Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-03-28
INSTITUTE CLOSES.
lcontinusd from Fourth Page. !
EVENING SESSION.


The Institute was called together II
the evening promptly at half-past sever
o'clock, and the session was one Of the
most interesting Of the series.
The first subject discussed was Cat
tie Raising" Mr.. L. p. Sisson opened
with an able paper. He said that cattle
raising has occupied the attention OF
man from time immemoral, but it is
only in recent years that he has set him
self TO studying the nature and require
ments OF the bovine race with view to
more intelligent methods Of treatment
by which TO secure the best results; and
Notwithstanding the fact that great pro-
gress has been made, there is still much
to learn.
What we need TO make the industry
profitable, is what might be termed
general purpose animal; in other words,
good mixer, whose carsasS when the
milk fails, will be profitable to the butch
er. The all important question is what
breed will fill the bill. 1t is an undeni-
able fact that beef breeding will not
pay in this county or State, as we can
not compete with the far west, where
the foundation stock costs less than half
as much as ours.
The next point we must consider Is
the dairy product. As butter making
breeds, the Jersey and Holstein enjoy
undisputed prominence. The Short
horns, Herefords, Durhams, etc, are
purely beef breeds. What the farmer
wants, he would call combination ami
malone yielding satisfactory flow OF
good milk, and its products butter and
cheese. and which at the end Of its use
fulness has carcass for which the
butcher will pay GOOD price.
AS the result OF his observations and
experience, he was satisfied that the
Devon complied more nearly with these
conditions than any other breed. He
referred only to Ohio county. Other
breeds might pay better elsewhere.
The great element that enters into the
problem Of (which breed will pay me
best" is feed. The Devon is admitted
by best authorities TO require less food
than any other thoroughbred known. |
With ordinary care and feed a milking |
Devon will hold her plumpness, while
any other breed upon the same regimen,
would grow very thin. When the ami |
NAL ceases to be valuable for other pur-
poses, with little feeding, it can be made |
ready for the butcher.
The handling OF cattle is an all-im |
portant matter. They should have the |
best care from birth The first year Of |
4 calfs life is the most important one.
Mr.. Sisson's paper provoked one OF |
the most spirited and general discus
sionS OF the session. Mr.. Richard +. |
Roberts, prominent Jersey cow breed
er, OF Emerson, o., did not agree with |
him, holding that if farmers attempt
to breed but for one purpose they will
meet with greater success. In breeding |
general purpose animal, the tendency |
will be to go to beef, thereby impairing |
its milk-giving qualities. He regarded
the Devon as a beauty, but held that 1t
would not make the same returns in
butter for the amount OF feed as the
Jersey.
Col. Johnson took the ground that
there Is no such thing as general pur-
pose animal. He cited cases OF thor
oughbred animals which were bred for
beef purpose, and which in every case
refrigerated in milk-giving qualities.
Fruit Culture" was the subject OF an
interesting address by Col. Dan John
son. He said that the climate of West
Virginia SurpaSses that OF any State in
the Union for the purpose OF raising
fruit, not even excepting California
EpicureS have given it aS their opinion
that the finest aud best favored apples
in the United States are raised in the
Ohio Valley between Petersburg aud
New Martinsvlle. The availability of
our soil and climate, in his opinion, Is
not limited to that locality. We can
produce as good quality OF fine fruits
as can be produced anywere ia the Uni
ted States. Where you find species Of
wild fruit, IT is evidence that the soil is
adapted TO the growth OF the tame fruit
OF the same species, and our hills abound
with wild fruits.
Nothing pays better in West Virginia
than good apple orchard. There are
three varieties OF this fruit which he
would recommend above all others
russell, Roman beauty, and Ben Davis.
The Grimes golden is class which, il
1t can be successfully raised, will COM
mand a splendid price. Many farmers
make the mistake OF planting u great
many varieties of trees in single or
chard. The fruit is put upon the mar
ket. IA conglomerate mass, upon which
it is always difficult to fix a uniform
price.
In purchasing trees, the farmers
should invariably patronize home nur-
series, where it is possible. II grown
and acclimated to another State, they
may not grow here. He gave instruc-
lions for the care and development OF
fruit trees, and pointed out the dangers
TO be avoided.
A general discussion followed the
close of Col. Johnson's address after
which the Instituted adjourned.