The Forrest City times., 1913-09-12
WEEKLY LETTER TO
 ARKANSAS FARMERS
By John H. Page.

AAN i"' 'htao anu SlOthihth Ol Al hAh- sas have golden opportunity con- fronting them, for this Is fine coun- try for stock We have an average rainfall of over 50 inches; we have Q long pasturage and grazing period, ex- tending over eight to nine months in the year, and mild winters. The con- ditions in this state are so much more favorable than in the states where the greatest number of cattle are raised that it may be truly said that the farmers of Arkansas are not living up to their opportunities If they do not take to the cattle raising industry ex- tensively enough to make it worth while. Taking it for granted that the cattle industry is one of the com ing things in our state, it is well for us to begin tc consider 1t somewhat in detail as we'll as upon the whole.
 Not many farmers in Arkansas are prepared to turn their attention to stock exclusively if they cared to do so, and not many care to. Neither would it be best. It is better for the farmers to continue to farm, but to so arrange their farm operations as to make stocR the most important thing raised on the farm, producing those crops best suited to feeding and pas- turing stock, and to rebuilding the soil. All of the soil building crops are valu- able for stock
 Then comes another important ques- tion, that of breed selection. In regard to cattle I think most of the farmers want combination milk and beef type. This combination has never been perfectly made, and perhaps will be. and for obvious reasons. The main points about a good type of milk stock have TO place in the make up of beef type. As we can not have a perfect type of the combination COW. let us consider the subject in practi- cal way. Most all farmers want milk COWS on the farm to give milk for the family. That is proper. On the other hand. most all farmers want beef cat tie to sell, when they sell cattle. It occurs to me that the farmers who type to raise for the market
 think along these lines, and can afford 1t, would better have enough cows of the milk type to furnish milk, and also distinctly beef type to raise for the market. I believe in fact that there is more money in raising dairy or milk cattle than the beef type, but some do not agree to this. Most of the farm CTS are not able or prepared to keep two types of cattle and breed them accordingly. So for the most part I think it would be best for them to get a good male of the beef type, like the Shorthorns, Herefords, Aberdeen, Aug | us or some of the other equally good l breeds, and cross them with the con-
 mon Arkansas stock and raise grades for beef, and in the meantime depend on the common Arkansas scrub COW as milker. It is not generally known.
 but the old-time brindle Arkansas scrub was in pioneer times known at home and abroad as a great milker. | Her fame extended over large part of Arkansas and North Texas.
 | When it comes to milk it is not so much the breed as the individual COW, Some Individual cows give great quantities of milk For instance, a COW in one of the Northern states produced ever a thousand pounds of | butter during the year, in 1912. That was not due to the breed so much as the individual characteristics of the COW. The milk type of cattle should be strong in constitution, and amible in disposition. They should have rather thin neck and withers, large bodies, well sprung front ribs, thin and widely separated hind legs, giving ample room for the udder, and hip bones rather prominent and far apart In fact the best type of milk COW is one that appears somewhat boney and tIat IS free from beefiness. Of course
 this is in contrast with what is re- | quired for beef stock However. there are some breeds of dairy or milk
 stock that will make fairly good com
 hlnation cattle. The Holstein is one:
 the Shorthorn is another, and the
 Dutch Belted cattle is another splendid
 combination breed. w. J. Waldrip, | or Maghess, iSas the only herd know | Of in the state. and they are fine
 specimens. He has one COW giving
 six gallons of milk day. One of his
 cows weighs HOO pounds.
 Perhaps the Shorthorns will provo
 the most popular n this state. They are a good beef type and are pretty fair mixers, though in no sense da.ry cattl<
 For strictly beef cattle, take any Of the breeds-that your taste direc s.
 They are all good Each breed has
 its friends, it's advantages and disad-
 van.2ses. But by all means begin c.v-
 inG attention to cattle. They make
 lots Of manure for the farm and Ioss
 Of money Tor the farmer. Nothing
 boats cattle and hogs in the farm