The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-03-15
GRASS, CORN AND BEEF.
The Successful Experiment of a
Hawkins county Farmer.
ID ,,-,,r, :. - ~ ~ oa

THERWO0D, Il enu.. fe6. ~.
To the Editor of Hawkins County Department:
The fact that so many OF our far
mers are being rapidly converted
from "hog and hominy.'' TO s'grass
corn and beef" is very gratifying tC
every one who has the prosperity ol
our section at heart. Grassing lands
and grazing mean not only an in
crease in net profit to the farmer
over the cultivation Of land, but also
an increase in the productive capac-
ity Of the land, and consequently in
its actual farming value. Eight
years ago not more than two car
loads of grain-fed cattle were driven
from this county; this season there
have been from thirty-five to forty
car loads. Another gratifying fact
is that in the last four years our av-
erage grade of cattle has been i'm
proved from one to one and a half
cents per pound. The value of our
native cattle, classed as Tennessee
cattle in market, as compared to a
prime grade of Kentucky cattle, is
as about four or five 10 one. That
| is, that in a good three-quarter or
| seven~eighth bred steer you have an
animal requiring very little, if any,
/ more grass or corn to make it fat,
and yet worth when fat, it can be
safely asserted. at least three times
as much as the scrub or Tennessee
steer.
No stronger argument for the i'm
provement of our cattle can be made
than this: One steer, Scrub 3 years
old). weighing 900 lbs. at 81 cents.
Another, (high grade, same age),
weighing 1000 at to 81 cents.
There are now in our county quite
a number of thoroughbred and high
grade bulls, so that the means Of
improvement in their catt,e are in
easy reach Of most Of our farmers.
The credit of bringing the first
thoroughbred (recorded pedigree(
bull to this county. in my knowledge,
since the war, is due to Mr.. A. d.
Johnson, of Stanley Valley, in his
splendid premium bull rsW arfield.' :.
a rich red. over fifteen hands high,
Of remarkable symmetry of form,
and finer head OF horns have new
er seen, not even in Kentucky. If
fat he would weigh 2500 pounds
know of twenty dollars having been
offered and refused for a nine months
old grade steer calf by him, in this
coun'y.
a fine type of the excellent Bates
blood is found in Duke of Rich Val
icy. Sho:t-legged. big-boned. square,
and an admirable animal in every
respect to breed thrifty, early matur-
ing, feeding cattle
have for some time contended
that, on account OF climate, this was
the most favorable section of the
United States for feeding cattle. In
support of this | would state that
last spring | visited Thos. II. Shelby. 4
Of Fayette county. Ky, and was
shown by him 14O head of cattle,
none of them being less than three
quarter bred, and from that on up to
thoroughbred. He had bought them
as long two year olds" in Decem-i
Der and January, and they were, he
tod me, all three year olds at the
time saw them. in March. Their
average weight. when bought, was
1867 pounds. The blue grass hav-
ing held up unusually well on &C
count Of mild weather, he had not
commenced feeding until about the
first of FJanuary. lie commenced
feeding with twenty acres of rye in
the sheaf. feeding them in two lots
of seventy each. on two twenty acre
blue grass fields. After feeling tile /
rye, he had commenced feeding un-
shucked cut corn, feeding once day
twelve shocks Of corn. averaging FIVE |
bushels TO the shock. This was haul |
ed and scattered well. so as TO allow !
all Of the cattle to get to it. ut was
thrown on the ground, which was
terribly cut up and muddy, lie had |
about two shoats to three head of |
cattle, and / saw no waste corn, and |
the waste of fodder was very little, /
indeed. lie told me that he expect /
ed to keep on feeding at this rate
until the blue grass would dotto-tu |
on, which would be from the 10Th Of I
April TO the 1st of May, according
TO the season. He told me in reply /
to my question in regard to it that I
he did not expect to do more than
make his cattle hold the flesh which
they had when lie commenced feed
ing. They were then what our Epeo- 4
pie call fair grass beeves !" that if
lie succeeded in putting fifty pounds
to the head on them, that he would
be doing very well, indeed. That
he expected to turn them on grass
as soon as it was sufficiently for
ward, and that he wonId not feed
them any grain at all from that time.
but that he would sell them in July, /
averaging 1000 pounds. for g. to 6l
cents. they cost him 4 I cents.
Now | weighed a lot of cattle,
which are fair grade cattle. most of
hem not yet three years old, on the
2lst of January last; expected to
weigh them again on the s2lsto of
his month, but being absent from
lome did not weigh again until the
10Th. should state, too, that
on Friday and did not com
nence feeding until the Monday fol-
owing the oath. / then eommene-
ID feeding a scant peck of corn to
ZACH steer, and two sled loads of cutI
;orn. from which the corn had been
They averaged at the first +
99l pounds at the second =
Weighing, b days after. 1912 pounds.
'eing gain of over fifty pounds to /
be steer. They are being fed in an
pen field and have access to a small
lick of weedy timothy haysywhich,
Iowever, they arc eating Very little
s preierring the corn fodder. ain