Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1903-03-27

fed up their soft corn, stretched his
credit to the extreme limit, his paper
/ has become due, Mr.. Banker calls for
his cash, the half ripe cattle are rushed
TO market until some one says hold on.
hold them back; but how can they hold
them back without money, or credit
to buy the required feed to make their
cattle fat.
am not pessimist in any sense of
the word. l would not deny my broth
or stockmen any of the luxuries, or any
Of the prosperity there is in the business
or discourage any one from engaging IN
the industry. Nor do think the busi-
ness any more precarious, or risky than
any other. Statistics tell us that only
one merchant out Of 200 ever acquire
success from financial stand point;
only one out of 200 that accumulates q
fortune. The point would have you
mark ia this That in this day and age
of close competition and small margins
wise and conservative methods must be
pursued if you hope to thrive in the cat.
tie business. Every fool cannot FEED
cattle any more than he can sell calico,
advocate the law, or preach the gospel.
A thorough understanding Of your
avocation is necessary in either case
If you are one of the get rich fast
kind, don't feed cattle. If you expect
to get something for nothing buy lot
terry ticket, but don't feed cattle.
Perhaps some of you expected this
paper would be treatise on the best
methods of feeding and handling cattle,
to give some formula or recipe that
was never known to fail; tell you in
technical terms all about concentrated
foods, balanced rations, etc. But feel
that it is not necessary in this enlight-
ened age, every body is permitted TO read
in the public press all about the theroy
and practice of modern agriculture and
its kindred. interests all discussed from
4 scientific stand point My rece,pe
would be only the homemade kind and
might not fit your case.
| Of course the press is not infalable,
and gets off the track now and then, as
one did not long ago. have forgotten
the name of the paper, but as the arti.
Gle published was on an agricultural
topic, suppose it was the paper known
as the FARMERS LEADER. The article
in question was on the culture of Tur.
nips and it stated that the best way to
raise them was to catch hold of the
tops and pull.
In the last quarter of the 10 century
the fertile valley of the Big Sioux was
largely devoted to the growing OF
wheat, while the opening of the 20 cen
tury finds our wheat fields planted to
corn. and the farmer who raises wheat
today is an exception rather than the
rule, as was the farmer who feed cattle
in the 70's and sos. New conditions
~ 1e
quires new bottles.
On the threshold of new century
we are confronted with the fact. that
the farmers of Lincoln county are rails
ing corn where they once grew wheat
We have made the discovery that we
are in what is. termed the corn belt,
where corn is king, and we are not 10th
to pay him our allegiance. This being
the case, my theme or subject is quite
appropriate, for where corn is king, his
subjects should be; interested in the in
dustry of feeding cattle. Not every
farmer may become a successful cattle |
feeder; for believe this is out OF the
question We cannot all feed cattle, |
any more than we can all be merchants, |
doctors or lawyers. We cannot all
catch fish. some have got to cut bait
in other words. we live in an age of
specialists. No man is expected to be
proficient in all lines of industries. The |
successful cattle feeder must be a
specialist. He must understand the |
business from A to 2 in all it varing
details.
No man can give formula for sue.
cessful cattle feeding that would apply |
in all cases, nevertheless there are GER
tain rules to be observed that will help
US on our way. In the first place never |
go it blind. Have plan, an ideal. No
one would think OF building fine
house today without first securing
plan. So too in the cattle business
first consider your resources, count the
cost, and also the probable chance for
success.
The cattle feeding business is like
any other. Some find it profitable, and
others only a losing investment. Some
are willing to begin at the bottom of
the ladder and climb up while others
try to begin at the top, and they usual.
" work down.
Sometimes l think the business is
something like horse race. Did you
ever see a horse race? 90 with me to
the Lincoln county Fair grounds and
let me show you one. The race is one
known as the free for all 20 as you
please, any record made previous to
Oct, /, no bar Race to be best two in
three, OH kite shaped track, any horse
distancing the field shall only be allow
ed first money.
The terms being favorable, of course
there are many starters Let us take
seat in the grand stand, and watch
them score for the first heat
There they come get off the track.
what field. Gee whiz this is going to
be a horse race. AS they are warming
up let us endeavor to pick out the win
ner. mol don't gamble, but will 60
you the cigars:
See there goes No. /. He is PAGER,
q regular side.wheeler seems to 60
along some, but don't like those hob
bles. He is probably green horse.
His owner has got 10 acres of soft
corn and has bought q carload of cattle
at $3.50 per hundred. on borrowed
money at ~ per cent interest
The cattle are all colOrs and sizes,
and cost $45 per head. He has fed
them in 100 days $25 worth of corn,
making the total cost $40 head. They
would sell today at $3.50 per hundred
pounds or $41. so netting loss of $ss 20
per head to say nothing about interest
and labor. Those hobbies, are bound to
trip him before he reaches the quarter
post. ... -
There comes No. 2 driving that bob.
tailed gray He is driving with J. 1: 9
bit and pulling for all he's worth. This
driver bought. his cattle all right year
ago and made a, good summers gain.
But he has nothing but soft corn and is
afraid to buy He may score time or
two, but he will never start in this heat
bnt will sell out for the entrance fee. T..
But there comes No 3. There is a
trotter for You See him step. there is