The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-10-23
A Common Discouragement to Stock
Breeders.
From the National Live Stock Journal

A Common Disbursement to Stocl
Breeders.
From the National Live Stock journal.
Recently we visited farmer in one Of
the Eastern States, and found him the ap.
preciative owner Of a small stock of really
good Poland-China pigs, descended di.
rectly from the herd of a leading Western
breeder. His were the only pigs of this
breed in the county, and they bad attract
ed some attention and favorable COM
ment. We noticed. with some surprise,
that the only boar in the first litter Of pigs
an unusually fine one-had been cas-
trated. In explanation, we were told that
it had been found he could not be sold at
anything like fair price. A farmer had
come several miles with wagon, prepar-
ed to carry pig back with him, but could
not make up his mind to pay the price
asked. That price was six dollars. When
he left, the owner, in not unusual st of
disgust, castrated the pig, as he could
not well make use of him in his own herd.
It is fair to add that this was in a region
in which comparatively little attention is
given to pig raising; but the incident is
one of very common kind. Many an
enterprising farmer has been discouraged
in his efforts to improve the quality of the
stock of his neighborhood, by finding his
neiRhbors unwilling to pay him a fair
price for the animals he offers to sell, or
for the service of sires he has introduced.
It is not uncommon to find men unwilling
to pay anything for the service of a horse,
a bull, a ram, or boar which may have
cost the owner considerable sum.
y It may be impossible to at once over.
come this lack of appreciation in this
matter, as In SO many others. It is not
enough to simply state the truth once and
then leave it. Often times it is a slow
work to remove prejudices and excite In
tere,t; but none the less it is important to
work In the right direction. First of all,
the introducer of stock of q different kind
from that kind commonly kept, should be
sure that the. new Is really an improve
ment on the old. Being sure of this. he
should endeavor to clearly demonstrate
this superiority to his neighbors in prac-
tice. If he can shoE more or better pro-
duce from given quantity Of food; If he
can sell his colts, or steers, or fat lambs
for more money, or make more butter or
more pounds Of pork than can his neigh
Dor. he may safely count on finding this
kind Of teaching effective. Alongside
this, he will do wisely to use any proper
means by which to bring his stock to the
attention Of others. Naturally and prop
erly 1t will be expected to see the new
breed represented at the county fair.
Good will come from having real infoma-
tion-not extravagant assertions
the breed given through the local press.
Especially will help come from persist
ent efforts to induce the reading Of good
livestock periodicals..
As to prices to be asked, harm may
come from taking an extreme course in
either direction. If extravagant sums are
asked, purchasers are discouraged and the
tendency Is to cause belief that the i'm.
proved stock are only q matter of fancy;
but good stock may be held too cheap.
We doubt the advisability of Offering an
finals ofreally superior merit at or below
the prices usually paid for common stock;
to do this is to put the two classes on an
Avoiding extravagantestimates
on the one hand, it is also well to let it be |
seen that the owner has some appreciation
Of his stock. Exceptional cases require |
treatment. A man with a |
large tract Of land may find il to his ad- |
vantage to furnish his tenants with the |
use Of improved sires at nominal price;
20 a farmer who buys the young stock |
from his neighbors may find It pays to sell |
Or hire breeding stock at very low rates. |
As q rule, however, insisting on q fair
price viii be found to be good missionary
rork.