The Lamar register., 1905-12-06
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STOCK
Success in Stock Breedina.


us to advise him whether it would be
breeding of pedigreed cattle and
wants to know how certain men have
achieved such eminent success in the
business while others nave failed.
These are serious considerations and
are well worthy of thought and study
before embarking in the stock breed
ing business as a life's work. The
men who have made a marked sue
cess of the business would doubtless
have done equally well in almost any
other mercantile branch. Those
who have failed would probably have
failed as speedily and as badly in
most other vocations. 1t is not so
much the business as the man that
decides success or failure. Before
entering into the business of breed
ing cattle or any other kind of farm
stock the man should know that he
loves animals, is content and salts
fled to live upon farm and possessed
of an intimate knowledge of animals
and farming
Like every other business that of
stock raising requires study and some
hatui al DeHl VI dudpldDlllly. nhoot
of the requisite knowledge as to
breeding. feeding and management
can be acquired from study at an ag-
ricultural college. from attendance at
fairs and from reading of books as
well as observation of the hook of
nature, but when all of these requis-
lite things have been acquired there
still remains a something that can
not be bought, borrowed, stolen or
learned. We refer to hard-headed
business sense and acumen, which
some men inherit and others do not
possess. To the degree to which this
faculty is present in a man depends
the degree of success he will attain
in business. other requisites being
present. Lack of any one requisite,
and especially honesty or integrity,
will of course Offset business acumen,
but possession of honesty and integ-
rity with all of the other requisites
will not make up for the lack of bust
ness ability such as we have men
toned.
Nevertheless there is better
chance of making fair amount of
money and fairly good success in
the business of stock breeding than
in almost any other line of work that
has to be done in the city instead of
upon the farm. The average breeder
who sticks to the business through
fair days and foul generally wins out
fairly well and at least makes a COM
Portable living, for his farm insures
that, with energy and perseverance
devoted to the work. Speculation in
stock breeding as in other lines of
business is risky. and to this cause
we may most often attribute disaster
in both city and farm business. Spe-
culation however usually is back of
success in the accumulation of large
fortunes. and this is partially true of
fortunes made in live stock. To
speculate is required the particular
and peculiar business acumen re-
ferred to, and lacking it comes fail
ure. Without it the stock breeder or
business man may be able to make
comfortable living. but the other fel-
low will make the big hits and the
large fortune.
Given fair degree of business abil-
ity. the necessary capital. proper
training and suitable farm and
love for the work our young friend
will however be perfectly safe in en-
barking in the stock breeding busi-
ness, and, if he sticks to it and IS for
tunate in procuring efficient help, we
see no reason why he should not be
able to make it pay a safe and legiti-
mate interest upon the amount of
capital invested. To succeed it will
be necessary to build up reputation
for good animals and business integ-
rity. To obtain a reputation it will
be necessary to exhibit stock at the
county and state fairs and also to ad-
vertise in the best agricultural and
live stock papers. Success at the
fairs brings notoriety and such sue
cess Wisely advertised brings trade
which lasts and augments If handled
honestly and promptly. We would ad-
wise our correspondent to engage in
the business of pedigreed cattle
breeding If he is strongly inclined
that way for love of the business
rather than mere speculation. We
would advise him to keep out of it If
he has no special liking for animals
and country life, or if he merely
thinks of engaging in it as a specula-
tion.-A. S. Alexander in Farmers Re-