The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1905-04-21
sYsrEMAr1C STOCK BREEDING.

N
The business of rational stock
growing has aroused such interest,
the large amountor capital already
invested in the industry in the state,
the constant rcqu, SITS Tor luiormh-
ton and, withal, the unsystematIc
methods frequently followed by par
ties embarking in the business, seem
to demand the presentation OF a lew
of the rational principles on VIII On
the success of this industry must de-
pend.
TIME OF YEAR FOR THE START
This will depend on the kind of
stock TO be kept The time of year
when the young animals are desired,
must control the time for breeding,
and the breeding of the females VIII
determine the time for starting, the
business. March and April are the
best months for the arrival of both
pigs and calves. 1t therefore follows
that June and July are the best
months for breeding cows, and NO
vembcr and December are the
months for breeding sOws.
AS the purchase of breeding stock
and the growing of u reasonable
amount of feed must precede the
time for actual breeding. spring may
be accepted as the proper time Tor
beginning with caUtle, and early lAll
is the time for starting III the hog
| business.
LOCATION.
The kind of stock and the particu-
lar character of the business to be
conducted must determine the place
for embarking in the same.
Feed is the all-essential factor,
and whatever other points may be
considered, soil adapted to the pro
duction of feed crops is absolutely
essential to success. The mere ran
ging of animals on wild lands is not
considered in this connection, as 1t is
only temporary make-shitta at best.
Cost, ease of cultivation, healthtul-
ness and productivity all considered
it can hardly be doubted that flat
woods lands, sufficiently high to be
at all times free from standing Wa
ter, are the best lands for all classes
of stock raising. Abundance OF pure
water is even more important than
the character of the soil. Streams
and lakes, for several reasons, are
the preferable source of water Ar.
tesian wells stand second and pump.
wells are the least desirable water
supply, though if the character OF
the water is good, the supply sutii'
cient and accessible either OF these
three sources is entirely satisfactory
Shallow surface ponds should never
be permanently relied on, both be-
cause of inferior guilty and uncer-
tainty of supply.
THE KIND OF BUSINESS AND STOCK
The selection of stock will practi
cally be restricted to cattle and hogs
but each class may be bred for sew
eral different purposes The produc
ton of beef and pork so largely pre-
dominate over all other form OF live
stock husbandry, adapted to our con
, ditions. that consideration Of thes
two forms of the industry may suffice
There are many reasons which
J render the combination of these twr
, into single business much more de
stable that the selection of eithe
: alone. The more perfect utilization
of land and crops, the possession o
, two strings to ones bow, COmparativ
immunity from serious disease an
disastrous market conditions, an,
particularly the quicker return
+ from the hog lead to the advising q
J combining the two classes of ami
mails, and such a business will b
. considered. Either class may, how
, ever, be separated from the combin,
ton at will.
BREEDS.
Natives should be selected as tn
foundation stock in all cases; hardi