Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1894-05-02
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Improved Stock ana Impr owed Farming.
The best characteristics of different
varieties found in nature, or even
among those partially improved, have
been combined and new breeds formed,
says 0. II. Butterfield. The history of
the Improvement in all breeds of stock
goes to show this truth. In a few ex-
:eptional cases, like the Arab horse,
a marked degree of success has been
attained where agriculture generally
is at low stage. But this is due to
the fact that the natural conditions
are able to supply the requisite means
OF Improvement. The merino sheep
from its surroundings as to climate and
adequate protection from an admixture
ofimpure blood. attained to certain de-
gree OF excellence on the Spanish
ranges in the production of wool, but
after hundreds of years of such hand
ling, the year 1900 found them still
with light feeces, deficient in body,
and lacking constitutional vigor to the
extent that half the lambs dropped,
either died or were killed, to enable
the other half to live and grow. CHI
matte conditions largely control the
development of animals in their nat
ural state, and in pastoral countries
where the cultivated crops are not
much grown, varies but little from
that of those in the natural state, the
survival CT the fttest," and under
such conditions the ''ittest" can only
about hold their own and keep the
race from deteriorating. Nature left
to herself, makes little or no improve
ment in the animal creation. Her
ways are not adapted to such work.
Her methods of selection might do
something to secure this were not her
care so fitful and uncertain in the pro-
vision of food and shelter. Sometimes
she provides food without stint, lavisht c
excess. The earth abounds in grass and
forage, and again the soil is parched,
giving little or no food, or the rigor of
the climate prevents the animal from
obtaining the su bsistence that may be
stored for it. Nature is harsh and oft
times cruel to those entirely dependent
on her. At one time plenty, and at an
other scarcity, does not conform to
natures laws in improving the animal
economy. We see then that when i'm
provement is attempted we must be-
gin to improve the surroundings. The
most rigid type of selection in breed
ing will be but little in advance of ma
lures method, survival of the fittest,"
when they are placed in the same con-
ditions as nature alone provides They
have been tried by the same tests. en-
durance of privation, and the same re-
suits follow. Man can not expect to
improve on nature unless he adopts
better methods. The first effort at
improvement should be in securing a
constant and available supply of
sufficient quantity and good quality of
food. The care and food that animals
receive determine very largely their
character and that of their products.
The bones, flesh and tissues of the
body, the hair, horns, or wool
are greatly modified or changed
by the kind and quality of
food consumed, and the protection the
animal receives from the climatic sur
roundings. Select q breed already
improved, and note how quickly it will
retrograde when left without care and
given an insufficient amount of food.
We have heard of the corn crib cross
in breeding parlance, and | assure you
that is the first cross to make and line
breeding" can be used without injury.
1t has been noticed that the fleece of
the sheep that has been alternately
well fed and starved has breaks or
weak spots in the fiber that injure its
value. The hair of the horse fed en-
tirely on coarse fodder will be rough;
he has no life and can not endure
labor. Tender, juicy steak does not
come from an animal fed entirely on
dry, coarse forage, and the pig can be
made to produce fat or lean very largely
as desired by attention to the kind of
food given. These are facts. l would
not in any degree belittle the care and
skill needed for the proper improve
ment of stock. Without these, as we'll
as food, no progress can be made, but
that does not decrease the necessity
for the latter. See what has been
done with the merino sheep; the i'm
proved American merino, now with
fleeces as high as forty pounds each,
coming from the old Spanish stock,
which produced feeces of not over six
pounds of wool. In addition to very
careful selection, the breeders of
merinos have been the very
best caretakers of any breeders
of improved stock, hence their
phenomenal success. The improved
breeds of cattle formed under the
methods of English farmers have been
so produced with the best of food and
attention. The rich pastures of Hol-
land, with daily, almost hourly care,
have made the Holland or Holsten
COW the great producer of milk that
she is; and so on through the long list
of improved breeds of the several va
rieties. All that has been accom-
plished has been by the aid of good
feeding and good care. When, there
fore, we begin to improve domestic
animals or to keep those that have
been improved, and endeavor to add to
that Improvement, or even to maintain
the standard, we find that they must
have good care and good food.