Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-02-14
Profit in Using the Best.

Prairie Farmer.
In late issue of the Prairie Far
mer was an item showing how profit
able even single boar. may be. In
that item it was stated that the Berk-
shire boar, Lord Liverpool 22l, had
doubtless added fully $1,000 to the
value of the hogs of the country. He
was the sire of 173 animals, recorded |
in the Berkshire Record, which were
surely worth, as breeding stock, not
less than $40 each more than scrubs
were worth. 1t is easy to see that his
influence extends through each of his
descendants, so that the benefits de-
rived are constantly multiplying. 1t
would be easy for each of those de-
Scendants to produce at least half as
many pure animals as are credited to
Lord Liverpool, making in all $4,000,
in the first two generations from the
old sire. Few will deny that these
improved swine would be worth at
least $3.50 each, or fully $37 900 in the
aggregate, more than like number
of scrubs would be worth.
Some folks say that if the farmer
will give to the much abused scrub
the same care that is given to the
high-priced pure-bred, he will get as
good return from the scrub as from
the other. If this is true, then the
evidence gained by many careful ex-
periments is worthless. For exam
pie; during five consecutive years,
the Commissioner of Agriculture of
Ontario, caused five representatives
of each of six established breeds of
sheep to be fed, each year, with five
of the common sheep of Canada.
Five wether lambs of each breed,
were selected each year, and, after
being subjected to exactly the same
treatment, were sold at one year old.
Accurate account was kept of the
amount and cost of food consumed by
each lot; the amount of wool sheared,
and price received for the same, and
the weight and price of the carcass
were all strictly accounted for. AT
the end of the five years, it was seen
that the scrub was 1896 behind the
best of the Others in average profit,
and $2.14 below the average value of
the others. In the five years, twenty
five lambs of each breed were fed.
This was equivalent to one flock of
twenty-five animals of each race, and
to difference of SLIPS against the
scrub, as compared with the best, and
of $3.50 against the inferior, as COM
pared with the average profits Of the
others.
Similar evidence in plenty can be
obtained, but enough has been given
to show that this is not true, that the
scrub can do as well, under good
treatment as the improved races will
do.
In breeding horses, a still more
marked difference is plainly seen
because the individual differences il
prices and in profits are greater. A
half Percheron, or Clydesdale, O.
English Shire colt or filly will readil,
sell for 5000 to $500 at the age of thre
years, while the offspring of the com
mon horse will go slowly at 500 t,
$3.50 at the age of four years. TIL
cost of the service will be $40 or 50
more, perhaps, and this fact deter
FROM the improvement of his stock
many man who prides himselfupol
being too sharp to let any one ge
away with his hard earned dollars
"for any such foolishness as that.
Poor fools; they rob themselves c
many dollar, by their penny WIS
and pound foolish course.
But there are many who, howeve
strongly disposed they may be to in
prove their stock, are prevented b
circumstances. In most instances
is because they feel they cannot spar
the money necessary for pure-bre
animals, with which to begin tn
good work. If farmers would ger
orally cooperate in these matters, a
could secure the benefits arising froI
the use of the best blood, the best il
ventions, and the best seeds, trees an