The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1898-02-15
Know For What You Breed.

The time is long past when the all.
purpose animal found ready sale.
writes Jonathan Periam, of illinois.
The breeder of horses must know for
what use he intends the animal. The
breeders of cattle want animals for
beef or for milk. Beef and milk are
no longer eminently contained in the
same animal. They must, therefore,
be bred specially for one purpose or
the other. Sheep are no longer large
ly bred for wool and mutton. They
are now bred principally for mutton,
and incidentally for wool. Forum
ately, good mutton sheep produce
wool which brings high price in the
market. The Mississippi Valley, that
portion, ut least, between the Allie
ghenies and the Missouri River. con-
tains now an abundance of the Downs.
superior mutton sheep and bearing
wool of excellent quality. They come
nearer being general purpose sheep
than any others. In swine the lead
ing breeds are Poland Chinas, Berk-
shires and Duroc-Jerseys. They have
but one use-the slaughter pen.
In fowls for eggs and flesh the
Asiatics and the American breeds.
Plymouth Rock and Wyandots. are
considered the most valuable and are
now broken up into many varieties.
all good, with enough diversity to suit
the taste of individual fanciers. For
eggs alone the Leghorns are probably
more largely sought than any other
one of the non-sitting breeds.
Horse breeders are not having IN
especially happy time. Prices are low
for all classes of draft and general
driving animals, and common plugs
are not salable at any price. The time
VIII not again come when they will
pay the cost of breeding and ''break-
ing in" The most valuable horses of
the future will be the English draft.
the French draft, the French and
German coach, and for the road. light
driving, and saddlers such thorough-
breds and trotters as are not good
enough for the track.
Among cattle for beef, the breeder
has his choice, chiefly of Shorthorns.
Herefords, and Polled-Angus. The
strictly dairy breeds are principally
the Jerseys, Guernseys and Holstein-
Friesians, with Polled Durhams. AYR
shires, and Brown Swiss good sec
onds. There are individual animals.
in fact some milking families. in
Shorthorns that are good and lasting
mixers, but they are not common. nor
can they be depended on to be "a mi
formly good mixers rs can the true
dairy breeds. In the West the choice
lies chiefly between the Holstein
Friesian and Jersey. The former is
probably the favorite among the farm
ing class Among sheep for profta-
bic mutton and wool, the breeder has
choice Of Southdowns, CotswoIds.
OXfords and Leicesters. The Shrop.
shires seem TO take the fancy of West
ern men. The Dorsets are bepin-
ming to attract attention but the
Shropshires have won hold that will
probably stand.
In all this, an not seeking to adj.
vocate any special breed The indi-
vidual must study his wants, and he
must study also the capabilities of the
breed he selects The day has passed
for hit-or-miss breeding. Itnever made
the best money for anyone. 10 not
expect that the average farmer will
even breed pure herds or hocks hut
to make money now he must at least
breed up, starting with a pure male.
The first cross by pure male. The
first cross by pure male or cold
blooded, mixed stock, animals or
birds, is half-blood. The next
cross on half bloodg is an animal
three quarters pure. The pure male
on three-quarters blood gives Won nm
animal seven eighths pure. The next
cross gives one ffteen-sixteentbs
pure. For beef, milk, flesh and wool
of sheep, flesh Of hogs and for flesh
and eggs Of birds, this last is pracsi-
cally equal to pure bred ANIMALS.