The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-10-15
NoRLRs COUNTY xrocK.

MOBILES co UvrY STOCK. a
A gentleman from Illinois on tour
Of inspection through this country re,
Gently. remarked: II see you have
some very fne stock hereabouts, fat
enougl, for the butcher, but don't SEQ
how it is done without feeding grain.
1 suppose you lose considerable num-
ber Of cattle during your cold winters.''
Great was his astonishment on being
informed that We do not lose hardly
any on that account. losses from all
causes not exceeding one per cent,
which lie acknowledged was less than
the loss in Illinois. The writer cannot
Call to mind Il single instance where
stock has died on account of our cold
winters. Indeed our climate is as
healthful for the brute creation as it is
for the human. OF course it is neces-
sary to provide shelter for stock, and
this is easily done. If the stock raiser
has not the means to put up comfort
able barns ut first. heean put up straw
sheds or sod stables, which cost moth
ing but little time and labor, which
will answer very we'll until such time
as he is able to put up more elegant
frame structure. The past season has
witnessed the erection Of many sub
stantial barns by Mobiles county farm
srs, who lave slowly emerged from
their poverty stricken conditions Incl
dent to the opening Of all new sections
to settlement aud cultivation. This
they have been enabled to do by reason
ut turning their attention to stock
raising and dairying instead "f depend
ing altogether upon grain raising.
1t is hard for people who have never
passed = winter in Minnesota to under
stand how it is that the Thermometer
can get down to 80 below zero with.
out producing more discomfort both
alnorg the human family and the brute
crrAtiun than it does. For the benefit
of eastern people VT will reitprate what
is an old story to Mlnnesotians. Those
times when the mercury gets away
down into the basement of the ther.
n,om-ter there is scarcely 4 breath of
air stirring, and people do not realize
how cold it really is. Indeed. one can
work "ut doors at those times Will, coat
off. without experiencing discomfort.
At all times the winter air is dry and
l'racing I've seldom have rain or sleet
in the winter), it does not strike Il chill
through the system rs does the moist
sir "f slightly warmer climates. Dur
ing our Glizzards that eastern people
have heard so much about and seem to
dread, the trouble arises not so much
from the cold rs it does from the liabil.
ity "f getting lost on some trackless
prairie; but that danger is rapidly grow
ing less year by year rs the country
settles up and trees. houses and other
landmarks become more numerous. It
is believed that the growing Of trees
has already done very much to miti.
gate the severity Of our winters.
AS illustrating the influence our eli.
mate has upon horses, we will relate u
little incident that recently came under
the sporting reporters observation. A
gentleman brought several teams from
Ohio, one horse being greatly troubled
with heaves. After inhaling Minnesota
air and feeding on our native grasses.
not = vestige of the trouble remains,
aud \ person unacquainted with the
horse would not have the slightest sus-
pici0n that it had ever been wind
broken. A certain weed that grows on
our prAiries is said to be a specific for
heaves, and it may he that the horse ate
some of it. Be that as it may. a case
of heaves is a very rare occurrence
among Minnesota horses.
Then, too. our native grasses are SO
rich in nutriment that cattle having
free access thereto come our fat in the
fall without feeding particle of grain,
the beef from which is JUICY and tender,
and 1T to set before an epicure. 1t
would please the lover of fine stock to
zee the herds of sleek, fat cattle, of
which Mobiles county can boast q goodly
number, feeding in grass that is up to
their launches. Very few cattle in
MOBILES county have ever had taste of
grain. Grass fed cattle make good
solid beef. too. - good as any corn-fed
But, then, this season has still fur
thsr demonstrated that Mobiles county
can raise corn, If any one thinks corn is
necessary to the production of good
beet. Then, too, stock fed on native
upland hay come out in good condition
in the spring, aud this gives them a
good start over cattle that are half
starved on straw, etc, that eastern
farmers feed because hay is too scarce
"r too valuable. Horses and cattle pre-.
fer good upland native hay to the best
timothy that ever grew. This may
seem strange to eastern readers, but il
they are skeptical on this point, let
them try few bales on their own
stock. It will not cost very much to
make the trial. We presume any OF
our hay shippers. of whom Worthing.
ton has several, will supply those who
wish to test this matter for themselves,
Dnt We can and do raise good clover
and Timothy hay. Timothy is desirable
- furnishing earlier feed in the spring
and later feed In the fall than native
grasses. ~ y so ~
Considering that Mobiles county ha,