The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-02-01
Notes by the Way.
From the Michigan Farmer.

Mr.. l. l.. Mills, who volunteered to act as
pilot, and whose farm was the first stopping
i place.
Mr. Mills Is located on the old Hulick
farm, one of the best in this very fine agri-
cultural section. When ii is stated that he
has never yet had failure of his clover
crop our readers, so many of whom have
had such different experiences the past three
years, will realize that the soil must be UNI
commonly good or that Mr.. Mills has dis
covered some new points in growing clover.
He has l75 acres of wheat now Oh the
ground, and this will all be seeded down in
the spring. The farm has long been noted
for growing very line grains, ana many
sold at high prices for seed
The farm is stocked with 20 head of
Shorthorns, 30 pure bred Shropshire ewes,
l5O head of choice grade Merinos, in lamb
to Il registered Shropshire buck, eight excel-
lent farm horses, the grand imported Clydes-
dale stallion Gen. Johnston, and 10 head of
| pure P0land-China sOws, mostly tracing 10
the noted herd of l.. w. IL o. Barnes, Of
Byron. The Shorthorns all belong to the
Phyllis and Pomona families, and are most
| ly young. They are all reds, and Il straight
healthy looking lot, not in heavy flesh, but
| looking well. OF the lot three are bulls.
balance cows and heifcrs.
The two iiocks of sheep are i'm good shape
and the $50 Mernos are well graded up,
good shearers and good sized carcasses,
| showing them to be a good type of the
MerinO for the farmer.
The Poland-Chinas, now so popular in
Michigan, come from the best families, and
as the entire lot are in pig, Mr.. Mills shoid
have some choice young stock this spr.ng.
The Clydesdale stallion, Gen. Johnston,
has been referred to before in the Farmer.
He is steel brown with white markings,
weighs about 800 lbs. in fair flesh, and III
breeding and make up is one of the choicest
animals of the breed ever brought inlo
Michigan. Gen. Johnston, No. $685., Was
bred in Scotland, and imported into Mich
igan in 1886. He is recorded in Volume 0,
page 437, of the Clydesdale Stud Book of
Great Britain. His sire was j. Ii. (2SS3),
he by Bonnie Breastknot (10S), out of Mag
gle (2930), by Campsie Q1o). The dam of
Gen. Johnston was Maggie (4463), by Old
Times (579); grand-dam Jess of Park (4lS)
by Round Robin gen Gen. Johnston has
been prize-wnner wherever shown, and
was first in his class at the last State Fair
His family is a noted one among the breed
ers of Scotland, where they are held in high
esteem. We have seen q few of his colts,
and they are good ones, showing plenty of
good flat bone, and good bodies.
While here rain-storm began which last
ed for "a hours, making the roads very bad, |
and preventing our reaching number of |
farms which we had intended to visit. Driv- |
ing about four miles in the rain we reached |
the farm of Mr.. Frank A. Braden, who has |
been engaged in breeding ShorthOms for o |
number of years for so young man. The |
herd comprises 30 head, of which four are
bulls. The herd is made up of those two |
families which have given Michigan so
many prize animals-Victorias and Staple
pleton Lasses. In Franks hands they have
lost none of their Old-time characteristics,
and those big broad-backed cows carry
uddcrs which would delight dairyman.
Certainly. both beef and milk are natural to
these animals, and they possess just the
characteristics which have made tho Short
horn popular with SO many farmers. The
young stock are generally sired by Lord
Raspberry 1868, whose dam was an i'm
ported Cruickshank COW. He suited this
herd, and his young are of a superior quail
ity. Three young bulls are for sale here,
two of the Stapleton Lass family and one
Victoria. They possess just the character
istics which should make them valuable in |
grading up good herd of cattle for far |
mer, and we saw stock i'm the fields we |
passed during our visits which could be i'm |
proved fifty per cent by their use and lit
tie care. Mr. Braden first started his herd |
with stock from that of Mr.. Charles Fish
beck, near Howell, and he Is now using q |
bull from that herd, Young Brilliant 9OO39,
sired by Baronet Bell Bates 47411, out of |
Fancy I'd by Young Heir $1,000, tracing to
imp. Saliva l4th by Gold Digger (24O44).
Mr.. Bradens appreciation of Shorthorns
has steadily grown since he began breeding,
and nc is q very warm admirer of the red,
white and roam.
From here the next stopping place was at
the farm of Messrs. l.. w. ~ o. Barnes,
whose Poland-Chinas and Merinos have q
reputation all over the State, and in many
others. Here we found the boys engaged |
in the work of feeding, and it takes a large |
share of the time on this farm. They raise
from hundred to a hundred and fifty pigs |
per year. At present they have sold down
to Is brood sOws which will drop pigs in the
spring, and some filters of fall pigs. About
all the pigs old enough have been sold,
with few exceptions. In fact they have
had an excellent season, and every prospect
for good one the coming year. Their herd