The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-07-17
Live Stock in Florida.

and sold in the fashion peculiar to
the Cubans. 1t is all industry worthy
of a book; it is an antique; it is a
barking back in type to the Spanish
cattle Of early importation, plus the
environment of wild life in woods
and on wide stretches of open grazing
country, plus the ever--present tick!
x x x
1t is related that a philanthropist
visiting Florida some years ago was
so shocked by the dwarfed specimens
of the native cattle that he wired to
the Chicago stock yards for a car
load of bulls with which to begin the
work of improvement 1t is recorded
that out of this car load two survived
| the ticks-a Short-horn and an Aber-
deen-Angus They produced remark
able results, but to Florida's state fair,
beginning with it's location at Lake
| City and later the fine exhibits at it's
present home in Tampa, belongs the
credit for starting general interest in
cattle improvement. When the history
| of this awakening comes to be written,
prominent among the names on the
roll of honor will be those of S. H.
Gaitskill and Z. c. Chambliss, whose
operations in Marion county have con-
clusively demonstrated the remarkable
possibilities of betterment in the native
stocks.
Kentucky's loss was Florida's gain
when Mr.. Gaitskill began orange or
Charding over a score of years ago
| in Marion county. He is one Of the
king pins Of the grove industry, and
Of
and grape fruit through his packing
house last winter Supplementary to
his groves on Orange Lake at Nc
lntOsh is his farm close by, one of
the most attractive and most fertile
hammocks in the state, and becoming
we'll equipped for the care of his
Short-horns and his sheep. Through
what vicissitudes Messrs Gaitski1l
and Chambliss fought their way in
the introduction of Short-horn blood
into this county and the establishment
of their herds cannot now be recount
ed. 1t is enough to know that they
have achieved distinct success that
they have shown the way; that they
have proved the possibility and the
profit of purebred herds; that lack of
supply rather than lack of market is
their chief difficulty Mr.. Gaitskill has
a couple of sons of Barrister in ser
vice, capital bulls, and their progeny
from grade or purebred COWS is in
demand by the ranchers who are rap
| idly learning the practical value of
this improved blood. Of course it
was the same old story These pio-
neers in stock Improvement were
scoffed at when they began their ex-
periments, but those who came to
scott remained to pray''-and to pay
for all the bulls that these breeding
establishments can produce The
foundation of good herd of pedigreed
COWS has been laid by Mr.. Gaitski1l,
and if his present plans are carried
forward, large development will at
tend this part of his business.
X x *
The tick in Florida is what Sherman
said war is. 1t seems even more
virulent, more malignant, more "cuss-
! ed than in any other section. These
breeders have sustained much loss in
bringing down cattle from the North,
but through persistence they have Sue
ceeded in laying a foundation. Dip
ping is the surest means of combat
ing the tick, and they are awaiting
the discovery of a dip that will kill
the ticks without injuring the cattle
or the hair Mr.. Gaitskill's two bulls
are fever-prOof, but no more inter-
est1ng illustration Of the extraordinary
efforts made by these pioneers in pure
| blood introduction can be related than
the story Of Lavender Lad, chief herd