The true northerner., 1885-11-19

The following article from the pen of
A. G.. g., who is well known to a majority of
our readers, published in the Country Gen
tlemon, will, doubtless, be interesting to
many:
Reading in the Country Gentleman des-
cription of "Farming in Northeastern Mich
igan," by i. Is. Pierce, am constrained to
show its readers the other side of the shield
from the opposite corner of the street. / sat
beside Mr.. Pierce, as stranger, as he rose
TO read his excellent paper at the horticultu-
raj meeting, at Grand Rapids, and the i'm
preston he there made on me is, that he
would not draw upon his imagination in the
least, in order TO make a readable article;
so / must believe that the primitive farming
of Northeastern Michigan, as shown by the
article referred to, is true representation of
that region; but if Mr.. Pierce had come this
way from Grand Rapids, his opinion of our
state would have been more pleasing, and the
impression of the readers of his article would
have been formulated into more favorable
opinions regarding the practices of its farmers.
The counties of Kalamazoo, Van Buren,,
st. Joseph, Cass, and Berrien, comprising
what may be termed the southwest corner OF
ductions, ease of cultivation, and the level
character of its surfaces for it's breeders of
high class stock of all kinds, including horses,
cattle, sheep and swine; and for the intelli-
gence of its farmers, cannot be matched by
any five contiguous counties in any other
state of the Union. Fifty years ago this en-
tire region was wilderness, and its wealth
and improvements may not equal those of
- ba f,,
Not more than two per cent, of the farms in
these counties need, or would be benefited
by, tile-draining; the subsoil is generally
gravel, or of SO open nature that the ground
settles early in spring, or after heavy rains,
and plowing and cultivation is nearly contin-
uous from early spring until the ground
freezes in autumn. These counties are es-
pecially favorable to the growth of corn, and
this year produce the largest crop ever made
Not one-tenth of this, probably, will be sent
beyond the borders of the territory described,
but will be fed on the farms on which il
grew, or be purchased by neighboriug farm
ers who feed sheep and cattle for the large
markets of Chicago or Buffalo. A few car
loads of calves and yearlings have been pur-
chased each year lately for shipment to Iowa
and other states west, but nearly all the cat
tie raised are fed by the large farmers, who
have from one to two carloads each spring
to sell.
The surplus sheep, lambs, and mature
wethers, are sold to feeders, who are located
in almost every neighborhood, some of
whom feed largely; $50 passed my place last
week going 20 one man, feeder in Kalama-
zoo county. VIM. Blake, at Galesburg, fed
1000 last winter. Two brothers, 4. ID. and
G. Wildey, three miles west of Paw Paw.
Van Buren, county, feed annually about Eve
carloads of sheep and steers, which they ship
to Albany or New York.
At every railroad station stock buyer is
located, who does a thriving business from
August TO January buying hogs, which are
all high bred Poland Chinas and Berkshires,
largely of the former breed. The country,
with its dry soil, seems particularly favorable