The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-11-19

these l may mention the introduction
OF improved blood, better care and at
tention, the necessity of supplying
other feed when the natural growth
aud supply is not sufficient to keep
the stock in thrifty condition. All
this will of course cost money, but il
you force your stock to mature early,
you will not find it necessary to keep
them more than half as long as was
necessary under the old way, con-
sequently the cost of production
VIII not be very largely ill.,
creased, while the price realized
Will be very largely enhanced,
Instead OF the typical razor backed
elm peelers our farmers must, to be
successful pork producers, use only
pure bred boars and the best sows
they can get. Instead of keeping a
noS until 1T is two or three years old =,
he should be made ready for market
at ten months old, at which time, il
properly bred and cared for, he will
weigh not less than 200 pounds. There
is satisfaction and profit in raising
these kinds of hogs, while the scrub
loses money for and reflects discredil
on his owner.
The hog business in Texas is far be-
hind what it should be, numerically
it should be increased tenfold, il
quality they should equal the best.
Hogs can be grown as successfully
and with as much profit in
Texas as in any state in the
Union, instead of buying our
bacon and lard from Kansas and Mis-
souri,, we should not only produce
enough for home consumption, but
should have large surplus to sell to
me hungry millions who are, at least
in this particular, less fortunately sit
uated. When our farmers give the
attention they should to raising hogs.
numerous slaughter houses will be
established at convenient points III
the state, thus giving u good market
almost at our doors. In fact, we al
ready have establishments Of this
KIND with capacity far in excess OF
the supply, as is evidenced by the
fact that the Fort Worth Packing
company, with a capacity of 2O00 hogs
day, have been compelled to con.
tent themselves with less than halt
this number, and large proportion OF
those killed were furnished by ihe
state of Kansas.
The sheep business of Texas. like
that of the cattle, is changing from
the free range system to smaller and
enclosed pastures, from the "big gum
with tens of thousands to the stool,
farmer with small tlOcks of from 80 to
500, the latter of which is the most
profitable and satisfactory way Of con.
Quoting the business. | do not intend
to convey the idea that exclusive
sheep husbandry will no longer yield
profit, for / am a strong believer in
sheep and doubt not but many large
fortunes will be realized from eXclu-
sive sheep and wool growing on our
Texas prairles, but what do wish to
say is this, that the bulk of the sheep
business and the part OF it that will
in the near future give the best re-
suits, will be conducted by the stock
farmer and on small scale. The
farmer with his small flock
will not only give more
attention to improving them, but can
always prepare, at a small cost, plenty
of feed to carry his sheep through the
" lbbNl lllolOIlS. llS Cull, anu IL DIdC-
teal, will keep his flock in thriving
thus enabling him to always realize
top prices for both his wool and nut.
| ton.
Texas, with her cheap lands and
nutritious grasses, is especially
adapted to the successful raising OF
horses and mules. But the owner O!
the broom-tailed, pot-belied, glass,
eyed mare, who continues 10 raise
broncos for the western ranchmen,
should learn once and for all that his
occupation, as well as that his bronco
and bronco-riding cowboy, is gone
| never to return. The horse business
of Texas is an inviting field when prop.
erly conducted it will prove both pleas
ant and profitable, but like all other
branches of our live stock industry, it
must be built up by the introduction
of better blood, and the farmer OF
horse raiser who does not breed from
pure bred horse will in future find
it difficult to obtain buyers for his sur
plus stock. Mule raising is especially
profitable, provided you can raise
those that will measure Is hands
when grown, but for anything short
Of this the supply will be far in excess
of the demand.
There was time in Texas when
cattle, sheep, horse raising and farm,
ing were each regarded as separate
and distinct, and l regret to say that
i'll many instances an antagonistiC
feeling existed between those
engaged in these different pur.
suits. | am glad to be able tc
state that under the new order o.
things this feeling has passed
away, and the heretofore exclusive
cattle, sheep or horse raiser now finds
it to his interest to mix his livestock
and add a well-cultivated field that
will enable him to carry his stock
through the winter. The former eX.
elusive farmer now finds that he needs
and must have at least few stock tC
eat his surplus grass and other feed
produced Oh his farm. The stock bus
mess and farming are therefore assum
ing their proper and natural relations
which are, or at least should be, one
and the same. The farmers should
also be the producers of our best
live stock. The ranchmen should