The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-03
Improved stock the Cheapest.
lPhiIadelnhia Tines

Althoughthe original expense incurred by
the purchase of thoroughbreds may be great
er than the cost Of unimproved stock, yet in
the end an investment for thoroughbrsds is
the best, as the actual difference in value be-
tween good and inferior stock Is much great.
er than st first appears. herd of cattle,
whether of thoroughbreds or grades. if bred
for beef, will show the value of tho breed,
not only Ia the weight OF carcssses 10 pro.
portion to age but also in the cost OF produc-
ton. Our thor0ughbreds are not bred fox
size exclusively, nor even for ability to di
gest and CONVEX the smallest proportion of
food into the largest quantity OF beef. but
they also possess prominence in certain char
acIerlstics equally desirable. In our beef
cattle the breeders have developed the most
availab e and choics st portions OF meat
where 1t is most desired. The hind quarters
and loins are heavily developed the head il
smaller the bones finer and the quality of
the iesh increased, and in thus producing
large carcasses at small cost the value of the
animals is enhanced Dy being bred to that
degree OF perfection which enables the farm
er or breeder 10 realize the best prices OBJ
taiDabie.
In our dairy COWS We find the improved
aDimal the cheapest. A COW yielding forty
pounds OF milk day will soon pay mucn
more that the amount expended for the i'm.
DrovemeLt Of an entire herd compared With
that usually derived from one not well bred
The difference OF only one pound OF butter a
week in the product of one COW will pay the
purchase money of a Jersey bull during the
term OF her life, and when we consider that
single bull in the period of five years may
change the characteristics of all the cows in
neighborhood the attempt TO estimate his
vaiue is not within the range OF possibility.
Individual animals sometimes increase the
value OF the stock OF a whole Nation. Mes.
teDger, the founder OF our trotting strain of
h0reaa In fo-
time as costly animal, increased the value
OF our horses many millions OF dollars The
Booth and Bates families of Shorthorns also
produce noted individuals of extraordinary
merit, while even in so small an animal as
the sheep We have instances of great i'm.
provement through the il floence of a single
male, as is remembered in the case of the Ok.
ford.Gewn ram FTeeland, which received the
sweepstakes prize at the Centennial. The
descendants of this ram sell for hundreds of
dollars each, and are greatly in demand.
An old boar. that was not highly valued,
founded our famous Chester white breed of
swine, and the selection of few fine. boned
Neapolitsn hogs for crossing gave us the cei-
ebreted Essexs, which are the great rivals of
the Berkshires. The orginators OF nhe prom.
inent families of stock found it very profita-
bic to improve with every opportunity, and
the result was that with every improve ment
the value OF the stock was increased, while
the cost of production was lessened. II
does not nay to keep inferior stock IL better
can be procured, as the conditions for keep
ing the improved animals are the same as
these for the other kinds. With good quar-
tiers, liberal feeding and care in management
Tor stock Of all kinds, improved or inferior,
with tue same labor, greater returns and
larger profit, at less cost, will result from
improvement, while the capital Invested for
the improvement will ba but small sum
compared with the benefits derived.