The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-02-11

much 10 the selling value of his prop
erty. But 10 return TO the subject which
we desire more particularly TO treat of in
this communication, viz: What means
should our farmers adopt in order TO in
sure the profits to be derived from their
lands in the future, and make them less
dependent upon the seasons-a bad or IN
favorable season for the crops meaning no
profit, yet their labor must be almost as
much bestowed upon poor crop As upon
good one.
The remedy that we venture TO propose.
to use a homely old saw, is not TO have
all their eggs in one basket, that is, not to
cOnfine themselves almost entirely, as
they now do, 10 the raising of grain crops,
but TO very materially lessen the quantity
of land they have under cultivation and 90
III for the breeding and fattening
OF sheep and cattle Tor the markets.
Every year now makes the assistance OF
fertilizer either artificial or farm-yard
more necessity, therefore adding TO his
expenses and consequently lessening his
profits. But as he has to have such an
aid to the coil, it is lar better be should
manure and till ten acres really well than
twenty acres imperfectly. 1t will pay him
better while only taking a less amount of
work to cultivate and care for. Let each
farmer content himself with, say one
third the quantity of land now under Gull
tivation and place the remainder on
grass. Now, If he has made up bis mind
to go in Tor stOck-raising very important
question arises. Which is the most suita-
bic breed of cattle and sheep to select from
The most suitable is that breed ex-
perlence has proven TO be the most easily
fed while attaining maturity in the short
est space OF time, and carrying at the same
time the greatest weight OF meat. The
writer has had experience in stock raising,
not only IN Ireland, butin the West Indies,
Buenos Ayres, and finally in Indiana; so
his views are not theories gained from
books or journals, but actual experience
il his mentor In his opinion the Dur
ham breed of cattle is the most suitable
for the Indiana farmer to commence with.
This breed is a good milker-sielding a
good proportion of butter, and is easily
fed. These cattle have this advantage,
that while they carry a good weight
OF meat upon them when fat-they finish
at an earlier age than most cattle. They
are, also very gentle and good tempered
no small advantage upon small farm.
All these good qualities point toward the
Durham as the breed that would bring in
the most profit, because the returns will
be more speedy than they would be from
any other breed OF cattle. Now as to the
best kind OF sheep for the farm. To
start in with the writer pronounces
Tor the LincOlns. He has tried or
seen tried nearly every known breed
OF sheep, including the Rambullet and
Myrette, but his experience has taught
him that for wool and for meat there is
nothing like the Lincoln sheep. He has
seen the yearling Lincoln sheep-a Hogget,
es we called them in the old country
whose wool measured fourteen inches
in length and the fleece weighed
nine pounds of well-washed wool
\ Lincoln eve is a food breeder, has plenty
of mIlk for its lamb, and the latter can be
put on the market earlier than most
lambs OF other breeds On small farms
where the number of sheep might not
exceed fifty or sixty head, they could be
housed and fed like pigs, as they may be
trained to eat all the refuse from the
farmers kitchen, flesh meat excepted.
Then, too, if man is able to house his
calves he can have lambs fit for marketing
month or two earlier than the usual
time, and he can command nearly double
the usual price Tor them in such an event.
We have no hesitation in saying that
the farmer who carries out the system of
farming mened one, he will make more
money than he has done under the old
time one OF putting every available acre
under cultivation. Then and this is OF
much more importance to him, he will be
much less dependent upon either the sea-
sons or the grain market, the latter being
almost as variable as the former and as
little to be relied upon. Again, he will
always have money coming in TO him. At
one time he will have his grain for which
be will get a much better price than be-
fore, because of better grain, owing to
superior cultivation. At another he will
have some lat lambs, or his wool, then
will come in the money for the sale of his
fat cattle and so on. 1t seems TO the writer
that on consideration the farmer cannot
fail to see the truth of the arguments put
forth here for the proposed change in his
system of farming. With the system adj
Vocated the farmer and his family will no
longer be so tied down to the working of
his lands as he is now; he will have more
time for recreation, mental and bodily.
There is no reason why his life should be
as il is now, regular tread-mill sort OF
existence, one unnecessary round OF labor
from years end to years end. A few
months ago the writer spent two weeks at
ii farmhouse about sixty miles from this
city. The proprietor was wealthy, owned
several hundred acres OF good land, and
he and his good wife must have been well
on the wrong side OF seventy years.
Their children had married and set
tied on farms in close proximity to
the old Homestead. Yet these old folks
were up at o'clock every morning. Break
fast was at o'clock sharp and they toiled
all day-he in the field tilling the soil, and
she about the house and garden. They
worked as long as there was daylight;
they would not rest even a half hour after
meals. They had too much to do; even
on the Sabbath day there was work 10 be-
dOne-cows to be MIXED, horses to be
fed, and so on; always in a hurry to
get some work complete, yet their work
was never done. And thus had they to
do all the time, and would continue to do
as long they could keep on their feet \
ride to church on Sunday church fair
or the yearly trip to the city-their only
recreation. OF course they had hired help
to assist them. but il was with them work,
work, always work. There is no reason
why farmers life should be SO mOnot-
Onous, so full OF hard work and above all
SO unceasing.
If they will, as the writer has said be-
fore, but cast aside the letters of oldtime-
ism and adopt the Mened system of
farming they will make more money,
have but one-third OF the amount of
work that is now necessity with them,