The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-07
stock-Keeping East and West.

CnlcaSo Iflhune.
Those who read the articles which from time
to time appear on the subject may well be ex-
cused if they believe that in the Eastern States
the art of farming has reached a generally higher
stage of development than is seen in the West,
and, indeed. it may not be seemiy for u Western
writer, presumably prejudiced in favor of the
free, broad operations usually seen between
Ohio and the setting sun, to make comparisons
between the customs of the East and the ways
Of the West. Yet one who has been peering
into the back yards of his Eastern neigh
bors may possibly be forgiven by those at least
TO whom q comparison would be favorable, for
mentioning the time worn fields of sodden
clay untitled through half Il century Of cult
walton; swampy hogs where bull frogs MARBLE
sweet melody under the shadow of their own
alders and catkins; messy fence-bOards hanging
loosely by rusty nails to recling posts; stony
knobs where for generations powders have
caught the plOwshareS and sent plowtalls and
piouS calculations heavenward; raw and yellow
roadsides where the smartweed and the Canada
thistle bloom luXuriantly in their season, or COWS
stop to sup the creamy water where the hair
snake swimS under midsummer sun. And the
half-rotten Stumps still hold their ground, less
firmly than of old, but yet ready to turn the
pillow aside. and cause the sudden growth each
summer of d new crop of good resolutions, which
die a natural death with each years autumn
leaves; and the old barn is there, with its frame
very like modern moPals-rather loose IN the
ioints-leaning weakly from old time upright
ness and yielding with but feeble resistance to
the influence of prevailing winds, while the
'~'lean-to' leans more heavily than ever against
its lettering, untrustworty support.
The cattle contined-not sheltered-in these
crazy cribs, through which the winds blow and
the snow sifts-wculd they not be better off in
the timber-sheltered feed-lots, or on the broad
ranges of the West, than half-starved here! The
pigs kept from birth until death in mail pens
half-sunken in mire, where for a score of years
or more accumulated fluids and filth have each
year feStered through summer heats, adding
their stencil to the pungent odor OF sour swirl;
the poultry roosting i'll corn cribs, in the wagon
shed, in the barn, or, possibly, in a leaky apol-
ogy for a hen-house. in which is a nine OF riches
in the shape of guano; the horses, vigorously
rubbing themselves in a vain attempt to rid
their coats of gathered scurf and dust, while
their lungs are poisoned by exhalations from the
ground beneath, into which liquids from the
stalls have found their way ever since the old
barn was built-the wonder IS that the poor
scrubs can live, as they do, to q fair age. Truly
many farmers in the East might learn much of
value about stock breeding and keeping from
Western practice.
But these things do not often find mention in
~print-never, it may be especially noted. in art
icles designed to teach Western men how to pro
tect their stock from disease by following East
ern methods. With greater pleasure far visitors
recall the fertile valleys where for miles the
rOadsides are dotted with neat farm houses, so
close together that the housewives might have a
quiet gossip of a sunny afternoon, or quarrel
about the children or chickens of a gloomy day,
without leaving their own dOorsteps. Extreme
neatness and thrift has banished the unsightly
rail fence and stone wall with their attendant
hosts of weeds and insects and destructive ami
mails. The stock is well housed and carefully
attended, and if pure-bred and high grade ami
mails are not commonly found as in the West,
where stock growing is the most important
branch of farming, these Eastern farmers do well
with the stock they have.
In the fields the growing wheat stands fresh
and Green as even and STRAIGHT IS though drilled
with a rule. Freshly-sown fields are smooth as
repeated narrowing followed by rolling can make
them, the pastures are free from weeds, and
brush, and stumps, and even the little groves
they call their woodlots are as trim and neat al
most as parks. Everything ~testiies to the thrift
and comfort of the people, and is in marked con
trast with the surroundings of many even of the
more prosperous of Western farmers.