Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-07-27
LIV { STOCK.
THE VALUE OF PURE BREEDS.

fowls. whose characteristics have become
such by continued breeding to a certain mi
formity of standard for successive genera
tons, until the family thus bred has a fixed
name, and it's members a close similarity to
each other, and to the fixed standard. That
such pure breeds are much better, and more
valuable than cOmmon stock we can posi-
lively assert, while we are equally positive
that many, ever in this enlightened day,
will dispute our assertions. We wish to talk
to farmers, for they are the principal stock
breeders of the world, their necessary sur
roundings fitting them specially for this in-
teresting pursuit, without which agriculture
is but an imperfect and incomplete industry.
Tt is now so well known that the value OF
animal manures possess a value as fertlllzers
far beyond former ideas, that every inteli-
gent farmer knows better than to count the
profits from his flocks and herds simply by
the proceeds of their sale on foot or in the
shambles.
If it is profitable to breed stock under any
circumstances whatever, it is much more so
when the breeder can produce just the type
of animal wanted, and it is here we find the
great value of the pure breeds. The farmer
who simply desires to get together a herd of
fifty cows, without also having a special care
to select or breed such as will be best adapt
ed to his purpose, might just as well buy a
farm without ever inspecting it, provided
he gets the eighty acres deemed necessary,
or whatever the quantity may be. If cow
is a cow, and that is all that is to be said,
then an acre is an acre, whenever you find
1t, of dry uplands or swampy bottoms. But
people are becoming more intelligent, thahks
to the widespread literature and free school
system Of our day.
Farmers, as a class, have advanced won
derfully within the last decade, even they
are not so slow to learn as formerly and do
more independent thinking on every sub
ject that interests them.
1t is now fully known that the pure breeds
offer an opportunity for choice in breeding,
according to the object in view, and that the
varieties, are extremely convenient for the
intelligent breeder
Farmer Fogy may still stick to his ancient
stock of no particular kind OF cattle, or ofall
combined. He can sometimes get a cow
that is a good mixer, a bullock meaty and Of
fine texture and flavor, for which the butch
er will give a good price, Or oxen who will
develop strong frames and a powerful draft.
But if any one of these ends is attained, it is
scarcely better than a chance fortune, for
the only selection he makes with certainty,
is in deciding how many calves of each sex
he will raise each season.
Our intelligent farmer knows better than
this. He does not raise Jersey cattle for
beet, Or Shorthorns for milk production, that
is, if beef in the first case, and milk in the
second, are the special objects to be attained.
His horses, COWS, oxen, ~sheep-yes, his poul-
try and bees even, are bred with an object
in view, and the variety of each which he
breeds, is that which may be expected to
further the object. Volumes might be writ
ten on this subject. Details cannot be at
tempted in one brief article. But "order is
heavens first law and the great laws of
reproduction are such that remarkable or
der will come from a careful attention to
and regard for natures laws of breeding. 1T
will pay the farmer to study the subject
more. The possibility OF perfectinga strain
OF ANIMALS, until the progeny of any parents
may be reasonably expected to approximate
any possible ideal, adds new interest and
power to one Of the most interesting and
profitable industries of any country.-Rmra1
Times.
BREEDING FROM Young SwINE.-The