he will put the price low. 1t also fre-
quently happens that stock which is very
good, almost full-blooded, can be bought at
reasonable figures. The only proper way to
improve stock without breeding pure is to
cross full.blooded males upon the best COM
mon cows. If dairying is the business which
is to be carried on, two or more really good
cows, well formed, hardy, and in perfect
health, should be obtained. They should
be selected with reference to the particular
department of the business which is to re.
ceive attention. If nice butter is wanted,
the Jerseys if milk is to he sold, the Ayr
shires while if butter, milk, veal, and beef
are each and all demanded, the Shorthorns
will answer the purpose we'll. These cows
should be well fed, and receive careful atten-
ton. If there is no opportunity to hire oue
a good Thoroughbred bull should be obtain
ed. Having good cows and pure-bred
bull, the calves ought to be fine, and the
heifers should be raised. Although not ab-
solutely certain, yet it is highly probable
that they will inherit the good qualities Of
both parents, and with the sole exception of
breeding purposes, be stock. Rightly man.
aged, the stock department is one of the
most profitable in the whole line OF the
farmers business but to insure success good
stock is an absolute necessity-Record and
Farmer.