Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-08-04
GRANGE DIRECTORY.
PROF. MORRoW'S ADDRESS,
Delivered before the Fine Stock As
ISOLATION, at Vinton, Juno 18th.

PROF. MoRRoW'S ADDRESS,
Delivered before the Fine Stock AS
ISOLATION, at Vinton, Juno 18th.
Progressive Farmer)
The following article embodies the
substance of Prof. Morrow's address
before the State Fine Stock Associa-
ton, which convened at Vinton, June
18th. As we heard the entire adj
dress, We cannot refrain from giving
the views it set forth our hearty en-
dorsement, and we believe the con-
denscd report appended will be read
with interest:
POPULARIZING FINE STOCK.
The permanent prosperity OF the
fine stock interest depends on its Sc
curing the co operation of the gener
al farmer. This interest is not, at
least it should not be, one of narrow
scope. The hope of continued pro.
fits and Of having it reach its full
magnitude and Importance rests in
the success of the efforts to convince
the majority of the general farmers
of the country that they have use fol
improved stock. This work is not
yet done. Proud as is the position
of Iowa as regards fine stock, the
larger number of her farmers still re-
gard "fine stock" and "fancy stock
as synonymous terms, and think of ii
as something which may do for veal
thy men or reckless spectators, but
with which they have no direct con
Germ.
In this, as in other agricultural
lines, there is need of increased in
formation and increased interest,"
Among the means of securing these
may be named just such conventions
as this. The experience of breeders,
the testimony of those who have oh.
served closely, or who have, in prac-
tice, proved the value Of improved
stock, ought to carry weight to those
who hear or read their words. And
this suggests a second means of Sc
curing the desired end-the teach
ings of the agricultural and general
press. That these teachings may be
of most value, there should oe less of
personalities aud of denunciation Of
different breeds than of common
sense discussions of principles and
practice.
But more effective than any words,
spoken or written, is example. Moth
ing SO certainly secures followers as
does success. So far as his neigh
bors are concerned, the best adver-
tisement for breeder is to show by
the production Of more and better
beef, or pork, or milk, or wool; or by
getting more work, that his stock is
better and more profitable. might
give little heed to arguments to show
that good qualities may become so
potent as to be invariably transmit
ted, but l must be indeed a dull
scholar if l allow you, with similar
treatment, to get better prices for the
produce of your stock, and yet take
no measure to learn the reason
Hence, breeders should keep animals
for use as well as for sale. 1t is y
very appropriate addition to the show
or "breeding" flock OF herd, to have
a bunch of high grade steers OF fat
tening wethcrs or pigs; to be able to
point out, in the work or driving
teams, the actual results of a cross of
your favorite breed.
Next to this l would name having
Il proper idea Of the relations of pedi-
gree and individual merit. Pedigree
has great value. 1t is partial histo-
ry of the ancestry of the animal, and
gives the best attainable evidence
that they were of good character
This evidence is only presumptive,
but it is of value; of such value that
he who pays no regard to anything
but the individual animal makes a
great mistake, and has little prospect
Of high success as breeder. But
pedigree can never take the place of
individual merit; the best test Of the
excellence OF pedigree is the gener-
al excellence of the animal tracing
through it. The stop crosses" are
vastly more important than the re-
mote ones. We may properly over
look some minor deficiency in the
animal if we know that his more i'm
mediate ancestors were all exception
ally good; or better, if we know that
the progeny is very good; but it is
bad reasoning and bad policy to Sc
lect or reject any breeding animal
because an ancestor ten generations
back was a noted or an Objectionable
animal. No breed is absolutely pure.
There is "adulteration" in all, and of
the two evils one had better select
the good animal with onc-thousandth
part of inferior blood than the infe-
rior animal with only one-millonth
part of anything but the "bluest of 4
blue blood"
When animals possess distinctive
characteristics which they uniformly
transmit to their offspring, they de-
serve to be ranked as a breed, and
we do harm to the fine stock interest
and confuse and disgust the general
farmer when we attach great import
ance to a so-called Objectionable
cross ten or twelve generations back.
Five, six, certainly seven, crosses Of
we'll bred and good sires secure prac-
teal certainty of the fixing of the de-
slrable qualities, and the general
farmer has a right to say that he is
comparatively Indifferent to what lies
back of these. TO tell a farmer of
the powerful influence of the full
blood, that one or two crosses will
give him excellent animals, and then
to hold up our hands IN horror when
he suggests that he knows of an OK
cellent malo with a hali-dozen first
class crosses, and for sale cheap, is
to be very contradictory and unrea-
sonable.
In somewhat similar way we do
injustice to the improved stock, and
to the value of the particular breed
when we exalt special families and
refuse to admit that certain others
have any merit If it be indeed true
of any widely difused breed, that
oniv thoSa hrlonp inr TO n very few