The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1897-02-27
THE KIMBALL GRAPHIC
cLATE r. TINAN.
Official Pausr Of the CITY and Gounty
There il considerable ,os. - s.oo. J,

There Is considerable loss Of stock all
over the state for want OF sufficient fsed
Not that feed IS not to be had but because
the owners OF the stock don't happen to
have 1t. A number of farmers In Brule,
Buffalo and Jerauld have lost quite
| heavily. II has been thu custom for
farmers to put up just enough. hay to
feed on stormy days when the stock had
to be sheltered. The rest of the time
thew have rustled on the pralries, and
thrlyed, too. With the exception of a
few farmers who keep milch cows ana
give them good care grain feeding is
something unknown here. The average
horned crittsr wouldn't know an ear of
corn II 1t saw one. Farmers have become
SO accustomed to feeding hay exclusively
that with plenty of grain. on hand or to
be obtained shortage of hay means
starvation to stock. For the past five or
SIX winters that plan of stock raising
has worked fairly we'll and with profit.
All kinds OF stock have rustled on tile
open prairie all winter long and done
better In most cases than if housed and
fed. But that isn't the case this winter.
1t isn't in the nature of things that it
could last always. But be it as il NAV.
the farmer who in the light of past
winters failed to put up the necessary
amount of hay is entitled to some con-
sideration. Since October the pralries.
clothed with the most abundant grass
crop the country his seen in years, have
been covered with sheeting of ice and
snow. A shortage of hay is inevitable.
But tits surprising and a disgrace to the
state Mithal that any farmer will let his
stock become so impoverished for want
OF feed as to succnmb to the first severe
exposure when two-year-old will buy a
hundred bushels of corn or three tons of
mill feed-hay or no hay. A mill in the
center OF the county burning bran for
fuel and stock dying for want Of feed!
How's that for trayesty for the boasted
"banner stock county OF South Dakota 2"
Some farmers evidently are totally un-
acquainted with the fact that horned
critter might eat cent or two worth OF
grain u it had the opportunity, or else
|; they find it moro profitable to lose three
or four hundred dollars worth of stock
than to help out the shortageln hay by
the value of one crittcr exchanged for
corn or other feed. 1t is enough to dis
gust ever artesian we'll in this county.
1t cannot be said that any farmer own
ing from twenty to fifty head Of stock is
unable to procure grain to help out, be-
cause nine-tenths of just such men are
able 10 do that ye.y thing. Even if they
were not, cattle are high and a farmer
understanding the first principles Of
business would see the advantages of
selling one or two head, more if neces-
sary, in order that the remainder might
De pulled through. But no. they rather
sell the hides. The stock that lives
through the ordeal is put back;;more than
an entire spring and summer can re-
place. Grain will not of course take the
place Of hay, but ten tons of hay with a
title grain will go as far as fifteen tons
without and put the stock in a much
better condition to withstand bad spell
OF weather and shortage Of feed and
water. Every farmer knows that half
fed critter readily succumbs to exposure,
while one lin pOOd condition n,lls
through. The worst two months OF the
year are approaching and unless some
owners of stock pursue different course
OF treatment the losses have only just
commenced. We hayn't heard any more
forcible comments upon the state Of
affairs than those coming from large
number of farmers and stockmen them
selves who are dfsgusted at the want Of
foresight and bad management Of their
Deighbors.