South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-11-26

-" W Souteiu Win tnts changed
con iition of the world? Does no not
perceive that. like every other trade. oc.
cupation. and business of life. he must Al.
SO look To co-operative strength and asso.
ciatet power TO protect and defend his
interests? Can he, whilst all others are
combining into societies 10 advance their
peculiaren be safe in standing single.
handed and alone to cope with the uni.
tel energies and corporate mon opolies
which everywhere surround himl Do
they not further teach Us the Importance
OF the strictest economy. of the most in.
te!ligcnt application TO our farms of me.
chanical and animal labor. AMI of the
necessity OF compelling a reduction of
local transports so that it shalt no
longer consume the one haiti OF the hard.
earned fruits of his labor? In the face
OF such facts, can we close our eyes to
those wonderful discoveries i'm chemistry
and mechanics which are every day re-.
veaiing some important secret of Nature.
and giving birth TO inventions calculated
to increase the fertility of the soil, and
cheaper the cost of production?
Now let me say word about the great
| cattle-grazing region which is reached
alter crossing the forks of the Platte.
This country embraces belt of land n.
bout four hundred miles in width. and
from seven 10 eight hundred in length,
north and south. 1t forms vast plain.
gradually rising until. ut Cheyenne, it
reaches an elevation of six thousand feet
above the level of the ocean. II is laid
down in our school books and maps "a
the Great American Desert. In some
sense this country may be properly char
acterized as desert, for il is, indeed, n
vast solitude in which not tree nor q
shrub nor human habitation for hundreds
of miles gladdcus the eye. 1t is inca.
pable of being cultivated, or of prodn-
cling grain or vegetables of any kind
Ihls results not SO much from the intrin
sic steriIity Of the soil, rs from the ali.
sence of rainfall. The clouds that are
formed from the evaporation of the Pa
citic Ocean, rs they pass eastward are,
10 use an expression. familiar TO every
farmer here, MIXED by the lofty SUBMITS
of the Neyadias, and pour their streams
down the western declivities of those
mountains Few pass east OF the sum
mts of The Rocky Mountains, and if
they do, their moisture has been extrac.
ted from them.and their III lers are dry.
Now these vast plains, so incapable OF
being cultivated in grain, are, by bene-
iicent arrangement OF Providence, one
of the most remarkable pastoral regions
upon this continent. Everywhere, there
grows upon its surface aspecies OF grass
called the bunch or buffalo grass, which
possesses the most nutritious qualities,
and which cures upon lis stalk more per.
iectly than any hay could be cnt and
cured by the art OF man. II is upon this
grass that millions of huifaloes have been
feeding and fattening for ages past. As
these animals are becoming extinct, and
as the Indian titles of occupation to
these vast solitudes are being surrender.
Ell, those plains are being covered by
countless herds of cattle, feeding and
lattenlng 10 supply the military posts
indian agencies. and also the markets OF
Omaha, Chicago, and other cities. This
grass continues in its cured state the
entire year, winter and summer, and
cattle fatten upon it as they would upon
grain. / learned when | was there that
there were not less than three hundred
thousand cattle pasturing between the
forks Of the Platte and the Rocky Noun.
tains. Now the most of these cattle are
reared in tho western part Of Texas. and
driven from there in herds Of twenty-five
hundred 10 the Platte. where they find
purchasers IN the government contract
or5 and ranche-men OF the plains. They
usually reach the Platte by July, and
when pastured four months upon those
plains, they become very good beef. If
kept over the winter. until the following
summer or fall. they become rs ine MGR.
ehan'aole beef as if they had been fed
upon grain.
Now let roc give you an idea Of the
price and market value Of the cattle thus
pa'turcd on these government plains.
which arc free alike 20 all, and which
have not, and cannot be appropriated by
any one IA his individual property. The
cattle dealers in Texas purchase the cat.
tie at the following prices $500 for
ycarlings, $500 for two.year-olds. $40
90 for thrce.year-olds, and $500 for
fouryear-olis and upwards. II costs
$500 a head TO drive these cattle from
Texas and deliver them on the Platte.
nose above four years old are purchas.
Ell By the government contractors for
the army aud Indians those under thai
age arc usually purchased by the ran.
cherOs, who herd them on the plains for
one two, or three years. and sell them
as prime beef in the eastern markets.
You thus perceive that four.year.old
steer, ordinarily averaging a thousand
pounds gross. sells there for $500. or
cent and n half pound gross. I'm n
few years those plains will be covered
with millions Of cattle. feeding upon pas.
lures that cost nothing fattening upon
grasses that are equal in nutrition 10
grain and at no other expense except
The herisman TO take charge OF them
Gentlemen, il will become the cattle.
raiscrs Of West Virginia 20 consider how
Tar their interests may be affected by
this condition Of things in the West. and
what steps 10 may be important for them
TO take to guard against the competition
rfFnVgfur ftnf n ruaIf Oh, 80. 49,