The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-09-09
Raise good stock.

We believe IN raising good stock ;
and lay this we mean improved stock.
Indeed IL Is poor economy, or no
economy 1T all. Ia raise any other
kind. No matter how much or how
little stock Il farmer raises. ii should
he good il should be in point of
quality Us near perfect rs il is possible
To attain. Ii should combine those |
characteristics which constitute intrin.
sic value. The improved breeds of
cattle. sheep. and hogs are the results
of longcontintled. ~pcrsevcring efforts
To produce and fix characteristics that
are required IL insure the best pc
cunlarN returns, or enhance the pro-
fits arising from rearing these useful
domestic animals. In the case OF
beef, mutton. and pork, the objects
sought are early maturity. and the
largest percentage of prime meat to
weight of arcas Many years of
observation and study have brought
Il vast amount of knowledge pertain
ing Ia breeding and management. Ii
is 10 such knowledge that We are in
dchted for the excellence found in all
of our improved breeds OF useful
animals. AS Il general thing. farm
ers raise a few horses, cattle and
hogs. and of late Years more of them
keep sheep than WAS the rule prev
iously. There are those who make Il
speciality of some particular branch
of live stock ~huSlandry, and make
all farming operations subsidiary to
that speciality, and this is cminently
judicious III many eases hut farmers
generally are not specialists i'll this
sense. They raise only such animals
and these only in such numbers, As
they think necessary in conducting
their business 10 advantage. The
mistake made 10y very many, how.
ever. is in the kind and quality OF
the stock they raise. Many mel who
are workin. small farms think tina,
il will not pay them 10 raise improve,
stock. or that the cost of improved
breeding stock of popular strains oi
blood. and of taking care of it, vii
not compensate them i'll prolitabl,
returns. They could not make l.:
greater mistake. The lessons laugh
al stock yards and stock shows eX
plode such hasty pr%econceived no
~ ttNAS ap " llol 40 4
to laise improved animals, than i
does 10 raise the poorer common sorts
Every one understands the enhance,
value of well.bred stock when tn
test of the butchers block is applied
and If sufficient care is exercised, %
ltlnS taken. 10y our farming friends
who say they are farming only il
small way and cannot afford to bu.
,gh-bied stock for breeding purposes
Al will not take long before they vii
change their minds.
\ common error. also. is the mis-
taken opinion that To make stock-rais
ing pay il must be done on Il lang
scale; that Il large capital is necessar,
To carry the business on successful
~; that many broad acres are re
quired numerous lahorcrs kept -
some of them at high prices tn fee,
and take care of the "ariStocratic
brutts; that rich feed must be pun
chased or supplied at no little cost
that extensive and costly stables an,
barns must be provided, and yariou
other accessories that are presume,
10 be necessary 10 the business. /
is true that To conduct "A stock farm
OF this kind. capital is necessary. bu
ii is also trlie that there are harvard.
Ia run that are not encountered on
less p|retentious farm, where the Oper
atlOnS are not on such an extensive
scale. But the point we desire Il
emphasize is, that Oh farms Of moder
ate size more and better stock than i,
now carried. can be kept and What
is kept should be bred ppWard until il
is nS neal what is desired rs possible,
III but a single horse is raised. let it be
such an animal us will find ready sale
al Il paying price ; and SO of all other
kinds of stock. However small the
scale on which IL start is made, if the
commencement is right and judgment
and care are exercised in breeding,
all the time, in Il few years Il class
of farm animals may he produced of
superior quality, which will represent
a money yaiue far greater than that
OF common stock, and amply emune.
rate its owner for his original outlay
for breeding stock.-Pririe Farmer