The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-01-18

COW 10 be struck by lightning il an inter
position OF Providence on the side OF the
farmer. DIR. Collier asserted farther that
the average COW did not produce 1900
pounds of milk per year; but that yield he
added will not pay the cost of keeping.
Now what Is here stated as to the dairy COW
Is true of the beef breeds, and of all kinds
of stock. 1t needs no proof that our farm
ers Of today are lOOSing tremendously by
keeping inferior stock, and careing indiffer-
emily for what is kept. lt pays to keep
every animal on the farm In sleek, vig0r-
GUS growing condition. Any other course
is wasteful and unwise. We do not buy q
ten horsepower engine to do four horse
power work. No more should a horse, COW,
sheep, or hog which is capable of digesting
and assimilating ten pounds of feed be fed
less than that amount. This granted, and
and certainly no fact in farm economies
Is better attested, then 1t costs but little
more, often no more, sometimes not so
much to keep good animal than poor
one. But the good one will develop much
sooner and often sell for four or five times
as much as the poor one. As l keep no
swine OH my farm, and SO could not be ac-
cused of prejudice, | will illustrate by use of
the hog, where il the farmer that could be
razor back with infinite nose. Hogs increase
50 fast, and are so moderate in price, that
the most slow and unenterprising farmer
has either graded up his, swine, or rcjoices
in the pure Berkshire or Poland China.
He sees and appreciates the early develop
M Mt, quick maturity, rapid growth and eX-
celent tiber of these improved hogs. He
knows that one ear of corn puts more growth
on the modern hog than two did OH the old
rail splitter of yore. The same is true of
other stock; and prominently so of horses
and cattle. This very county of Shiawas-
see Is loosing thousands of dollars yearly in
breeding inferior horses and cattle. Why
breed Il small ten hundred horse--the most
of our horses are of this type--which will
not more than 500 at four years
of age, and is often hard TO dispose of at any
price, when high grade Percheron, or
Clevelend Bay will readily bring $500 at the
same aye and be sought after at that? am
glad that Cleveland Bay horse has been
brought into our county. wish some other
party would bring pure Percheron, and
another pure Shire; and then l wish we
might all have the wisdom to- use such horses.
To encourage just this thing, the inn
provement OF all our stock is just the pur-
pose of this society. What we shall urge
with all the vehemence we possess, is that
all our farmers care better for their stock,
feed better, shelter better, house better,
treat indeed with all the Kindness that the
best love can prompt. Then we shall urge
every town and neighborhOOd to secure full
blood males of the best type, and shall urge
all farmers to give to those who bring in
Ihese better animals most generous pat
rOnage, and then we shall rejoice to see the
mt rfl sfn nj I'm nIxr
,he condition of all our farmers improved.
believe now that it will pay every farmer
hat will feed well, and who can do it with
nut running in debt to commence in small
way to raise pure blood stock. Soon his
herds will all be pure and he will have
much more value in these herds with no
lppreciable outlay. OF course he must Sc
ect with care, that the value shall be real
not fictitious. With these nuclii scattered
hickly about our county, general grading
up will begin and soon Shiawassee county
will be to our State what Kentucky has
been to the United States. But some one
will say. i like fine stock and enjoy feed
ny well, but suppose start and breed up
fine herd, can L dispose of my surplus
1t prices that will have warranted the outlay
md effort made? Surely this is fair ques-
ion. Real excellence will find market
wherever it Is known, and il we build up in
he cautious way suggested the first outlay
s not large, and even in the worst event the
'isk cannot be great. But how can we en-
tighten people as to our stock. The small
breeder cannot afford to advertise, and IL he
loes, usually the large breeders will step in
md crowd him to tho wall--a wOuld-be
'uyer will usually go to the man with scores
# animals to select from and so the small
breeder, though he has the best, will be left |
and unpatronized. Just here Is |
where this society can slip in and do fine |
hing. Let us try the Kentucky method: |
Zach year have large sale right here in |
)wOssO. know of no better place. Let |
IS all put in some stock, get up nice cat |
logue, advertise thoroughly i'm the county |
apers and papers of adjacent counties, and |
nus have big annual sale. This will aid |
uyer and seller alike, will place the small
reedcr on par with him whose cattle
pam on thousand hills, and will be a real
lessing to our county. 1t Is my ambition
nd hope for this society that it may do just
his. believe the plan il big with prom
70 and has everything TO commend it. Car
ed out it could but bless any community.
should be proud TO see old Shiawassee the
rst to prove its excellence.
I'VE would call the attention of Prof
ook to the fact that there are in Shiawassee
Dunty several good Percheron stations, two
leveland Bays and number of i'm
orted Clydesdales. --ED.
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