The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-10-04


The American correspondent Of the
Scotsman gives the following interesting
account Of the way a large Illinois farmer
feeds steers for market:
Hitherto Mr.. Gillet has commenced TO
feed his steers only when they are rising
three years until they reach that age
they have to feed themselves, sometimes
scraping their daily pittance from beneath
a covering Of snow. OF the 100 steers
now on hand, close on one.half were &C.
lccted from %neighboring herds last fall,
and, along with the home-bred steers,
have since been fed literally on Indian
corn and grass, or hay or corn fodder
either Of the latter two being allowed in
winter, when the grass gets covered with
snow. They are now all in Mr.. Gillet'S
own possession; but during the winter, &
number were let out TO neighbors, who
fed them during that season for sever
cents for every pound added TO the weight
Of the cattlc--a system that could
scarcely have been profitable to the feed.
ers. Those 700 steers will be sold in lott
Of about 100 head in August, September
and October and during their feeding
year, they will have consumed about l3l
bushels Of Indian corr n head. But,
for every steer fed, upwardsof 500 pounds
of pork, worth at least five cents pei
pound, will be raised wholly off grass
and whatever corn the cattle may
drop. There are scarcely any
cattle-sheds IN the property, and breeding
is carried IN entirely in the open fields.
During winter a good deal of Indian corn
is given az it grew, with ear, stalk and
blade attached but in summer, and
during good weather in winter, the cars
are carted into troughs-one man, with a
team and wagon, feeding four hundred
cattle in four or five hours. The majority
of these steers are already in very fair
condition, and with eight or ten weeks
under Tillyiour's care, they would make
a prime lot for the British metropolitan
market. There are a few ordinary animals
among them, but with Il draft Of two
hundred thrown away, they would rank
on Il level with Scotland's contingent t.
the London Christmas market on any Of
the last four or five years-that is, before
these have received the " last dip" Every
year n number of better bullocks than
any in Mr. Gillet's lot leave Scotland for
the English markets, and again the
Scotch Christmas steers are led off about
six or eight months younger, and give
indications of afording n higher percent
age of good beef than cyer Mr.. GilIet's
could under his system of feeding but
still, taking the number into account,
do not hesitate to gay that this enter
prising American farmer can boast OF the
grandest bestial display | have ever seen
in one mans possession. | believe it may
safely be said that he is the largest " beef
manufacturer" in the world. lie prepares,
in round numbers, about 10000 pounds
or about three hundred and Sixty-seven
tons, of beef every year, and pretty
nearly half as much pork.
1t was from this herd that Mr.. Eastman,
of New York. obtained those beautiful
samples of American beef that took
England by storm, and began the present
agitation less than a year ago, and that
found their way into the rcsidenceso OF the
mayor of London and other English
n0tables and, ever since, Mr.. GiI'et has
had II keen demand for his prime beeves
for the British markets. In all, during
the past two years, about LOO OF his
steers have been exported to Britain,
mostly aIive-some sailing from New
York, some from Philadelphia and some
from Canada. Two of his bullOcks are
now being prepared in the south of Eng
land for the coming fat stock shows, but,
considering the manner in which Mr..
cattle are fed, and the amount of
walking they accomplish during the first
two years of their existence, it would be
surprising if these two should take high
of honor, in competition with ami
mails fed from their calf-hood onwarda.