Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-08-21
Big Cattle Farm of McUaine.


Some Of the finest fat cattle In the
United States this year belongs to
Turner McBaine, of Columbia. Nc
Balm has always had a wide reputation
as q cattle man and has been usually
successful in the business At the
National fat stock show at Pittsburg
last year, be was awarded the first
prize on his bunch OF Hereford
fat cattle and won second in the sweep
stakes. He is now preparing a bunch
Of 60 head OF Hereford cattle for exhi-
bition at tine Chicago lat stock show
in December and confidently expects
TO carry of the class prize and also the
sweepstakes. Two years hence he ex-
poets to have a creditable exhibit OF
his cattle at the international fat
stock show at Sheffield, Eng.
Mr.. McBaine's farm, where all OF his
cattle are fed, is located along the
bluffs and bottoms Of the Missouri
river in southern Boone county. The
farm comprises several thousand acres
OF the richest hill and bottom lands in
the State. The bottom fields are Of
the most part planted in corn and
wheat, while the hills are reserved for
pasture and probably such pastures
are no where else in the State. On a
number OF the hills the blue grass
grows three feet high. In these fields
only the backsof the cattle are visible.
The great abundance and extraordina-
ry height OF the grass is explained by
the number OF years these pastures
have been devoted to their present use
and by the character of the feed used.
A number OF the fields have been
used as blue grass pastures for W so
years. They were first used for this
purpose by Mr.. Mechanics father, who
was also a cattle man of wide reputa-
tion. The last crop raised on the
hills before they were turned into
blue grass pastures was tobacco. They
were devoted to the culture Of this
product in the days of steamboat traf-
fc on the river, when tobacco was the
principal product OF the Boone county
farms and practically the only product
shipped to the market. Since they
ceased to be used for tobacco, the pas
lures have never been plowed, but
have been steadily devoted to grazing
purposes.
AS has been indicated, the charac-
ter OF the feed used is also responsible
for the abundance and the height Of
the grass. Mr.. McBalne feeds a great
deal Of cotton seed meal to his cattle.
1t is well known by persons acquaint-
ed with the value OF different food
stuiIs for fertilizing purposes, that the
manure from cotton seed meal is one
OF the richest fertilizers that can be
obtained. This manure, being i'm
mediately applied to the soil, not only
maintains the fertility OF the soil, but
constantly builds II up, so that the
pastures become richer and more valu-
able year after year.
Mr.. McBaine is unusually proficient
as a Judge Of fine cattle. His ability In
this respect, perhaps, more than any
other one thing, accounts for his sue
cess. All OF his cattle are "plcked. y
lie does not buy his feeding cattle by
the bunch, but by the animal, select
ing only the very best. The number
Of cattle handled by him each year is
not remarkable, seldom exceeding
eight hundred head a year, but their
uniform excellence is unsurpassed.
The number OF head handled last year
was about 500. Every car load OF
these sold at the top Of the st. Louis
market. The number Of cattle on the
farm this year is also 800. Mr.. Nc.
Baine holds the record on the st. Louis
market this year, as usual, one load Of
his cattle having been sold recently
for IS 80 per hundred and another for
1886. These were Hereford cattle,
that being the principal brand hand
led on the McBaine farm. Some Short.
horn and Angus cattle are also hand
led, however.
Mr.. McBaine's method Of feeding
are Of particular interest to stock
men. Grass is the principal element
of food given his cattle. The addi-
tional feed consisting OF corn, wheat,
bran and cotton seed meal. The pro-
portions in which these are feed are:
One-half corn, one-fourth wheat bran
and one-fOurth cotton seed meal. This
feed is given the cattle once a day Or
dinarily, but il the cattle seem TO
need it or they are being rounded of
for the market they arefed twice a
day.
The cotton seed meal is the only
part Of his feed that Mr.. MeBaine
buys. The rest is raised on the farm.
About 600 acres are planted in corn
this year. Another 500 is devoted to
wheat; while the pasture lands COM
prise about 800 acres or more.
a description Of the McBaine cattle
farm would be incomplete without
mentioning the hog business con-
Quoted along with ii. This business
forms an essential part OF the cattle
business. BY handling the hogs along
with the cattle, practically their en-
tire feed bill is saved, and the BUSH
ness is thus profitable. Mr.. McBaine
handles about 800 hogs a year. He
has so on hand at present, mostly
Berkshires.
Any vehicle will last you a year,
many Of them three or four years. But
Il is continuous use, say 6 or ! years,
that tests a vehicle. Bob Kerr, from
Moline, used a Racine buggy 7 years
without any repairs and sold the buggy
In good condition.
FERRIS s. CAUTHoRN.
Small Pox in Cedar Logs.