Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-02-14
FARMS AND CATTLE
Timely Hints and Happenings to
Husbandmen.
Cuttings OF General Interest to the
Farmer and stockman-Im.
portant Notes.

portant Notes.
"What caused the heavy run OF cattle
last week?" As asked OF a weIl-known
commission man.
"Well, there were numerous causes.
but the most potent one was the fact that
during the early part of the season the
market on stock cattle was very dull
and prices unusually low. Along about
the first OF the year the market became
stagnant, but for the last three weeks
prices have gradually advanced, the de-
mand getting better each day. Ship
pers were quick TO note the improve
ment and the fine summer weather two
weeks prior to last enabled them to
scour their respective districts and pick
up everything in sight They could
ride all day without an overcoat and IL
was apparently great fun after their
season Of inactivity. The result was
tho dumping OF about 5000 head of cat
tle on the market in one week, which
was the largest run on record for Sioux
City"
Were values well sustained?" was
next asked.
Remarkably we'll, all things consid-
cred or course there was general
break OF 10@15c during the middle Of
tho week and we had to make further
concessions during the latter part of the
week on the odds and ends, but choice
well-bred cattle held their own wonder.
fully we'll.
There was very large proportion OF
the receipts OF poor style and quality.
Why Is that farmers do not grade up
their herds? as a we'll bred animal is
worth from third TO half more than
a scrub. and are always In demand, -
said the reporter.
''lt is carelessness, pure and simple.
In great many localities OF Minnesota
and the Dakotas farmers let their bulls
run with the herd too long. This nat
urally brings about in-and.in breeding,
which can have but one effect. and that
is TO greatly detoriate the quality and
style OF the cattle. A bull should not
be allowed to run with heifers OF his
own offspring. IL kept with the older
cows only, a bull may be used TO ad-
vantage by owner as long as he remains
vigorous and active, but where the
males are permitted to run at leisure
W.
and thus come in contact with their
own calves, they should be changed as
often as every three years. This may
appear both inconvenient and expen-
sive, but it will repay both the trouble
and the cost. The time for careless.
haphazard, lazy money making is past
in cattle. The time and money re-
quired TO either replace the old bulls or
keep them separate from the young
heifers could not be more profitably EN-.
ployed. This would do away with the
endless number OF scrubs which find
their way TO this market The times
are progressive, and IL the farmers
would keep in the procession they must
grade up their herds"
The bill introduced by Representative
White at Springfield, Ill, making Ii
misdelneanor for any person, firm or
corporation TO pack any pork the pro-
duct OF piggy sows, s1ags and boars, is
the subject of many remarks by Chicago
packers. This Is really pleasant"
said Michael Cudahy 10 tho Droyers
journal. THE idea OF such a measure
being introduced as coming fiom the
farmers. Why, the local packers have
been endeavoring for years 10 have tho
the shipment of such hogs to this mar
ket prohibited. We don't want such
animals and we never did. We can re-
fuse positively to buy any such ship
ments. and though there is very little
OF such pork packed, IL is pleasant TO
know there Is a possibility Of there be-
ing none at ALL, ..ss --.--
and stays there would be no call for
such a measure. The frrmers may
imagine that we reyel in unwholesome
products and are delighted with con-
signments We can notuse. The Chicago
packers have endeavored TO reject any
such class OF hogs and throw them back
on the original shipper. This the farm
ers objected to- The intent of the
measure is good, but its scope is hardly
broad enough.
Said !. n. Sunderland. chief OF pro-
vision inspection: Every barrel OF
pork sent out from Chicago is inspected
carefully. III a single piece the product
of stays, boars or piggy sows be discov-
cred the whole barrel or lot is thrown
out and given tho inspection mark OF
the bad piece. Such products are some
times put up in separate barrels, but
they are always marked and never con-
signed as regular pork. Tho law will
have no effect on packers. as the point
is already covered, but it may benefit
the market by enabling packers to re-
fuse improper shipments"
THE live stock shippers and farmers
who patronize this market do not pay as
much for getting their stock sold now
as they did before the formation OF the
Chicago Live Stock exchange" This
assertion was made by Mr.. Charles w.
Baker, the secretary. On being asked
TO explain this statement he said: 1T
is accounted for in two ways: First. the
various abuses that have been corrected
in the matter OF shrinkage or dockage
and especially on hogs, the disposition
OF condemned animals, etc. Second,
while the regular rates OF commission
are maintained there is no steal
age, as there used to be by
crooked men in the business. Be-
fore the Exchange was organized
crooked man could honey swaggle a
countryman into shipping to. him by
Offering to do the work for half price or
less. and then appropriate just as much
of the selling price AS he thought he
could take without supicion or detec-
tion. When the Exchange was organ
lied such conduct became too risky. One
or two crooks were hauled up before the
bar OF the Exchange and expelled for
defrauding countrymen- and It became
ct once apparent that crooked man
would run too many risks of being
mirod in business, and the work was
efiectually stopped by the Exchange. /
repeat that 1t costs less to market stock
i'm Chicago now than 1t did before the
organization OF the Live Stock Ex-
change"
Notes.
A. s. Harrington writes from odell.
Nebl, that horses are dying in stalk
fields.
Landseer's Fancy Toltec's Fancy and
Mary Anne OF st. Lambert famous
COWS, are all dead.
A car OF corn has been contributed by
Creston. Ia, merchants and sent to the
needy in western Nebraska.
Olief Ronbeck recently sold six hogs