Mexico weekly ledger., 1915-01-14

Reporter.
(By John F. Chase in Mo. Rurslist,l
Champions come and champions
go, but Missouri has had one cham
pion on the job for sixteen years
Breeders rave about the beauty and
productiveness of some celebrated
show animal in the bovine world, but
after making a marvellous record for
a year or two she may never be heard
Of again. Superior in genuine worth
and service is the humble family
cow" beloved by every small town
dweller; especial favorite of mother
and the children on the farm. And
although she may not rank high ii
the register of merit, or have her
name inscribed on the herd book af
fame, often the possession of cold
Boss" has meant plenty instead Of
poverty. Cleaning sustenanee from
the grass of the roadside she returns
it for the soil enrichment. The trick
ling milk becomes a golden stream
that brings food and clothing. an
education, perhaps a peep at the busy
world. Even life itself is sometimes
dependent upon this gentle friend Of
man. Much do we owe to the family
COW. May her tribe increase as the
years go by.
In the little town Of Martinsburg,
Audrain county ,contentedly ~munching
her fragrant clover hay these wintry
days, you can find the champion fam
lily COW. For more than sixteen years
she has served the r. M. Walker fam.
lily faithfully. This remarkable COW
is now rs years old and her first calf
was born when she was but 2 years
old. Every year since Mr.. Walker
found the first fawn-like replica gam
boiling around in his town lot pas
ture another sprightly youngser has
come to gladden. the mother Of Old
Boss A purebred Jersey herself her
progeny shows all the attributes Of
good breeding. Many a fine family
COW has gone forth from the Walker
lots in Martinsburg. The sixteenth
daughter looks like a worthy descend
ant of its illustrious mother.
In all the sixteen years since her
frs calf was born Jersey has never
been dry. 1t has been necessary 10
milk her every day. When she was
I to II years old she gave from 3 1-2
to 4 gallons Of milk a day the year
around. The last four years she has
averaged ? IL to 3 gallons a day.
So rich was the cream from this milk
flow that the Walker family has al
way been supplied with butter, and.
in addition, furnished butter to n or
70 neighbors during most of the
year. Just the average town COW
feed has been given to Old Boss She
has been away from the six
lots which comprise Mr.. Walkers
pasture Probably a low estimate for
the total amount Of milk given by the
champion family cow in sixteen a
would be 1855 gallons. This milk
would have a commercial and feeding
value of at least 20 cents a gallon,
which would equal s3.723.00. Good
heifer calves would be worth at least
S25 each but as the males would not
be eligible to registry they would
sell cheaper, 81 we will count the
sixteen calves at SIS each, This adds
$40, bringing the count up to 3d.
1853 and making he gross earnings of
Mr.. Walkers right bower" almost
$3.50 a year. As the Walker family
did not have TO hire pasture there is
little doubt that the one COW has been
worth than 5000 a pear TO them.
Some remarkable records were told
about in the dairy number Of the Mis-
souri, Ruralist last year. We expect
to hear from many friends of "Old
Boss" before the next dairy special
is issued March s. Perhaps there Is
a greater family COW in the United
States than this Audrain county Jer-
sey, but we'll have to be shown.
7. w. Carter and sons Raw and
Roy, formerly Of Mexico. now PROM
Inent commission men Of st. Louis.
bought a large amount of wheat lust
war was declared, and We note
from the St Louis papers that the
advance in this grain has made them
} crest many thousands of dollars