St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-05-22
HORSE.RAISlN0.

An Industry which, At Present, O0er,
Better Advantages Than Cattle or Hog
Breeding.
The prospect for making money by
keeping cattle on the open range and
ranch is not as good as it was few
years ago. The best locations have
been secured, and with rare exception,
the natural supplies of water are con.
trolled by parties who use them as they
do private property. In many of the
| Territories there are combinations
| among the ranchmen who have been
on the ground for several years that
place all the difficulties they convent.
emily can in the way of newcomers.
They have large capital, and are able
to exert powerful political influence.
They can obtain breeding stock to
better advantage than men who are
seeking to establish themselves, and
can secure more favorable terms for
transportation. They have prospered as
| few persons have who have been en-
| gagged in any department of stock-rais-
ing. Many of them will continue to make
money, as they have experience. cap
ital and facilities that are now difficult
to secure. According to the reports
| of several ranch and range companies
made at the close of last year the profits
| on the capital invested were small. A
comparatively high price was paid for
young cattle, while beeyes sold at low
| figures. The action of the National
Government in relation to grazing lands
| i'm Indian Territory and the erection of
| wire fences on public lands has been
unfavorablc to the interests of many
ranchmen.
Hog-raising is less profitable than it
has been ut any time since the begin
ming of the civil war. The price Of all
pork products is very low. Our pork is
excluded from several countries where
it was once extensively sold. The Pc
| riodic alarms about trichina in this
country as well rs in foreign countries
have caused many people, especially in
large towns. to abandon the use of pork.
The swine disease popularity known as
hog cholera has made the business of
producing pork very hazardous. There
is more risk from disease in keeping
hogs than in keeping any other kind of
domesticated animals. Feeders who
keep hogs in connection with cattle
they are butchering for the market de-
rive the most profit from them. The
pork they produce is aclear gain. Very
few extensive stock-raisers now feed
corn or other grains directly to hogs.
The outlook for large gains i'm keeping
sheep is very poor. Wool and ordinary
mutton are both very low. While many
are not inclined to sacrifice their flocks
IF sheep. few desire to increase them.
Some find that there is profit in sup
plying the local market with mutton;
others wish mutton for their own tables,
md few keep sheep for the purpose
IF keeping up the fertility of their land.
All shccp-raiserS are hopeful of a favor
able turn i'm their business.
The prospects for making money in
breeding and raising horses and mules
we're never better than they are now.
Horses of all descriptions command
good prices. As wealth increases in
arge cities there is an increasing de-
mand for horses that will make fast
time on the race-course, for fine car
rage horses and for riding horses. The
demand for heavy draft horses for use
On draws and transfer-wagonsw was never
better. The demand for middle-weight
horses is also good. The increase of
street car lines in all large towns calls
for large number of horses suitable
for drawing cars. Street railways make
a demand for more horses than ordi-
nary railways ever displaced. The de-
velopmcnt of Dakota and the western
provinces of Canada has created de-
mand for horses i'm the Northwest.
They are wanted not only for ordinary
farm work, but for drawing stages and
doing general teaming. These parts of
the continent will require more horses
than they can produce during the next
twenty years. The first settlers of any
new country can not engage in horse
breeding very extensively. They have
not the capital to purchase breeding
stock, to erect stables, and to enable
them to wait till animals grow to a
size that they can be put to work. They
find it to their advantage to raise cattle
and hogs for several years after they
have settled on their places.
Although the demand for mules in
the States north of Missouri is small,
owing t. foolish prejudice against
them. the demand for them in the
South is as good as ever and promises
to continue. Raising mules for the
Southern market is a profitable bust
ness for all who are SO situated that
they can engage i'm it. Missouri, Kan
sas, Nebraska and Iowa are well stu
ated for breeding and raising mules.
The climate is favorable, while grass,
corn and oats are leading crops. st.
Louis is the largest mule market in the
world, and it is easily reached by rail
way or river communication by parties
living in any of these States. Exten-
sive buildings for protection are not so
essential for mules as for horses.
Shelters for mules can be made of very
cheap materials. The mule is a hardy
creature and will stand exposure that
will greatly injure horse. Mares
suitable for raising mule colts can be
obtained from Oregon or the Western
Territories at comparatively low prices.
and good jacks can be bought in Mis-
souri, and the States further south.
Parties proposing to engage in the
business require considerable capital,
rs there win be no returns for at least
two years. After that time .'crop"
Of mules can be sold every year, and
the expenditure of labor and money
will be small.
The raising of horses and mules can
be carried on in connection with grain
raising and general farming in most OF