The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-06-06
VOL. 11.---NO. 13.
The Great Loss Resulting to-
Farmers from the Use Of.In-
ferior Blood in Breeding

Cattle
We have been trying to pick IN
"a few steers to Craze; have spent "a
good deal Of time, and have examin.
ed lots that were "hunched up as
well as many small lots, Two or three
In a place, to be found ia the hands
OF breeders along our route. The
region traversed was fully equal to
the average Of the Northern States
Ia the quality of its stock, and yet
we did not find one steer la ten that
was equal to the haIf-breed in inn
proved blood; and in consequence
the average of the stock we examin-
ed was of less than one-lIaIf the
value Of high-grade cattle of The
same ages, with reasonable good
care.
To illustrate: At one place we
were offered a lot of steers two
years Of age) for thirty dollars each,
while al another farm 8e bargained
Tor two steers, sired by a fine
thoroughbred bull, one from Q COM
mon COW, the other from d grade, at
so per 100, weighing 1900 pounds,
or 500 eachl One farmer had q
lot OF ten steers; and one, sired by
a thoroughbred bull he bought of ain
Irish laborer for SI.50, at three DAYS
oId, was not of fine quality, weigh
ing, at three years, from l 500 to
1,600 pounds, and by far the best
of the lot and yet1his farmer, with
an excellent farm OF over 200 acres ,
and plenty of means, eaauot afford
to breed his half dozen cows to a
thoroughbred bull
On almost every farm we found
young stock and wherever it was
Of the improved sort, it was evident
that it was being reared at a loss,
while the grades of all ages were
always in demand st paying rates.
One farmer we heard had purchas-
ed a thoroughbred bull, and aston
ished his neighbors by charging S.
for his services. This they insisted
was atrocious, and would never nav
to common COWS. The farmer then
proposed to buy all their calves, at
the age of three months, at SO
head, and charge nothing for tile
service Of the bull. The result was,
that he had plenty OF customers;
but very ew-aof them were willing
to sell their calves.
Our readers know how often we
have insi ted upon the Importance
of improvem MT of the stock in the
of the mass of farmers
of moderate means. Most writer's
are attracted by the results observed
upon large farms, and use in all their
Illustration the examples furnished
10y the practice of wealthy men and
distinguished breeders, entirely over
looking the fact that the great mass
of our stock is grown upon small
farms, and by such breeders as
we have visited within the last few
days. This countless multitude of
small farmers underestimate the
importance Of their stock breeding
operations. Two or three calves,
they think, good or bad, wil not
amount to much any way, and there
fore little attention il paid to the
blood or management. But a few
unthrifty, inferior calves, and few
ill-bred pigs and sheep. win, if you
take pains to figure what they eat,
be found to consume 1all the profits
of a small farms while, il they are
all of the best blood aud quality,
and properly cared for, they will
yield a handsome profit, and save
you a great deal OF hard labor that
would be required TO make the same
amount of money in growing and
marketing grain crops.--- National
LiUe Stock Journal.