The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-06-24
Stock Prospects.


try that the supply of good meats will be
as scarce as they are at the present time.
The scarcity of grain and its resulting
high price, has precluded the idea of
feeding with profit, and, therefore, stock
of all kinds has been either sold off close
ly, or is in no condition for the market.
The most of the cattle that are now
coming to market make about as poor
beef as anybody is willing to eat, and
yet the price which consumers are COM
PEELED to pay for it, is very high. The
supply of good beef has been growing
less and less, and the consumer is having
his appetite for that kind of beef nicely
whetted AS usually happens after an
instance of abstinence of any character,
the abstainer when he does return to the
indulgence of his crucified appetite, APP
pears to make the attempt to make up
for lost time and opportunities, and con-
sumes more than he did formerly. At
the present writing the high price for beef
products makes abstinence from a beef
diet compulsory in many homes, and de-
sirable in many more. If the price falls
in our retail shops our beef eaters will
quickly return to their favorite dish of
roast beef, sirloins, and porterhouse, the
consumption will be increased, the de-
mand become greater, and the producer
will actually receive more for his cattle
than he does now. We anticipate such
a result, and shall be greatly mistaken if
for considerable time the price of cat
tie shall not be good. 1t is true that
corn will probably be high, comparative
| ly at least, the coming season, but if
there are no unfortunate circumstances
to prevent good crop, it will not prob
ably be high enough to prevent proffta-
BILE feeding. In fact we expect that the
present season will be one of signal pros
perity among our producers, and to no
class of them more so than to the live
stock men.
Under ordinary circumstances, as the
vast majority of the most progressive
farmers have learned, the best way of
marketing our corn crop is to convert it
into beef or pork. 1t, therefore, will be
unnecessary to advise at this time
special care to provide the means of ac-
comprising this work. Grass is here,
and there is certainly no need for the
further sacrifice of cattle If debts are
pressing it will be better to let them
press, if that can be done, without final
| detriment, rather than to thin out our
stock while it is in poor condition, in
! order to pay them. With reference to
the pigs it will always pay to take good
care of them, for the hog crop is an i'm
portant one. But under present circum-
stances, we have the right to look for an
excellent future for pork. Never for a
moment think that the pig will do we'll
enough whether it has any attention or
not. 1t should be kept growing, and the
sooner we all strive to effect more fully
developed muscular system in our pigs
the less disease we will have and the
better pork we will have. We can
not expect that either starved pig or an
overly fattened one will produce the best
results. Like all young creatures it first
needs a frame-something on which can
be laid the pork which it is intended to
produce. If it does not get enough food
and of the proper kind to build up the
muscular system, that cannot be built up,
and if it is kept fat enough for pork all
the time it will be unevenly developed
and liable to succumb to disease. AS men
toned in q recent issue, disease in ami
mails, it is pretty well established, is the
result of preying animalcul9, and these
animalcule fill the air and swarm in the
food that is eaten. They cannot be kept
out of the animal system, but are taken
into the stomach with what is eaten, and
into the lungs with every inspiration.
Now if the system is as strong as it
ought to be these animalcule will be ap-
propriated by it as actual nourishment;
the healthy processes of nature will not
nj 10 L,,A
actually convert them to some use. If
on the other hand the system is weak,
the indigestion poor, the muscles soft
and tlabby, the bones weakly con-
structed, and the lungs delicate, the,
animal will fall victim to these hungry
devouring hordes. A hog is naturally
healthy. If the animal has become sub
ject to disease, there must be some mis-
take about our treatment of it, notwith-
standing that we think that treatment
represents perfection. We are apt to
think that, but it is mistake. Many of
our hogs, and especially those that are
used for breeding purposes, have been
injured by thigh living" They have
been forced from their very pighood, be-
cause such a course of treatment gives
them beauty, and SO many are foolish
enough not to seek other merit than the
exceedingly doubtful one of good looks.
Animal systems will not bear the stimu-
lation which many pen of hogs have
always had to bear, with impunity. The
fires are kept too furiously hot and
something will be very apt to give way.
BY all means, therefore, sim ply keep
the pig growing, all the time growing.
II
nourishment that it needs. In addition
feed soaked corn, ground oats, and mill
stuffs in sufficient quantities to keep
steady growth - WeSter,a Rural