The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-01-01
TNHE Cecil farmers Club met
at the residence Of Robt.

\ 49,
Is, at about the usual hour. The
President and Vice President being
both absent, Jos. s. Scarborough
was appointed chairman for the
day, and in the absence of the Sec
rotary, Elwood Balderston was APP
pointed pro. tenn.
On call of roll, the following
members responded j. Fl. Max
well, Elwood Balderston, J. P.
Wilson, Jos. T.. Grove, j. Harry
Maxwell, Jos. T. Scarborough, F.
r. Cherry, r. X. Rawlings, J. 81.
Poist. M. r. Thompson. Visitors
present-Rev. Van Bunk, G. s.
Abrahams. Il. G.. Terry, j. s. Gull
len, G. S. Appleton, Roscoe and
Leslie Rawlings.
Minutes of last meeting were read
and approved.
The secretary of the Farmers
League of Maryland sent request
that delegate or alternate be sent
to the general meeting to be held in
Baltimore on December 20.
( On motion Robt. X. Rawlings
was appointed delegate, and Jos. S.
Scarborough alternate.
The host then read the following
viz:
BEEF CATTLE AND HOGS.
In fofruer essay stated that the cow and
the hog were the stock that the eastern farmer
could compete. with the western. Now, why is 1t
that it has becosne impossible for US to get our
stockers and feeders ,from Virginia. West Virginia
and Ohio?
We could ten years ago GO to Baltimore and
iy all the nice yearlings and two yvs- cattle we
nted. Three states then furnished the sto.akers
feeders for Maryland and Pennsylvania but
now they do not raise enough for themselves but
go west and buy their stockers and feeders and
we might say that hardly a load of good West
Virginia or Ohio cattle come to Baltimore or in
fact, toany of our nearby markets.
Our cattle are brought from Kansas. Illinois
and Michigan, states that we never thought Of
getting from, and the dealer is compelled to go to
Chicago and Buffalo to buy stockers and feeders
in order that he sell so the eastern feeder can
have some profit. What does this mean? Is it be-
cause we do not feed as many as we used to and
the cattle raisers compelled to ship cattle fur
Their West, where they are more expensive or
have they found something more profitable to
grow on their soil? What is it? Take our county
and there are not one-tenth as many cattle fed as
there were ten years ago.
We must go to the COW and fpg. Why? Because
we find they pay the best.
Did you ever think how little capital it takes to
raise hogs? We used to hear old cattle raisers say
that they doubled their money on cattle. We
don't hear that kind of talk now, but it is poor
SOW that will not triple herself in one year, and
don't you think that is the reason we hive had
such falling off in our hog MARKELL It takes
such small amount of moEey to start the
business or in fact it is business that will
furnish its own capital for you sell them at
any age. think thsrs5 is as much clear money
in selling pigs at lS or six weeks, as there Is in
selling a hog at six months old for ten dollars,
but think the western farmer can raise hogs
cheaper than we can for he does not need much
corn, when cattle are fed out doors on whole
grain hogs can be raised with very little expense,
but have strayed from my topic,
What does it mean about good stockers and
feeders coming east and fat cattle so low in
price? Does it mean that the eastern farmer must
give up the business or raise his own stock? Will
it pay US as farmers TO raise our own stockers
and feederss would say, no.
Why are fat cattle so low and stockers. and
feed cattle so high in comparison to fat cattle?
Looktat the quotation of feeders to day and at nat
cattle and see how small the margin.
think we could feed our cattle cheaper than
we do instead of having our corn to grow thick
ON the ground like ensilage corn, let 1t get ripe
cut and tie 1t up in small bundles. haul it in
without husking, feed the corn without husking,
with the fodder, saving husking and grinding
also allowing the hogs.to run with the cattle.
We would have the hogs as profit. have fed
shock corn to cattle with the best result. 1t
appears to me that cattle do better when they eat
corn in the husk; they get the shell corn and
grind it much better in that way.
Some OF you may say the ensiage would be
the same, or better but think this would be
just as good and much cheaper to handle see
my neighbor throwing out silo corn. and 1t ap-
pers to me like very slow and tedious work.
have never seen a real fat lot of cattle that
were fed on ensilage corn and have heard
butchers say, they were not worth as much per
podnd The cattle that bring the highest prices
in our markets are cattle that are fed on whole
grain or corn on the cob. And they come nom
Chicago. where you notice our highest priced
cattle. In fact it looks like in very few years
we will have but one cattle market. 1t is nothing
uncommon to set in the market report So,OOO
head a,day on the market, in Chicago in one
day which is more than all the eastern markets
put together. Chicago is having more cattle
each Year and our nearby markets grow less and
less. II looks to me though our fat cattle VIII
soon be a thing OF the past in the least and
Chicago will furnish US with dressed meat. 1t
now furnishes one-half OF the live cattle and
more than onehalf Of the dressed meats
'o-da7\<
|nts being called for it was