Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1902-10-30
GROW MORE STOCK.
Why Farmers Should increase Their
Output OF Meat Animals.


1t is a good time now for the farmer
to consider what promising outlook
there is for him to increase his growing
of meat animals, or if he does not now
make it an object to grow only his own
supply does not good common sense
teach him that there never was more
opportune period in which to push
ahead and grow beef, pork and mutton
to the capacity of his farm and condi-
tons? asks Practical Farmer. Meats
are exceedingly dear, and there Is a
short supply Of meat animals every
where which will require years and
years to replenish. Prices will proba-
bly, vary some from time to time dur
ing few years to come, but for a
1ozen years meat prices will not again
be so low as they have averaged the
last dozen years. Conditions point to
the contrary. Take cattle, for instance.
Sufficient breeding stock Is not IN the
country. They must be grown, and
then there is a warning element against
this. Most of the commercial beef cat
tie are grown on the range, but settlers
have so encroached upon the ranges
that public grazing lands have been
growing scarcer and scarcer.
Cattle and sheep have been moved
from time to time to give place to set
tiers until there seems not to remain
sufficient room for both, and the cattle
men and sheepmen are battling with
each other as to which shall occupy the
public lands. The cattlemen seem to
have the better Of the contest just now.
This quarrel but proves the shortage Of
public grazing land. The last census
report $1,000 says in Texas alone over
100000 new farms were settled upon in
the last decade and probably CORE
spOndingly as large numbers in other
states and territories. Seven million
head of sheep No. .ntime have been
driven back into the ranges to make
room for the land settlers, and this is
what causes the sheep and cattle ION
pleasantness" 1t is very easy to see
that in time not very far away all beef
and mutton in this country must be
grown on farms. Stock growing on the
ranges is fast passing away. Stock
growing enriches land, while so much
grain growing as now impoverishes it.
Grow more stock, and more grain can
be grown with it. And while meat ami
mails have largely decreased in numbers
human mouths to consume them have
increased with the increasing popula-
ton. The drought of last season in the
swine belt reduced the hog crop and the
output Of pork very seriously. It will
required long time yet to get back on to
the old basis. The beef trust first
putting their prices on slaughtered
meats so low that there was no profit
in growing beef on the farm. When
this was done and the trust had got
hold of all the range cattle, they forced
retail prices up sky high where they
are at present. But the 'signs Of the
times" indicate most surely that the
trust will not control the meat supply
more than about two or three years, if
that long. By that time farmers can, if
they will, get well stocked up with
meat animals. Live stock and tllage
Of the soil were designed by the Crea-
tor to go hand in hand. Neither -four
ishes alone, never did and never will
long at time. The soil Of England is
so very fertile because of the combina-
ton Of these two forces, live stock and
thorough tillage.