The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-04-22
Where Are The Cattle.

Inc cattie-growers who Craze their
herds on the northern ranges have kept
the fact of their being engaged in that
business so constantly before the public
that they have created the impression
that the larger portion of the cattle I'M
the country Craze on the arid plains OK
in the Rocky Mountain valleys and
parks. This Is a mistake
Given country where corn thrivesl
there will be found cattle and hogs in
large numbers. ALI intelligent agricult1
urists know that the Mississippi Valley Is
divided into great belts of land, each dis!
tinguished by some marked peculiarity
of soil and climate that determines the
use to which it is devoted. The upper
Mississippi is wheat land; the lower up
per, corn land; the upper lower, cotton
land; and the lower, so-called sugar
land. 1t is true that corn can be raised
in the wheat and in the cotton belt, and
even in the sugar belt; but it is not corn
as the western corn-growers use the
word. The corn belt proper includes
Illinois. Iowa, Missouri, and eastern
Kansas and Nebraska Portions of Ohio,
Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee prop!
erly belong in this belt. But use the
first division for convenience of illustra-
ton. Where corn grows to perfection
there is always plenty of feed for cattle
Millet will grow and yield bountifuf
crops throughout the region. The same
is true of oats, and wheat, though not a.
sure crop in the corn belt, is extensively
sown.
In 1870 there were 22,5O1, ,337 domes4
tic horned cattle in the United States
In 1880 the census shows that there were
"a, 931 $40 cattle in the country-an in
crease of II, ,43O, ,333 during the decade
OF this increase 1922, 1858 we're in the
five corn States of Illinois, Iowa, Mis-
souri,, Kansas, and Nebraska When
the last census was taken, more than
one-fourth of the cattle in the country
were in those States: In 1880 our pro-
duction of corn was 1,754, ,591 ,676 BUSH
els. The five corn States produced 1,071,-
344 bushels-more than half the crop.
1t is plainly seen that where the land
yields large crops of corn. there the cat
tie naturally grayitate.
In 1880 there were. in all that extern
sive area composed Of Montana, Wyom-
ing, Colorado, New Mexico. Arizona,
Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and
Washington, 1,766, ,262 cattle, or 594, IA
less than there were in Illinois,, and but
oO1,Oft LuOFo ludn Lu6TO were IN the
young State of Kansas. New York,
which is never spoken of as a cattle
growing State, contained in 1880, $780,
088 cattle-613,82 more than grazed
on the whole of the arid belt, the much
vaunted grazing grounds of the West.
In my opinion the census of 1890 will
show that there will be more cattle in
the three corn-growing States of Illinois.
Iowa, and Missouri than in the entire
plain region, excepting Texas, of course
And there will not be as much acute suf-
fering, nor as many miserable deaths
from starvation and cold, in the three
States as there will be among the cattle
existing through the winter in a single
county in the so-called cattle country
In 1880 there were 5, 1894, 102 cattle in
Texas. The Texas cattle men so thor
oughly understand their business, and
the State is so well adapted to raising
cattle, that nothing need be said Of
them or their lands. ALI Texas cattle
growers realize that they must not over
stock their range, now fully stocked.
Those at all familiar with Texas know
that as long as grass grows and water
runs that State can be relied upon to
supply from 750,000 to LOCO, 900 cattle
annually; cows can raise calves on the
Texas ranges and live, and the same is
true of New Mexico and Arizona and
portions of the Indian Territory
Frank Wilkes0n, in HdYper's Magazine
for Aprik.