The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-01-30
Why II Is Cheapest for the Farmer TO Have
the IOSt.

|
Phi'a. Ecton'.
Although tire original expense incurred
by the purchase of thoroughbreds may be
greater than the cost OF unimproved stock,
vet ia the end an investment for thor
oughbreds is the best, as the actual differ
cnce in value between good and inferior
stock is much greater than at first APP
pears. a herd OF cattle, whether OF
thoroughbreds or grades, ii bred
for beef, will show the value OF
the breed, not only in the weight OF
carcasses in proportion to ages but also
in the cost OF production. Our thorough
BREEDS are not bred for size exclusively,
nor even for ability 10 digest and convert
the smallest proportion OF food into the
largest quantity OF beef, but they also pos"
Scss prominence in certain characteristics
equally us desirable. In our beef cattle
the breeders have developed the most
available and choicest portions OF meat
where it is most desired. The hind quar-
tiers and loins are heavily developed, the
head is smaller, the bones finer and the
quality OF the flesh increased, and in thus
producing large carcasses at small cost the
value OF the animals is enhanced by being
bred to that degree OF perfection which en-
ables the farmer or breeder to realize the
best prices obtainable.
In our dairy COWS we find the improved
animal the cheapest. A COW yielding
forty pounds OF milk day will soon pay
much moro than the amount expended
Tor the improvement OF an entire herd
compared with that usually derived from
one not well bred. The difference OF only
one pound oibutter a week in the product
of one COW will pay the purchase money
OF n Jersey COW during the term OF her
life, and when We consider that single
hull in the period OF five years may change
the characteristics Of all the cows in n
neivhborhood the attempt to estimate his
value is not within the range Of possibility.
Individual animals sometimes increase
the value OF the stock OF n whole
nation. Messenger, the founder OF our
trotting strain ofhorses, though not valued
in his lifetime us 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 in"
stances OF great improvement through the
influence OF "a single male, as is remem-
bered in the case OF tho 0xford-down ram
Freeland, which received the sweepstakes
prize ut 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 q few fine
boned Neapolitan hogs for crossing gave
us the celebrated Essexs, which are the
great rivals Of the Berkshires, The origi.
majors OF the prominent families ofstock
found livery profitable to improve with
every opportunity, and the result was that
with every improvement the value OF the
stock was increased, while the cost OF pro-
duction was lessened. 1t does not pay to
keep inferior stock II better can be pro.
cured, as the conditions for keeping the
improved animals are the same Us those
for the other kinds. With good quarters,
liberal feeding and care in management
for stock ofall kinds, improved or inferior,
with the same labor, greater returns and
larger profit, ut less cost, will result from
Improvement, while the capital invested for
the improvements will be but small sum
compared with the benefits derived.