The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-02-11

are the two great disadvantages Of
Minnesota as compared with the other
States 1 have named. Now let us see
what advantages our State has over
the oilers named. In the first place,
excessive cold, unaccompanied by
wind does not add to the discomfort
of the cattle. Nature in this northern
latitude provides animals with thick
coat Of fur, and if they are provided
with plenty of food and plenty of
good bedding, they will thrive, how
ever low the thermometer may be.
My cattle will remain contented, lying
down in the yards, with the tempera
ture at thirty degrees below zero,
rather than go into the barns as they
are privileged to do. And, with the
same amount of food, they will put on
much more grain than in Central Illi-
nois, where the weather is much
warmer, but far more changeahle.
winter course of feeding is generally
considered from the first of Septem-
ber till the first of April, and in con-
versing with many feeders in the
states further south, the average gain
during this period upon fattening cat
tie is an average of forty pounds per
month in a poor season, and sixty
pounds per month in a good season.
The poor season is when the weather
is warm and wet, and there is plenty
of mud, and a good season is when it
is dry. | have never averaged less
than sixty pounds per month during
the winter season, and have averaged
as high as seventy-two pounds. What
cattle need, either the growing or the
fattening ones, is perfect comfort;
which they cannot have when occasion
al rains fall and the ground is muddy.
Now, to offset the longer pasturage
season, which is from one to two
months.
Our cattle are far more comfortable.
They can always get comfortable
nights rest, and the fly season is
about six weeks shorter in Minnesota
than it is in Central Illinois. In addi-
ton, the flies are not nearly as severe
upon cattle as they arethere. In most
of these sections many times, flies are
so voracious, that for a period of two
months, however we'll fed, the cattle
do not gain in flesh. l have never
known this condition of things among
my cattle. Perhaps they may some
times have gained ten or fifteen pounds
less than out Of the fly season. For
the reasons that I have stated, I am
satisfied that Minnesota is capable of
being among the first of animal pro-
ducing States.
Our live stock association has no.
BILE work before it. There is no agency
capable of doing so much for Min
nesota's future prosperity as this.
Heretofore, the agriculturists have
principally been engaged in the rails
ing of wheat, and the result has been
when crops and prices we're good, the
people had for a short time good
times. But their money disappeared.
The times we're much like the girl
with the curl on her forehead: "When
she was good, she was very, very good,
but when she was bad, she was horrid." :"
The sort of farming we have had
and now have, has put the farmer in
a bad financial plight, depending
solely on one crop to be realized from
but once year. He has been COM
PEELED to submit to the demands of
bad credit. Whoever has sold to him
has exacted war premium for the
risk, and while banks are loaded down
with money, the few venturesome cap
italists who will loan money to the
farmer, demand interest and commits
sions sufficient to eat him up, however
industrious he may be. Now this is a
condition of things entirely needless.
The Almighty has created for Mime
sofa advantages which, if the farmer
intelligently avails himself of them,
will make that element in our popula-
tion the most prosperous and happy
of all.
Every farmer should prepare him
self to keep few cows, raise a few
cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry. One
can expect that at all times some one
of these products will bring good re-
munerative price. Sheep, if the right
sort. and we'll cared for, will pay even