Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-20
STOCK RAISING.
Something Minnesota Farmers Should
Tam Their attention To.

STOCK RAISING.
Something Minnesota Farmers Should
TMrn Their attention To.
To the Editor Of The GLOBE.
The State Agricultural Society. at it's an
nual meeting just held in this city, was more
largely attended than on any similar occasion
heretofore, many of the leading men in the
State, not only agriculturalists, but those en-
gagged in other pursuits, being present, and
took an active interest in it's proceedings.
The consequence was the discussions took a
wider range and were decidedly moro enter
tanning and useful than usual.
Several essays were read, which attracted
earnest attention and drew out remarks from
those of large experience. Among these
essays, that Of DR.. G. w. Ballard, of Albert
Lea, was perhaps listened to with most
marked interest DR.. B. is remarkably
clear headed, intelligent and educated gen
tleman-a native, l believe, of New York
State, and came to our State, as lave many
others, for health and pleasure. With ample
means to. comfortably live, with or without
business, he, soon after locating at Albert
Lea, determined to engage In the breeding
rived at after a careful survey of the sur
roundingS, personal knowledge of our eli
mate, and thorough consideration of every
thing pertaining to the agricultural resources
and future prospects of his adopted State,
whose real prosperity he feels hearty in
terest in.
The Doctor says in his essay that cone of
the most important duties now devolving
upon us is lhat of taking a positive and ad-
vancod position in favor Of increasing tho
quantity and improving the quality
Of our live Stock that cit is manifest to the
most superficial observer that the en-
ti~nous crops 9f clbeat n0n being r0iscd
IN THIS 'St0tc, yeo1 utter ycnr, from tue snmc
Mnd, must If continned, ultimutely cld tn
crh0ustton Of tue soil," &C., (the italics are
mine): that ''only wise system of 2Dtntl0n
IN crops will enable us to avoid such a
calamity that 'some of the crops essential
to such rotation cannot always be marketed
to advantage unless FED on the ,turne--
turned into 1cool, mutton, bcet, butter, h9,'scs
or mules.' In other words, we can't always
market these crops at home profitably, nor
hence ''more stock means q home market
for these necessary additional crops;'' and
facilities for manuring our spent lands,
restoring, cren Increasing their orlgiuul
,tcrtsAHy."
If DR.. Ballard had said nothing more, here
IS enough to furnish thought for many of
our Woodworking, whcat-growing farmers.
Every word of it is "hard sensc,' and should
be carefully considered by every farmer in
Minnesota. It is known to all men that our
lands must have Misunderstanding in re-
turn for the magnificent crops of wheat that
each year are harvested from them. What
will make that return SO surely, so easily,
and 50 protitably as good live stock? Ask
any intelligent business-man-the merchant,
the mechanic, the professional man, as we'll
as the farmer, these two questions. Should
we manure our lands? Will they not soon
become worthless if not MANFRED? Won't
both questions be answered promptly and
emphatically in the affirmative?
Then come two more questions: Did
any one ever know permanently successful
and thrifty farming community OF section
that depended alone upon one branch of
farming? Can any one point to an agricultur-
al section or State dividing its farming into
grain growing, raising of cattle, horses and
swine, dairying, &c, that is not always thrift
ty and prosperous?
We need not 80 outside of our own State
TO look for answers to both these last queries
for instance, according to the State auditors
annual report for last year, 1877, Winona
county returns for taxation:
1886 horses, valued at 1913 1856 90
2,542 head of cattle, (of which 1886
are cows, with valuation of
($ll5.252) valued at. .......... 17S676 90
1854 sheep valued at ........... 7767 90
437 mules, valued .......... 43547 90
7,447 hogs, valued at......... 25531 90
Total valuation Of live stock . S773, GIG co
Fillmore county returns:
1874 horses, valued at. $780,, 55S 90
O,O99 cattle, valued at. 2O9, 562 90
59,O24 sheep, valued at..... ...... 1O,24O 90
5,4OS swine, valued at. . So 600 90
Total of So, 4O3 head having q taxa
Die value OF. .................$1,0 75, 1O1 90
Rice county has
6,698 horses, valued at s453317 90
1886 cattle, 1875 3G2 90
10y c2e1 sheep 9, ............ l3,l47 90
33, SGT head live stock, valued at. 1854, O7O 90
And Hennepin, Houston, Goodhue Free
born, Dodge, Olmsted, and several others
equally thrifty counties, show in much the
same way.
This IS an important subje to the farmer
but it also affects the best interests of
every citizen of the State-for the general
prosperity of the farmer all are concerned.
And what is there in the location or eli
mate IF Minneco4a IN ,.a,,Ior tho l,,,,;,,o,, ~