Nevada County picayune., 1885-10-15
Agricultural Department.
Cattle Raising in Arkansas,

Much has been written and said, rro and con, upon the comparative profit of cotton growing as com pared with corn, grain and stock. Without entering into the dispute at all, nor arguing that time and labor are thrown away in the cot ton field, we propose 10 record a few reflections on the matter of raising beef in Arkansas, for northern markets.
 In the first place, we remember that nearly every farm in Illinois, Indiana or Iowa has from two or three to fifteen or twenty steers which are kept in pastures during the summer. and are fed during the winter on corn and corn fodder and finally sold at from 60 to go dollars a piece. Water for such stock is usually pumped from wells or caught in ponds made by putting dam across some hollow in the pasture. The work of feed ing is usually done by the farmer and his boys and costs nothing. Now it is fact which no we'll in. formed person will deny, that grass grows in Arkansas. Grab grass certainly grows, and that would be good enough, if we had no better. But Blue grass grows. Timothy grows, Clover grows, all grow well, in Arkansas and our woodland pastures, where the un- der brush IS cleared out, the timber thinned and the sunlight let in, are beautiful and afford magnificent grazing and for longer term of months than do the pastures in the above mentioned States. And ev- cry month that the southern steer stays in the pasture longer than his northern brother, he saves his owner one months feeding. Again the northern steer eats to gain flesh and also to keep warm, more than his southern brother, he costs his owner more corn.
 In the matter of water, in many instances we need neither wells nor ponds tor cool springs bubble from every hillside, and clear streams meander through groves and meadows. Not every where of course, but usually, and where they do not and art is necessary, we are at least on a par with our competitors In the matter of la Dor, it doesn't concern ms. The work on the farms we speak of is done by the family and is good healthy labor and won't hurt any one. And yet there is a choice be tween six months splashins around in the slush, mud, sleet and winds of northern corn fields and barn yards and three or four months feeding in the sunny valleys and sheltered feedlots of Arkansas.
 It cannot be denied that the ad- vantages are with the south and if 1t pays to raise big short horns and durham steers in Illinois, it will pay better to raise them here. It may be a question whether it pays to raise them anywhere. We only claim this, that if it pays in any state, it will pay here, and we have noticed that men who have nice big sleek steer for sale every fall, usually ride in buggies and dress their children well. Does any one ark where is the best part of Ar kansas, for stock raisingY It is hard to tell. In the northern coun. ties there are some magnificent op. portunies in the valleys and hills, l The climate and water cannot be surpassed and the wild grass is knee-high everywhere. In the southwestern counties, tie same Is true. Then there are the prai- rie lands equal to similar lands in Illinois or Kansas. There are the l bottoms of innumerable rivers and l creeks all over the state, where 1 pasture for thousands ct cattle { may be had for nothing. There l are no obstacles which may not be overcome and we long to see there l waste places utilized. Let every man own a few head of cattle 1 even though he cannot have herd 1 --l,ural and Workman.
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