The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-11-13
contain an abundant supply of every

/ COuUdlu all supply III 0N0IJ
thing but these three for the needs of
farm crops. Many soils contain a
sufficient supply of one or all of these
three, and OLly need intelligent
management to render their resources
available. If we could determine
! just which of these we need in order
! to make our soil perfect in the matter
OF furnish NJ all requisite plant food,
we would soon arrive at an eXplana-
| ton of that veXed questiOn-hOw to
! fertilize cheaply. There Is no doubt
| but that now, in our endeavors to
| supply every thing that may be
needed, we spend much money for
elements that are already present in
sufficient quantity. 1T was at one
time thought that soil analysis would
remedy this trouble, but it has not
| yet proven a trustworthy guide. The
only way we can do, that is of practi-
cal avail, is to experiment until we
| find the lacking element for each crop
upon each soil.
One of our exchanges in the Far
West says something on the stock
question that is worth thinking about.
1t is that whenever we arrive at the
era where the farmer of ordinary
means begins to take an interest in
exhibiting his live stock at our fairs,
then, and not until then, the farm
stock of the country will begin to be
improved as 1t should. Any one who
will take the trouble to look into the
natter will see that it is exceptioal
for farmer to exhibit stock unless
he is breeder and desires to attract
notice ard customers to his herd. To
show a good animal merely as an ex-
| ample of his skill as a stock grower
is something rarely done. A little
friendly rivalry and emulation among
farmers in this respect would be
healthy. In our opinion the chief OBJ
ject of our fairs should be just this
to show what good results may be
obtained upon the ordinary farm, by
the ordinary farmer, and under Ordl-
nary conditions that are available to
any practical man. The animal that
las been pampered and fed especially
for show purposes does not teach any
thing about practical farming. What
we want to see is an animal that has
/ been grown for profit in the course OF
and by the methods of ordinary farm
management. Why not give some
prizes for Just such stock next year,
and see if the farmers will not re-
spond by bringing out their best.
The Department of Agriculture has
published some figures regarding the
value of blooded cattle in comparison
with common STOCK, Wnlcn are
worthy the attention of every man
who owns or who expects to own a
single head. The general average
value of pure blooded cows, says the
Department, is 1912 10, and of bulls of
! like breeding, $l46 "a. The average
va lue of all half breeds is placed at
$50 90; of three-quarter breeds, $54 81;
and of all higher grades, including
such as are IN every thing, excepting
eligibility to registration and the
fixity of the power of transmitting
their own good qualities, apparently
as good as those which are pure bred,
is SIS 10 her head. The rapid increase
in value resulting from each step up
ward in the grade toward pure blood,
and then the immense difference in
the last step between high grade and
pure blooded males for breeding pur-
poses. There is no other way in
which q farmer can so rapidly in
crease the money production of his
farm as by Kidding it of native stock
and substituting pure bred cattle, or,
if those are beyond his reach at pres
ent, then the best grade stock pro-
durable. 1t is not only that this
stock will be worth more, but it will
give production of greater money
value in beef, in dairy products and
in it's own progeny.