The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-07-01
AGRICULTURAL MISCELLANY.
THE Best BREEDS OF CATTLE.

The question Is often asked, Which
is the best breed of cattle q farmer
can keep! 1t is impractical to answer
the question without knowing for
what purpose the animals are raised
and where they are to be kept. IL
the production of beef is the sole OBJ
ject of raising cattle, farmer can
not do better than devote his atten9
ton to raising Heref ords, Short-horn.
polled Angus, or Devon cattle. The
former are preferable for farms In q
good state of cultivation and well
supplied with barns. and the latter
for portions of the country where an
imals are obliged to travel long dis
tances in search for food, and to get
along with little protection. The
polled Angus and Devon cattle are OF
comparatively small size and quite
active, and are accordingly we'll
adapted to travelling. They are also
hardy, and capable of enduring con-
siderable exposure without great in
jury. The best dairy stock is afford
ed by the Holstein, Ayershire, and
Jersey cattle. Holstein cows are
generally preferred by farmers who
produce milk for supplying towns and
cities. Ayrshire cows by those who
are interested in the manufacture OF
cheese, and Jersey cows by those who
desire to make superior butter, or
supply their own tables with very
rich milk and cream. The Jersey
is specially adapted to the wants OF
persons in towns, rs it does we'll when
kept in confinement, consumes q
comparatively small amount Of food
and continues to give milk during
the greater portion of the year. Many
particularly those be.
longing to the Princess family, are
large mixers. The HOlsteins, Aver
shires, and short-horns are readily
fattened when they have become too
old to breed or to give large amount
of milk. For working cattle, there
is nothing superior to the DevOns, as
they are strong and lively. The
and Herefords mature
early and on that account are pre-
ferred by farmers who desire to turn
off their stock when the animals are
three years old, or younger. In de-
Gliding which breed Of cattle to keep,
Il farmer should take into cOnsidera-
ton the purpose for which they are
designed and the kind of treatment
they are to receive. -#
The profits of raising sheep in Tex
Us, where the business is judiciously
and intellIgently managed, is shown
in the success of Mr.. S. Baggett Of
that State. In January, 1879, he
bought S37 ewes, for which no paid
81 200 he has since sold wool to the
of IS, 400, aud 100 ewes at
$500, making total of 5000. His
bucks have been disposed of, as he
has seen proper to change, at prices
their first cost, so he is out
but little on that score. His present
lock of ] 400 head Of sheep gave a
product of $3.50 pounds of wool,
which he sold in Bolton for "a cents
per pound. giving the handsome sum
If over 81, 300. He has now 5, 100 head,
which he says he would not dispose
If for $4,000. These results have
,een achieved in Bell county-one
If the best agricultural counties in
he State. Mr.. Baggett intends, he
ays, to move part of his flock to
Joryell county in a few days, where
he had leased 10000 acres Of land for
he use of his flock.
The commissioner of agriculture
# the state of Georgia in his last
quarterly report says
"Corn sells at the average price Of
ighty.nlne cents per bushel, and 81
2 on time This is simply ruinous
'olicy-no legitimate business can
ny such rates of interest and pros
er. Farmers can not afford to buy
orn at eighty-nine cents cash per
ushel, and yet they are paying 'on
ime' 81 per cent. per annum on the
ash price. Offer to lend a man
money at "a per cent. per annum. or
= per cent. per month, and he would
eel that his intelligence was insulted,
nd yet he buys corn, and agrees to
ay 81 per cent. per annum on the
ash price, and mortgages his proper
y to secure the payment of princi-
al and interest. Similar rates are
aid on bacon and hay which could
nd should be produced on the farm.
he cities were formerly fed by the
ountry, now the country is fed by
he cities. This is an unnatural, alb
ormal condition Of things that must
70 reversed or bring disaster upon
9th Country and cities.
The time of the year has come
ghcn the farmers should be thinking
f putting their turnip seed into the
round. In this climate they should
'e sowed by the 25th of this month.
hough many farmers do not think it
necessary to do so until the first week
n July. The soil should be mellow,
rec from Jumps, and free, too, from
weeds. The Rutabagas and the Swed-
sh turnips should be sowed before
he common white or English, be.
ause it requires longer time for
hem to reach maturity. We can
hardly imagine how farmer that
has stock can get along to good ad-
'antage without raising good lot of
urnips to feed them during the win
er. They are raised much more
eadily than potatoes; cattle never
10y OH them as they do on potatoes.
they never scour as potatoes do, and
bushel Of Rutabagas will 60 as far
s a bushel Of potatoes, and not cost