Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-01-04

InDroved Earn steel.

w Nat Is Wdut6O Ou tut IdIlu lS SO0u
stock. I believe this is universally con-
coded. A poor animal with not pay, or
fit pays, will not do as well as good
one. There are many poor animals,
usually and properly denominated scrubs.
They are puny, ill-shapen and hard to
keep, costing as much as a large and fine
animal in other word, the same guam
tity Of food will make more flesh and fat
in the latter than in the former. This
distinction is clear and decided, and
decided, and generally understood. It's
the great, the important point relating
to stock-that kind of stock that is kept
to convert grain into beef, pork and
mutton; also for the production Of milk,
eggs, wool, SC. Now it is well enough
known that the quality which produces
each of these most successfully is found
in the animals bred for that purpose so
that we have only to choose (often IN
o,r own herds) the stock, male and
female, and this can be done to large
extent with the minor stock, poultry,
3 swine, SC. As improvement is the
object, high degree can be reached
with little expense. 1t is through the
service of the male on the choicest
females Of the common or graded stock.
This is fact that is now established ;
and the practice is getting to be more
extended. 1t only needs care in
selecting, less fine animals than blood
in the males, bnt always the best females
never breeding from scrub if the pure
blood can be reasonably obtained. This
is very simple, and not costly. Good
oblood can now readily be obtained, need
ing only concerted action among neigh
tbors. In this way it will not take long
for the whole country to have only i'm
proved stock, making it remunerative to
the breeders of the pure blood, and an
advantage, almost amounting to revo-
luton, to the rest. Benefit, only benefit
can thus result. ~ e
Our scrubs, in comparison with the
best blood, are only abominable. Look
at the old breed Of hogs in the country ;
the sheep with their coarse wool, and
losing much of that before shearing
time the hens also that were never
thought Of as laying in the winter.
Much the same may be said of the
horses which are breed so inexricably
mixed with all or nearly all kinds of
breeds that they seem beyond redemp-
ton. All the bad points possible to
horse flesh, are possessed by them, and
they mainly make up our old stock. 1t
ia,aenewhat different with our cattle.
es&hough the natives" as they have
been called, are fit companions for our
other stock, still, originally, they were
imported, and were good specimens of
good blood, particularly as regards milk.
And this quality is still retained, though,
from bad treatment, less apparent. 1t
needs only reversed treatment to show
the quality OF the old blood again. to an
extent almost if not quite equal to any
other breed, This has been abundant
ly demonstrated in the dairy region OF
New-York where the 'snative'' stock
still predominates it holds its
: own in competition with others. But it
is not always reliable; it has to be
weeded out, costing thus considerable
trouble and some expense to secure a
uniformly good herd. 1t is remarkable
what improv ement can, be made upon
individuals, and simgly by good treat.
Sment. Of coarse 1t, heed not be said
that here is agood basis for improve.
ment. We so find it. Whether Short
Horn, Ayrshire, Jersey or other strain,
it finds congenial soil here. The Devon
and Short-Horn show an improvement
IN beef. both as to quality and weight.
So the Jersey gains on the average in
creased richness. As to quantity, not
even the best Ayrshire can surpass, if it
can equal, our best natives. This then
is the stock to breed from, being alrea-
dy possessed by the farmers. Tn i'm
proyement can thus be made pfoftabfn
From the start, we must only breed
from the best animals either for the
dairy or for milk, which a male of any
of the milking strains (pure blood will
secure. Yves therefore safe so far as
the dairy is concerned; but little effort
and expense are required.
With other stock a more radical
change is necessary. The old stock Of
sheep, what remains Of it, should be
rejected, and new basis laid throughout,
which is not difficult to do. nor need it
be expensive. The Merino is not 80
generally wanted among farmers as the
long OF middle wooded breeds, which
: furnish also the heavy carcass and the
large fine lambs. Here is an advantage
that every farmer, favorably situated,
should realize, and which he may
possess with little trouble and expense.
If he has billy or broken land not
suitable for general cultivation, the
.South-Down will make such profitable
TO him, being fitted for it. The hardy
and prolific character of this sheep,
producing two at birth, its superior
quality Of mutton SURPRISING all others,
its early maturity, and its wool good in
weight and quality, make this one of
the most profitable breeds. On a
similar range the Cotswolds and
Leicesters may be kept with advantage.
These or their grades, or an infusion on
the common stock, will never fail to
make sheep-raising, whether on small
or Larger scale, source of profit to
the farmer, even at its lowest ebb. 1t
only needs proper selection of stock,
care in IFS treatment. with a near mar.