The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-12-18
The Farm and Grove.
Copyrighted by Rural Press Syndicate
lie. SIOCKRRIDGE. PHI. D.. Editor.
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IMPRoYING THE NATIVE.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. N~~~'"
IMPROVING THE NATIVE.
Even the most ardent advocate of
the native cattle does not deny the
possibilities of improvement. His
only argument is that there are some
disadvantages which diminish or
eliminate the feasibility of present
Improvement. These alleged advan-
tages of the natives are: Hardness,
cheapness and adaptation to natural
conditions. Each of these is import
ant and worthy of consideration. 1t
is entirely practical to retain these
desirable properties while at the
same time imparting to the stock OF
the future other traits now lacking,
which shall make the resulting ami
NAL an improvement over the present
native even in the eyes of the
staunchest friend of the latter.
There are certain properties In
which the native is essentially def
cient. These are the points which
should be supplied from outside
blood, and are therefore the natural
and important objects which should
be aimed at in improvements. They
are: Earlier maturity, greater size,
improved proportion between parts
and better placing of fat during the
finishing process. These are the es-
sential properties of the ideal feeder
and in each of them the native is
specially deficient-so deficient as to
very materially reduce the profits of
feeding him for local markets and to
entirely exclude him from the best
markets.
The question of blood is the most
| important one to be determined in
beginning the Improvement decided
upOn as necessary. Only three breeds
are really open for selection as EN-
bodyiug the qualities sought in the
highest degree. The Sh0rthorn,
Hereford and Aberdeen-Angus must
furnish the infusion of new blood
which is to transform our stock. For
distinctly farm purpose the first
named probably Outranks the Others.
For the development of large herds,
under partial range conditions and
dependence Oh pastures, except dur
ing the finishing period, the hardness
and independence of the Hereford
place him first. The question nat
urally presenting itself to any stock
man desiring to enter on the system
attic Improvement of his herd, and
satisfied with the demonstration OF
the advantages of the business, is
| How long n time must elapse, how
many crosses are necessary, before
the animal sought may be secured
| from base of native stock?-
Actual practical experience de-
monstates what may reasonably be
expected along this line. The first
cross-namely, the half-blood pro.
duet of the infusion of beef-blood
on native stock-furnishes a. close
approximation tothe animal sought
| This is true, however, of only
a part of the first cross. The
second cross. is sufficient to quite
establish the type and give herd
the average of which will show al
the characteristics of the i'm
proved blood, with little but
| the hardness of the native left
to prove the character of the orig
inai stock. OF course the greater the
humber of crosses, the farther the re-
move from the native blood, the less
is the chance of occasional reversioT
to the parent native type, which vii
occasionally crop out.
A good demonstration of the prac
tical effect of the first cross is fur
nished In the comparative weights
of native and half-blood calves a
birth and at different ages, during
the first year, as actually demon
strated in the largest herd of sucf
stock in Florida.
The native calves at birth averaged
- pounds; the grade, 50 pounds. A
three weeks the weights were "A ant
y pounds, and at two months re
spectively 81 and 80 pounds. Tn
most important fact shown in thi
comparison, made from some 30
head, is the constant gain of tn
grade over the native; the older TIN
calves became the greater was tn
disproportion in weight in favor o
the better blood. At birth the grades
calves averaged 3S per cent heavle
than the natives, at three weeks 4
Der cent, and at two months So pc
cent. This is positive demonstration
not only of the much greater size at
tainable by the animal containing
one cross of beef-blood, but is preO
of the much earlier maturity OF tn
latter. The practical conclusion
that with the native animal as
] foundation a single infusion of tn
/ best blood makes the production g
the famous high-priced aud protitabl
"baby beef'' possible to whoeye
cares to utilize advantages easil
within reach. ~ ~