The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1884-03-06
STOCK aAlsma n SALINE COUNTY.


homes, took up the land along the
streams as most Of them had come
from timberod countries and thought
they could not get along without tim
Der. They only cultivated . small
portion Of their land, and that waa
fenced. A large per csDtage Of theif
wealth was in their cattle that roamed
at win over hin snd vale. and grew
and fattened on tbs nutritious grassea
that are native here. But little care
wac bestowed on them during the
summer, and as they were not very
numerous and had almost unlimited
range along the streams and timber
belts, required but little feed in win
ter. A few allowed them TO shin FOR
themselves summer and winter. The
steers were. valued chiefly for what
they could do, most Of them being
broken to the yoke, and would sell al
from S125 to 800 = pair The cows
were fair mixers, but q good share Of
them were not broken 10 milk. but
were allowed to run with their calves.
I have seen farmers come 10 town and
pay 90 cents q pound for butter, and
then grumble at the price IN those
good old times.
This was at the time the X. P. rail-
road was being built through Kansas.
Soon the fleets Of prairie schooner dis
appeared. The demand for work cat
lie fell of. New settlers came In by
the hundreds and begun to take prair-
ie claims without timber OF running
water. Fencing was costly and watch
ing their crops tiresome. and 50 we got
the herd law. Texas cattle were being
driven In and fsttened on our prairie
grass in large herds. Texas fever soon
attacked the native cattle and carried
OFF great numbers, and soon no one
cared much about the native cattle.
Then the wheat craze came on and but
little attention was paid to cattle rails
ing until about four years ago.
About that time there seemed 10 be
. general waking up 10 the fact that a
farmer must do something else besides
ralse wheat. A few took to swine
raising, but q large majority took TO
raising q few more cattle and the more
sensible ones took to both,
The material wealth has largely in
creased. Money has become more
plentiful and the peOplemOFe prosper
Gus.
Many things have aided in this
change, and not the least Is the intro
duction Of barbed wire as fencing ma
terial, A farmer now finds IL pays to
fence-nOt against his neighbours cat
tle-but to keep his own where be
wants them. With all the interest
that is taken and advancement that
has been made in this branch Of hus-
bandry 1t is only yet in its infancy.
It beats legislatlng against r. w.
monOpolles when q man can load
$500, Of bis farm products In the
shape Of beef cattle In one car and run
It to Kansas City for eS5. This inter-
est viii continue to grow because It
has been found profitable to convert
our corn into pork or beef before send
ing Il to market. It is not necessary
TO give up wheat growing In order to
raise stock. On the contrary, II will
increase the profit Of wheat growing
and be q benefit to the stock. Early
s0Wn wheat that has made q good
growth can be pastured without In
Jury, and often with benefit, II the
growth continues late In the fall.
Calves can be wintered almost en-
tlrely on the green wheat and make
good growth-and yellow butter(with-
out using eoloring)can be made in jan
uary as well as June by allowing the
COWS to run on the wheat. The straw
II clean and bright, makes good feed
for COWS or steers, and will keep their
bowels in better condition than prai-
RE hay. After the introduction Of
The Texas cattle, our stock by mixing
with them, deteriorated and were not
Ne good In general four years ago as in
1865, but now 1t will not pay to raise
and pure bred males are
oeing used quite freely and with good |
results. This county is destined to |
le rich in stock.
The climate Is favorable, the win |
es dry and often mild throughout, |
md feed is cheap. Here in our val
eys our native grass has nearly all |
,one down before the pillow but the
anne grasses will more than supply
ts place. The assertion that "they
vim not grow hers' ls entitled to as
much credit as that other that "Cen.
raj Kansas can't raise fruit" and no
more. The old methods Of sowing
rAss seed sa practiced In states farther
ast, will not do here, and not know
NJ this has been the cause Of so many
lIlures. am satisfied that by q care
ii selection OF the varieties best
ulted 10 our soil and climate and
roperiy seeding with them we can
ave pastures In which our cattle
TIll thrive nine months out OF the
Eelve, and snme years the entire
Welve.
I would say TO any one who comes
ere 70 farm, don't 60 al to wheat,
or an to cattle, nor ell to hogs or
leep raising, but mix them In proper
and because you were .
bod farmer back east, don't think
Du know all about farming In Kan
e. Don't 60 on making the same
Iunders we made, but profit by our
Zperience. Don't 90 to sowing
bur grass seed on top Of the last
low, for that kind Of hay will not
tten Kansas cattle. I would further
y 10 my brother farmers back east,
you are not satisfied where you are,
ID tired Of the mud and slush. in
u, winter and spring, and drowning
lt your corn, and tired Of shaking /
lth the ehills, and paying doctors 1
want = good farm and good
Op, where you can have good stock, {
cd health, good schcolS,goOd neigh
%, and a good consclence-eome 20
line county. and don't BE- long