The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-05-18
PAGE NINE.

The foundation of Mr.. Cooks herd
of thoroughbred Herefords was laid
by his father, in 1883, in an importa-
ton of more than three hundred head
OF the choicest stock to be found in
england. In regard to this feature Of
his farming enterprise Mr.. Cook says
Il find that my Hereford herd, based
on actual sales, has made increase at
the rate of $4,000 per annum. The
main part of its growth is made on
grass. Other than this the principal
ration is crushed corn and cob. 1t is
his experience that animals thus fed
Will not overeat and become over
heated and stalled. When it comes to
the fattening process his steers are, in
the fall. pastured on stalks and are
fed cornmeal. They are given plenty
of hay and straw, alternated with
roughness. He holds that it is simply
good common sense to give his cattle
as much variety as possible in their
diet. By top dressing his pastures in
the fall Mr.. Cook is able, according to
his estimate. to realize twice the grass
crop which he would otherwise get
without this special fertilizing. His
pastures have carried, in cattle, as
high as an animal and a half to the
acre, these animals going into fall
grass as high as their knees. If his
steers in pasture, with corn ration of
one-fourth to one third of bushel
day, do not put on an average of three
pounds day to the animal he is dis
appointed
Because Mr.. Cook believes in the
policy of being his own seed corn ex-
pert, he has been drawn into furnish
ing seed for others. This he has found
to be a very profitable side line, as it
entails little additional work and ex-
pense. He uses about 400 bushels of
seed corn year in his own fields, and
is, perhaps, his own best customer
although he sells hundreds, and per-
haps, thousands of bushels to other
IcOrn growers in the middle west, at
an average price close to IS bushel.
At the present time, according to the
foreman of his seed house. he is at
least two thousand bushels short of
1.-THE demand which may be fairly
taken as an Indication that there is
good money in raising seed corn with
q high reputation for terminating
power and large yield.
On the Right Side Of the Ledger.
! In the fall, before the first frost,
when the c0rnstalks show signs Of
turning, men are sent into the center
of the field to pick the most perfect
ears showing especially early matur-
lity. The corn is then hauled to the
seed house and re-sorted by experts,
the ears being placed in racks so that
eacn ear may be identified by its
number. Then, in the spring, four
kernels are taken from each ear and
placed in the terminating boxes for
test. According to Mr.. Cooks state
ment, these tests show that his seed
corn is now running "ninety-eight to
ninety and one-half strong
How" asked Mr.. Cook, "can farm
lers expect to get good stand Of corn
when the seed which they plant is
so poor that 10 per cent of it does
not grow at all and there is 40 per
cent weakness In that which does
grow? am firmly convinced that the
corn planted by the average farmer
will not, by actual test demonstrate
higher rate of prepotency than this.
Not more than five per cent Of the
farmers in this country test their seed
corn before planting it, and the result
i is an annual loss of millions Of dollars
| to the agriculture of this country.
Il find" he says, that my farms
have paid me, for term of ten years,
just about IL 7-12 per cent interest
on valuation of $135 per acre over
the entire tract of 1880 acres. My
hogs have made an average of $50, 900,
a year, ranging in numbers from $500,
to 5000. My Herefords and my hogs
have made practically all their growth
on grass. other than the feed derived
by the swine from following the cattle.
and my increase in Herefords has.
averaged $4,000 a year, these figures
being taken from actual sales" q
On this showing farming conducted
on an industrial scale and on business
principles certainly comes out on the
right side OF the ledger! ~ NV, F
! : 49,
FOR RENT-on account of my leav-
ing for Germany in the near future j,
wish to rent my house on Washington
Ave. with or without complete furnish
ings at once. Inquire Of Mrs. C.
Schelm. No. 204 Washington Ave. 1879