The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-10-24

more advanced thinkers among them.
1t is best always to use thoroughbred
male; the females may be good, well
formed natives or grades, but the breed
err should make it fundamental rule
never to be lost sight of, to work stead
| ily toward improvement on the mother S
side also. A three-quarter bred Short
horn or Hereford is much superior to a
half-blood of the same stock; and the
rule applied to every species of farm
stock produces similar beneficial re-
suits. Improved animals, if of the ap-
proved breeds of cattle, invariably make
rapid ard larger growth, and of a
quality for fatting and beef infinitely
superior to common stock. They sell
more readily, mature earlier and COM
mand higher prices, while the consump-
ton of feed is no larger, and the care of
stock costs no more in time or money
than the same number of inferior ami
mails.
The shipment of cattle to Europe,
which is growing in importance, de-
mands animals of the largest growth,
which mature early and make heavy
beef of fine quality. Such are the kinds
of cattle which are being sought for by
feeders, in the west, and are command
ing higher prices each succeeding year.
A half blood calf presents a finer ap-
pearance than one of the common stock !;
three-fourths takes precedence of the
half-blood, while thoroughbred calf
is superior in nearly every instance to
either of the others.
The present is the most propitious
time for farmers to push the matter of
creating herds of their own. Those who
are earliest in the field win have impor-
tant advantages over others who defer
the work for future years. The ranges
are ample at present, but will be steadi-
" contracted by the tide of settlers flow
ing into the State of Kansas and other
States west of the Missouri River, and
the accumulation of stock, as each sue
ceeding year adds numbers to the
droves that are raised up to consume in
summer the rich prairie grass.
A very important part in this work,
if success is achieved in rearing valua-
BILE herds, is the preservation and care
of the best heifer calves. Every farm
er, no matter how small his means,
should make determined effort to save
the heifer calves, all of the best ones at
least. These win grow into value in
his hands and increase more rapidly
than the interest of the "blOated bond
holders" and if well matured plan is
pursued with iudicious management,
every farmer in a few years may become
the owner of valuable herd of very
high bred grades at an inperceptible
cost, and small outlay in cash.
1t will be a much more profitable dis
position of the superfluous milk of the
cows to allow it to be taken by the
calves, than its conversion into very
poor butter, which is the result of a
large per cent. of miscellaneous dairy
ing as practiced in small way through
out the country. The labor and expense
of milking and manufacturing but
ter is quite considerable, even
with few cows, while by
allowing the calves to have the milk,
dispenses with this poorly requited Ia
Dor and adds wonderfully to the value
of the calves the first and most critical
year of their existence. This system
steadily pursued by any FARMER In nan
sas or any other State west of the Mis-
souri, River, can not fail to return sure
and liberal annual income after few
years. By the business of raising stock
(it need not necessarily be confined to
horned cattle) is the only way the
great majority of farmers in this west
ern country can hope to gain Roadway
and accumulate capital tits out of the
question to ever get their heads above
wator" by raising grain alone, or as
mainly the money crop. Thousands of
acres of grass 60 to waste yearly on the
prairies in sight of every farm, which
can be utilized and converted into cash
through the medium of stock by every
farmer, if he will Systematically lay out
and work out the proper plan TO do it.
-KdlSHs Farmer.