VOL. LIV.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., MARCH 11, 1899.
NO. 10
©attic gxpitxtmcut.
One great objection to cross breeding is
that the offspring cannot be used to advan.
tage in breeding again. Such stock is very
difficult to handle, and the plan ehould be
shunned altogether, if possible.
Feeding and grooming will not make a
prize winner out of a scrub, and yet it requires good food and constant care to enable any animal to reach its inherited possibilities, no matter how good it may be at
the start.
It is agreed that cattle which are of a
good milk breed take on fat more readily, are
more gentle to handle and that there is a
sweeter and more tender quality to^the flesh
than with other kinds. Therefore, cows of
this sort make the best beef stock.
A well, tanned hide of a Galloway beef is
almost equal to a buffalo robe, and is worth
from $10 upward, depending upon the style
and finish. The long, heavy coat of hair
gives a special value to that breed, and the
hide is sometimes worth as much as the ear-
So long as smooth, well fattened youngsters
will sell for the same or a better price per
pound than will Bteers which are older, there
is more money in pushing them from calfhood to an early market. The market is always ripe for good, young beef. The first
year or two of a steer's existence is the time
when the maximum gain is made from the
food consumed, and if there is anything in
the cattle business you are then ready to get
your share of the profits.
HAMILTON COUNTY SHORTHORN AND
POLLED  DURHAM ASSOCIATION.
The Hamilton county Shorthorn and Polled
Durham Association organized on the 25th,
ult., with a large list of charter members.
The following officers were elected for the
ensuing year.
President—John Thom.
Vice-President—T. E. Beals.
Secretary—J. D. Bray.
Treasury—Calvin Stuidevant.
Executive Committee—Henry White, Abraham Finley and Jesse De\ aney.
A constitution and by-laws were adopted
and the association will meet on the first
Saturday in each month. Walter J. Quick,
Brooklyn, was present and favored the association with an excellent talk on Shorthorn
cattle.
A RING FOR THE BULL.
A good stout copper ring inserted into the
bull's nose early enough in life may be and
has often been the means of saving a valuable
animal for breeding purposes, while if neglected he would be liable to become vicious
and unmanageable. All bulls are not so inclined naturally, but many of them develop a
belligerent tendency very early, so that it is
Mfeto take this precaution with them all,
and ring them at about eight months to a
year old.
Bulls at that age are usually allowed the freedom of the pasture and it is a very easy thing
for them to fall into miechievious ways. It
often occurs that bulls before they are a year
o]i will contract objectionable habits that
■nake it positively dangerous to human life to
80 near them in the field or barn yard as they
know no fear and have never been taught subjection or been put under restraint. Cases
Uke thlg have been cured without difficulty
and in a short time by confining the animal
>n a roomy stall, putting a ring in his nose
aod making him fast by it through means of
a ehort chain attached to the manger. He
jery soon forgets all else except a willingness
w» accept the inevitable and be guided by the
wong and powerful argi ment from which
there is no eeaape. Ever after this his memory will be keen on tint point and no difficulty is experienced in controlling him by tho
ring. The treatment is not always as effective with bulls which are older and moro set in
their ways; the nose is not as sensitive to pain
and they are generally moro determined and
obdurate than young bulls, when tho ring is
used in time. No bull should be allowed to
run at large or with the cows with liberty unrestricted, and too much emphasis can not
be urged regarding the use of the riDg.
Placing the ring in position is a simple operation after tho animal's head is firmly secured; perhaps the best means for this iaastrong
rigid stanchion or some similar contrivance.
The stanchion on the farm has but few recommending features but for the purpose mentioned it must be said in ita favor that there is
nothing known that is superior to it; whether
it will pay to maintain an otherwise relic of
barbarity for this special use, is a question to
be settled by the needs of the case and the inclinations and preferences of stock raisers
themselves.
Various plans are employed for fixing the
ring in the nose but the most approved one
and the easiest of accomplishment is by means
of the trocar, a small steel instrument sharp
as a needle at the point and covered by a
sheath a trifle shorter than the trocar, allowing the point to protrude, the whole is pushed
through the thin part of the cartilage, the trocar withdrawn leaving the sheath; this is also
gradually pulled out followed by the ring
which fills the opening made. The ring
which opens by a joint, is then closed and
screwed together and the job is finished.
There is also an instrument made for the
purpose and patented, which haB been found
to meet the requirements in a satisfactory
way. This little machine operates on the
same principle as a punch and makes a clean
circular cut the size of the ring, removing the
part altogether. Besides making a thorough
job of the ringing, it is so constructed as to
hold the bull by the note securely until the
ring is screwed in place. It is simple, inexpensive and works to perfection, but for some
reason or other it is lost track of as the manufacturer does not advertiee it.
A copper ring is advised and no other sort
ought ever to be used, as it Ib the only metal
that will not corode and cause a soreness of
the parte; there are rings mado of steel, iron
and brass but while they are probably stronger in texture they are objectionable. If any
fears on this point should exist, they can be
overcome by using two copper rings Instead
of one, but this is unnecessary except in extreme cases.
The benefits and advantages derived from
ringing the bull needs no argument to convince practical men that it is an absolutely
necessary thing to do. It docs not matter
whether the bull, regardlccs of his age, has
ever shown an ugly spirit or not; he may do
so when least expected and do damage that
can not be repaired; the ring is the greatest
safeguard in such cases, if its u»e is coupled
with Btrict watchfulness, and never relenting
care. The "gentle" bull is really in need of
closer watchlDg than ono known to bo tricky,
especially so if surroundings and attendants
are changed. Instances are on record of this
kind having been led around by a halter, or
chain to the ring for years without showing
the least sign or disposition to trlekiness, and
as soon as changed to a new home, about the
first thing done was to turn on his keeper and
that there was not a tradegy was not the fault
of the bull. The gentle bull ought on all occasions to be led by a staff eame as tho vicious
one.   None of them are to be trusted.
Polled Sires or Polled Durhams?
Editors Indiaxa Fabmik.
Replying at my earliest convenience to the
article in a late Fabmkr "Ag to Polled Sires,"
by Mr. Artcmug Smith, permit me to say in the
lirst place that I am too loyal to my Shorthorn Durham breeding colleagues and too
careful in tho selection of my words to recommend, had I recommended anything as to
Polled cattle, Bimply, "Polled Sires." Tho
term is too broad to be employed so liberally,
when thero are several polled breeds of cattle,
and I did not uso it. What I did do was to
call attention in my addesd before the Indiana State Shorthorn Asscociation to the advantage of breeding the horns off our Shorthorns, and gay that puro Shorthorn bulls,
without horns were now pro;urablo ln limited numbers to assist us in this most laudable
undertikIng, thanks to tho persistent efforts
of many good, reliable Shorthorn breeders,
for the past two decades.
Shorthorn breeders have been most successful in breeding the legs off our favorites, not
off, but much shorter, and the animal form
more nearly to the ideal.
At one time in the history of the cattle
world, the importance of establishing a uniform beef breed, with shorter, neater horns
was paramount and remained so until the
Shorthorn Durham was established in contradistinction to its Longhorn Durham brother
breed.
Another epoc is upon us in the history of
the cattle breeding world, one, since we are
now right as to the other characteristics,
stands second to none other in financial and
humanitarian importance, namely, the changing of our valued Durhams.with short horns,
to Durhams without horns, and that too without any change of other characteristics or the
loss of a single valuable point.
Had Mr. Artemus Smith thoroughly investigated beforo writing his article be would not
have written, unless for some unknown reason ho may be piqued at the writer. I am
quite certain that nothing I have said or
written should have caused Mr. Artemus
Smith to justly assail me with acharge of disloyalty as secretary of the Indiana Shorthorn
Association. I have been open and above
board. All I have said was said before the
association in its annual convention. It was
thought so well of as indicating the signs of
the times, and that Shorthorns, pure
and good as ever, are going to be bred
by their breeders, ever on the alert
to keep their favorites to tho front, without
horns, tbat what I there said was publiehcd in
not less than eight papers in January, including our much appreciated Indiana Fabmer,
where any one can read it. A perusal will
convince any one that Mr. Artemus Smith was
very unwise in that he went further than to do
so small a thing as to question my lojalty to
Shorthorn interest*, but wag go presumptious
as to impugn my motives and so audacious as
to misquote my language.
Mr. Artemus Smith must have seen that to
question my loyalty he must Impugn my motives and that, he could not accomplish without misquoting me as to polled sires. We
wonder what could have been his, Mr. Artemus Smith's, own motive when he visited the
Polled Durham herd of J. H. Miller, Peru, to
buy a polled sire such as Quick decs now unhesitatingly recommend, found one to suit
him, but would not loosen his purse strings
enough to carry him home. Had he paced
that well bred Polled Durham bull on his particular herd he would have easily improved it
both in breeding and individual worth, not to
mention tbe hornless feature. I have not seen
his herd but draw my conclusions from hig
own statement that he has been breeding
Shorthorns for 26 years and in all that time he
never sold but one as high as $100, mually selling his bulls at $40 to $75 each. Many would
not with such a record, lay any claims whatever to being a first-class breeder.
If Mr. Artemus Smith were wiser he would
investigate thoroughly, cast aside his every
prejudice, fall into line, loosen  up hig purse
strings, buy a good Polled Durham bull and
thereby improve the quality of his herd and
enhance its valuo fully 100 per cent.
Tho bread he would thus cast upon tho waters would return to him in larger installments
than $10 to $75. Had ho followed his impulse
of two years ago, since which timo we are
aware Mr. Artemus Smith has mado several
nibbles at a Polled Durham bull, ho would
have been preaching on a differenttcxttc-day.
Referring again to disloyalty, does any ono
think tho Indiana Shorthorn Association
would have elected me secretary unanimously
(which was done against my wishes andinmy
absence) If they had held my views as an indication of disloyalty? It was done, too, after my address and tho only public statement
I ever made regarding Polled Durhams.
It Is all expressed in this. Intelligent investigating. Shorthorn Durham breeders want
anything that will Improve the breed without
loss of the original blood, and they on reflection muet know that no intelligent and honest
breeder of Polled Durhams will make the
claim that the best herds of Shorthorns would
be improved by the use of Polled Durham
sires, excepting in the hornless feature.
I am irrevocably and unconditionally as a
cattle breeder, for Durham blood, first, last
and forever. Walteb J. Quick,
Brooklyn.        Sec'y Ind. Shorthorn Asso.
gorsc QcpiixXmmX.
March S7,28, Allie Powell, Wabash, Ind.
Ouh horses receive many moments of dig-
comfort because of our thoughlessncss. Put
the bridles behind the kitchen stovo while you
eat your breakfast, that they may not tako
cold iron into their mouths.
It is the common bred horee which is deteriorating year by year, for it is being super
seded; but mechanical powers will never tako
tho place of those which are desirable for
heavy work, or for riding or driving.
Do not look for a full blood sire to produco
after his own style and finish without any regard to the fact the mare is of no style or
typo whatever. In Dreeding we must not let
our expectations outrun our common sense.
The farm always has the benefit of tho
whole process of feeding. We can sell hay
and oata at a better price by feeding them to
a young, sound horse of the right stripe than
by selling them in the market for what they
will bring,
We have but a poor chanco to lift the mortgage when we give the horses and cattle tho
fence corners only for shelter from winter's
cold or the March winds. There is moro
money in bujinga horso blanket than in
selling the horso to the boneyard.
There is not much haggling over prices
when the farmer offers the city buyer the 1,MX)
pound draft horse; the continual cry is for
moro of them. Even though a farmer be
hard up, he should not listen to the low offers
made by speculators. There will never be an
overproduction of such animals.
Electrical appliances have been used ef
fectlvely with balky horses, Tho pressing of
tho button develops latent energy- which tho
whip will not. It seems to work well, aleo,
upon the stump eucker if tho wire is placed
along the manger, to give a shock whenever
he grabs the manger or feed box with hig
teeth. A mild battery of thig kind could do
no harm.
FJlKD FOR H0RSKS.
In an address before a Wisconsin institute
R. P. Stericker said: "To rear a horee to the
best advantage he must be well fed from the
time he is old enough to eat, i. e., aa a colt he
ehould have free access at all times to a little
Concludes! oa aa pace.