The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-01-30
genious and worthless formula as the
following:

some omit InS coal Oil--peFASpS py
way of variety. The result is the
same, for the hogs really affected by
the cholera die, and the swine spe-
cialist" has the farmers money.
Some of the serums being devised
may prove effective, at least in max
ing the campaign sooner or later to be
made to eradicate hog cholera from
the country, as the federal and state
governments are now eradicating the
cattle tick" and the Texas fever.
But the thousand and one inter
nal remedies are quackery, and when
a farmer uses serum he should get it
only of reputable concerns or of public
departments.
The feeding or finishing" of cattle
is another profitable specially of the
corn belt farmer. To take a rough
steer from the pasture or range and
put him in fat and sleek condition in
the minimum of time and the mini
mum of expense for feed is a very
vital problem to the feeding" farmer
So it is to the nation at large, and
therefore the research departments Of
agriculture have given much effort to
the practical solution of that problem.
The balanced ration" idea was once
widely exploited by the scientists,
though now not regarded so important
as formerly. Latterly reasonably well
balanced rations Of those common
grains and rough and green forage
foods have been shown to be the real
profitable feeding stuffs. And nothing
is clearer in American feeding expert.
ments than that adding so called stock
foods with their minimum of we'll nigh
useless minimum amount of condi-
ments, flavoring matter and medicines
is practically and absolutely general
humbug. But his faith in science
makes the farmer ready to accept the
Establishments of the travelling stock
food purveyor. He has no more trou-
BILE to find the occasional farmer who
will testify that this particular stock
food worked wonders in his herd or
flocks. 1t is on the same basis as
testimonials from people who, having
failed to die or even to continue sick
when taking a given patent medicine,
are willing to have their testimony
published. And in not a few cases
false testimonials are used.
The purveyor of fake cattle foods
seldom fails to convince the feeder, at
the start, that his particular food is a
real Simon-pure balanced ration back
ed by the department of agriculture.
Again, the swindler is wise enough
not to lessen his chances of sale by
putting a cheap price on his product.
Occasionally he sells it as low as $3.50
the hundredweight, but more fire.
uuently the price is much above that
sometimes as high as $3.50 or
$4,000 per ton. The sales are for cash
and the farmer is separated from his
money before he has an opportunity
to test out the ration in actual demon.
stration.
What does he find when the feeding
period draws to a close? That his cat
tie have, perhaps, fattened to about
the same proportion as when he used
his own materials. grown on his farm
and possibly supplemented by ground
feed from the local mill or feed store.
These balanced rations are often
found, by analysis, to consist OF the
"tailings" of mills, elevators and brew
cries mixed with molaSses and salt to
make the compound palatable to the
cattle. And one of the largest stock
food companies is said to use fine
sawdust finely ground to cheaply bring
up the weight of his product. Instead
of buying a superior and expensive
balanced ration" containing high fat
tening qualities and acting as tonic,
he has paid a high price for a feed
containing, along with ordinary grains,
finely ground alfalfa hay, and other
common food stuff worth S. to $25 per
ton, a high percentage Of refuse and
non-nutritious matter, some of which
may be positively dangerous to the
health of his stock.
Naturally the question Is asked by
the farmer: How may detect any OF
all of these fakes when they are Of
fered to me? In the first place bear IN
mind that the department of agricult
ure and experiment stations are very
chary of giving endorsements which
may in any manner be used to the
commercial advantage of any person
firm or corporation. These depart
ments are conducted for the benefi
of the people as a whole and grea
care is taken to prevent their author
ity or influence from being subvertet
to the special advantage of any per
son or individual enterprise. There
fore, when the seller of selected Of
"pedigreed" seed grains, of remedy
for hog cholera or of balanced ra
tion" for the quick fattening of cattle
claims that his wares have the en-
dorsement of a department of agri
culture or q state station it is safe tt
assume that he is a swindler. At an.
rate, there is only one safe rule tt
follow: Do not buy until you hav'
written to the department or station
from which it is claimed that thu
endorsement comes. You will get ;
prompt answer-and believe tina
your inquiry will generally save yol
from being swindled. In the matte
of buying choice seed grains l woui'
add this suggestion: Your safes
course is to buy only of those firm
that you know to have large tract
of lands specially devoted to the sci
entific cultivation of grains for seed
ing-grains which have made a rec
ord for strong vitality and large dc
pendable productiveness. There ar
plenty of these great seed farm
which are scientifically and honestl
conducted by men of capability an