The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1892-05-16


%, 1892. by Fl. H. Woodbury.. of Speare-
yille]
1t would be very difficult and perhaps
impossible to give directions or map ont a
course to be followed so arranged that ev-
eryone could take up the general directions
and have it lead them to success. 1twould
be very hard to give method that could
be followed by any great number Of farm
ers in this county. The circumstances are
so different and the surroundings with diff
ferent indiv iduals are 90 unlike that every
one of us must be orr own architects. espe-
cially when we are building castles in the
air; and, to great extent, we must plan
for ourselves and arrange all Of orr matters
according TO what we have to do with, and
where we are.
AS to the kind of stock to keep on the
farm, would advise that the teams for do
ing the most of the farm work be of brood
mares: and. if they are Of good size, it is
surprising the amount of work they will do
and raise good colt. Of course, it would
be much better to let them run Oh grass and
not work them, but very many of lis cannot
do that and, if not, we must do the best we
can. We ought to 90 more than to raise
horses for our own use on the farm. We
should haye a teanl to sell every year, at
least. We are now considering the farmer
with limited means-nOt the ranchman
who counts his herds by iifties or hundreds.
He will, in all probability, get along. At
least will not attempt to give him advice.
But we will see what the smaller farmer
can do. Now suppose we keep three brood
mares. With good care and thoughtful
handling, we will raise two colts each year
and should average more than that. If the
colts are kept until they are four years old, |
they will bring one hundred dollars each |
and some of them may be sold at that price
at three years old. l do not think that it |
is profitable to keep them after they have
reached that age unless they are actually |
needed for work on the farm. Now, sup
pose we commence as has been suggested |
and raise two colts each year. When the
first ones are four years old. we will have
eight colts and the three mares which will |
make eleven head in all-nOt Il very large |
amount of stock for the income we will re-
ceive. According to the estimate made,
we shall have 5000 every year from the
horses, and that is a very low calculation. |
l think that it is too low. If one should !
commence as suggested above, there should !
be greater increase. As regards the breed |
of horses to raise, would recommend for |
the ordinary farmer the draft horse. Do
not make mistake in this matter. DOnOt |
be afraid of the large, heavy limbs of your
young colts, and if their heads look large
to you do not think they are worthless and
never will amount to anything. They will
come out all right. The draft horse will
60 to market with very little preparation
and fitting up. 1t needs only to be in good
flesh and broken to drive in harness.
have lived in this county five years and
have known of but very few horses being
sold and shipped out of the county. Inev-
er have met a buyer who was purchasing
horses to ship to market. Perhaps there
have been some sold to shippers, but, if so,
have not known anything of it. Now l
think we can have Il few car loads to send
away every year. AS soon as we have
them there will be no trouble IN getting
dealers to come here and pay cash for
horses if they are of the right kind.
We must take into consideration the dis
lance we are from market when we are
planning to make the farm pay. 1t seems
to be a fact that we cannot afford to pay
freight on low-priced produce. For in
stance, WREN corn is twenty cents bushel.
i car load of six hundred bushels would be
worth Sl20 ut home. A car load of large
draft horses would be worth from $1,000
to $4,000, and there is but little difference
in the expense of getting the car load of
horses to market above the cost Of getting
the Car load of corn to market. The low
priced grain should be fed to stock on the
farm.
We nee,l better stock and should pay
more attention to quality and not SO much |
to quantity. We need a quality that will
attract buyers and dealers. The buyers
complain that our cattle are not rs good us
those they find in other parts of the state.
This should not be so. We can change it |
if We try. Our steers. when two years Old.
should bring S25 at present prices or near
ly that, and if we give the young animals
proper feed and care we will have better |
success. Too much of our stock gets
death blow in the way of being badly |
stmted before they are one year old. l
think it will pay to feed grain to calves the
first winter if we have Il good animal to
commence with in the fall. Those who
have tried feeding their young stock bet
thor no Of 4 n, a.,