The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-06-14
A Plea for Improved Stock.

prOHudDle rs IL was some years ago.
That fascinating business, though, has
kept its place among the other indus.
tries of the country, and while it is
true that it's returns in cold cash have
not rewarded the faithful and persever-
ing breeder as he deserved it has paid
better than breeding scrubs in its
cash results and in its satisfaction and
pleasure to intelligent and enterpriSing
breeders. 1t has paid an hundred fold
more than the scrub" has in money
and pleasure. If money had to be
raised to meet existing obligations, or
perhaps to meet interest on the farm
mortgages there was always chance
to sell good stock at some price, and
raise the needed funds.
Good stock will always sell even if
it does not bring it's value, for the dis
Greet, thinking business man will be
able to turn his purchase into profit
able investment, though it be Il small
one, because he may not be forced to
sell, but can take advantage of time
and circumstances to recOup his outlay
with a fair profit on his purchase. The
breeder of the 'Scrub' animal has not
this advantage. Neither the beauty of
the scrub" nor the allurements of
gain will be sufficient to convince the
discreet buyer that there is any hope Of
making adequate returns for the outlay.
These considerations apply to all the
different breeds of animals, and prove
that the farmer who raises the best
stock of his chosen breed will be more
prosperous than his neighbor who
TO raise scrub" stock dwarfs the in
tellect and ambition OF the man who
engages in it as badly as it depresses or
tiattenS his pOcket-bOOk, while it ban
ishcs thrift, enterprise and energy from
his farm, and soon develops the ''Scrub'
farmer, while it writes ''scrub" on
every building and in every field of the
farm.
Good stock generally indicates a good
farmer. 1t inspires a desire to better
all the surroundings of the farm and
soon manifeStS itself in improved facili-
ties for farming; in better buildings, in
better and more beautiful SurrOnnd-
ings, all showing the value of i'm
proved stock as a mOney-malcr and
debt-payer over the ''scrub'' farming
that is the sure index of the ''scrub''
raiser.
The breeder of improved stock is a
public bencfactOr in a measure, and the
scope of his good work and the profits
he may realize on his business will
often depend on how far he is removed
from scrub influences and "Scrub"
practices himself. The example of the
breeder has much to do with his sue
cess If he is engaged in raising thor
Oughbred horses, or, to be more. exact
will say an improved breed of horses,
it will not inspire the man who visits
his barn to see on his way 'Scrub"
bull paying his devotiOns to a lot OF
''Scrub'' cows, or to have his ears
greeted by the razOr-baclI pOrcine
beauty borrowed from a neighbOr to
add numbers to the ''scIub" squcalcrs
who block the way to the sta bic whore
the beautiful Clydesdale or thorough
bred stands to be admired. The prac~
tees of such man detractS from his
arguments in favor of his fine bred
horses, and his practice is as strong an
argument to the unthinlling or ign'-
rant as his good horses are to the aFy-
preciative visitor. The breeder Of fine
stock must, as soon as he possibly can,
divorce himself from tlfe breeding Cf
''Scrub' stock of any kind and make
all the surrounding as near thorough