Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-04-09

1
proves, farmers see more and more the
necessity for manures, and something
that is more reliable than most of the
patent fertilizers put on the market
The cities can not begin to supply the
demand for stable manures and as the
railroads become accommodating and
reasonable as to freights, the defcien-
cieS OF patent fertilizers will become
still more apparent The consumption
OF dairy products is also increasing in
q faster ratio than the population, and
the relief as to household labor afford
ed by creameries and cheese factories
also has tendency to popularize dairy
ing with thousands who before would
not listen to it. ALI these circum-
stances favor continued and an ex-
tended increase in stock-bredding for
the early future.
In this connection, then, it seems to
be proper to urge upon intelligent
stock-breeders greater attention to the
details of feeding and less to the nice
ties of breeding, if they desire to large
ly extend their sales. If the facts as to
the best care necessary by ordinary
farmers to succeed with stock can be
impressed upon them and made IA
miliar, and their interest awakened to
learn all about it, instead of depending
on traditional habits, there is great
future, not only for influential breed
ers, but for agriculture in general. If
farmers generally can be induced, per-
suaded coaxed, enticed, or even driven
to think more about their work, to in
quire as to the reasons for this or that
procedure they will not only become
better and richer farmers, but better
citizens, more anxious to influence the
actions of the Government and much
less the victims of politicians. What
ever leads them, through the possession
and use of intelligence, to moderate
wealth, is a gain to the whole body
polite, and even to the world at large.
They will live better and become better
customers for every kind of traffic that
elevates the race, and they will feel
more interest in the government that
protects them.
A great part of the literature of stock
journals, and of other journals that
treat of stock, relates to the principles
of breeding, to pedigrees, history of
breeds, sales. how to effect crosses, start
new breeds, etc. All this is well, and
even necessary: but as the demand
| for high-priced stock is confined
mainly to weli-known breeders them
/
mon farmer, would not something of a
| change be better? The ordinary farmer
is never likely to drop into the habit of
| buying $500 cows for milk, no matter
what the breed, and much less cows
| that cost 81. 900, 81, 800 or $4,000. and
so on up, with bulls to match. He places
no dependence on sales to his neigh
| borS at prices that will come anywhere
near a remuneration for such invest
ments. His dependence is on milk,
/ butter and beef. What interests him
most, next to his sales, is to know the
best way to feed, winter and summer
the crops that best promote his success
in dairying, and the mass of details
which affect these matters. relating to
daily treatment. shelter, kinds of feed
for milk and butter, soiling or pastur-
age, construction of stock barns, care
and application of manures. and hosts
of kindred questions. 1t is true all
these have been discussed at farmers
meetings and in farmers papers
times practically, sometimes theoret-
ically-but still not to safety as long
as there is something more to learn.
What is of the highest value IN these
| matters is Xperience-careful, thor
ough detailed experience-and re-
peated under many and vary
ing circumstances. Farming has,
perhaps, no points for demonstration
like a problem in geometry, but it's
facts can only be had byyears of patient
investigation. Now if our breeders
would change their methods somewhat,
| and instead of being in haste to report
records and sales, would give full de-
tails and results in feeding we should
all learn a great deal more. We get
quite good many records from high
priced stock, but the accompanying
details are meager. For instance, when
COW gets record of from eighteen to
twenty-five pounds of butter in single
week, we should know how, and exact
ly how much, she was fed for some
months previous to the test, and what
the feed consisted of, and whether the
cow ran in pasture or was carefully
soiled. But better than any weekly
record is a full one; that is, one EXTEND
ing through the year, or from the time
one calf was dropped until the cow
went dry again, and the full details as
to feeding and care.
Then again, besides the facts as to
high-priced stock, we should have re-
suits with common stock, or even
'.scrubs. That certainly would be of
great interest IN one sense, CnaG OF
comparing results under like circum-
stances with the results from high-bred
stock. We could tell better then
whether farmer is justified in trying,
at large outlay, to get a start with
s.pedig greed stock or whether his
common rubbish can ever be brought,
by good feeding and care, within gum
shot as to yield of his neighbours Jer-
seys. Holsteins or Shorthorns. True,
we have learned a great deal already,
for instance, that high-bred animals
usually produce their like, and that
common stock may produce almost
anything; and that in feeding for beef
it is best to keep up rapid growth from
birth to Strengthening time, and many
other facts that leave no doubt that
pure breeds are superior to common
stock; but we can not gauge with
sufficient accuracy the amount and
| value of this difference. 1t should be
demonstrated again and again before
farmers how much they are losing by
neglect, and the methods made known
by which the results are reached. Then
the wall of prejudice that surrounds
them will be northumberland
| Gazette.
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