Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-01-09

plying new methods and keeping step
with the progress of the age. Mr.. Cole
gave his experience in enriching his
land and the profit he had derived
by changing from grain to grass Gull
ture.
" SWINE BREEDING AND PORK MAX
ING"
George Wylie gave a very interest
ing talk upon the above subject; he
said that the hog was under a cloud
owing to the present low price of
pork; but that this condition of
things could not long continue, and
advised farmers to keep right along
raising the noble hog; that good hogs,
well cared for, taking one year with
another, will bring quick returns, and
will pay as well, if not better, than
anything raised on the farm. His re-
marks elected a great deal of inter
esting discussion.
WINTER FEEDING"
James Jackson was pressed into ser
vice and talked on "Winter Feeding"
His remarks were attentiyely listened
to, and called forth questions from
many of those present; he thought it
was poor policy to undertake to raise
much corn or small grain; had tried
it, and had watched the land wash
away; there is no profit in raising
corn; considered the question of oat
straw and corn fodder for feed for
cattle of far more Importance; oats
should be cut when slightly green III
order to get benefit from the straw;
grass should be cut from the 10th to
20 of June, and should not be allowed
to stand after the 4th of July. Mr..
Jackson was asked by Joseph Van
Matre, of Fayette, to give his expert
perience with the last cattle he sold,
which were considered an extra fine lot;
stated that he had bought them when
they averaged about 975 pounds; there
were 40 head, and he fed them corn
only for a short time, when they We're
going on to the grass; in from eight to
twelve months they gained about four
hundred pounds each; the pasturage
allowed each steer was !! acres.
"SHEEP HUSBANDRY."
This was Mr.. Coles subject at the
afternoon session; had much expe-
rience in raising sheep; had kept from
500 to 600 at time, and for one who
wished to raise them in large numbers,
he believed that the Merino is the best
sheep to raise. Many questions were
asked the speaker and satisfactorily
answered by him.
COUNTRY ROADS"
The Importance of this subject in
duces us to print in full the following
excellent paper read by Mr.. Bracken:
COUNTRY ROADs-BY THOS. BRACKEN.
1t has been said that railroads are
the great public highways of the
world, along which its gigantic cur
rents of trade and travel continu-
ously pour-highways compared
with which the most magnificent
highways of antiquity dwindle into
insignifcance." From them our
lands derive their value, our labor
Its reward, our houses their luxurles
and many of their comforts. They
have enabled the Kansas and Dako-
ia farmer to lay down his produce
on the wharves of Liverpool, at
rate which has destroyed the profit
OF British farming. They have
rendered it possible in our day and
generation to fill the western pral,
RES with busy population, and
nave bound the east and the west,
Ihe north and the south together
win links of iron. Have stamped
upon our commercial and industrial
l,n'eiests, in ineffaceable characters
'he declaration that "the Union is
one and inseparable." The enor-
nous business done by these roads
aggregate in annual tonnage six times
greater than the railways of France,
tnree time as much as those of Ger
many, ten times as much as those of
| IN fn tnN
tnah the entire foreign commerce of
England, France, Germany, Austria,
Russia and Italy combined. This
vast volume of freight comes from
our farms, mines and forests; the
greater portion of which must be
moved to points along these railways
tor shipment. When we reflect up
on this we may realize the great
Importance of my subject, Country
Roads"
| can remember many of the
roads used by settlers in early days,
winding along the crests of the
ridges, or following some draw of
easy grade, over ground adapted by
nature for road purposes; and Won
der why these natural roadways
were not retained. Was land so
valuable that our highways must be
moved and changed, to suit the
whlm and selfishness of every one
through whose land it passed? Had
the general public no rights that
the individual land owner should
respect? Or was there something
radically wrong in the manner in
which these changes had been made ?
This | accept as the answer to my
question.
The town board of supervisors, in
acting upon petition for the alte-
ration or laying of highway, in
stead of trying to conserve the pub
lie good, have in most cases been
influenced by the party or parties
making the application for the pur-
pose of getting the road upon their
exterior lines, without regard to the
practicability of using it for high
way purposes. In this way many
of the roads in this and adjoining
counties have been changed from
grounds naturally adapted to the
purpose, to rocky points and abrupt |
pitches, where it is impracticable to /