Yd X.
MDIMAPOLIS, INDIANA, JANUARY 16,. 1875.
No. 2.
Live StocL
'For tbe Indiana Fanner. ••
PTJBLIC SALES OF SHORT-HOBNS
FOE FIVE YEABS PAST.
313
351
SVi
In the last number of the Indiana
FakmeR, we gave a statement of the
public eales of Short-Horn cattle onthia
continent,.made in the year 1874. We
now give.a summary of all • the public
gales made in the United States for the
last five years, as reported in the Country
Gentleman aud National Live Stock
journal:'
' 1870—AtlSaaleMM bead brought an av. of £152
1871-" H    "     387    " •'        "   "    "    251
1872-" 29    " 1.0U    "
1873-" 39    " 1,515    " "
1874-" 43'   ". 2^81     " " "
The above statement of sales extending over a period ot five years as they
do, and excluding as it does four great
exciting sales in that period—the one
made by D. McMillan 1870, of 71 head,
whieh made an average of $885 per head;
the Clark County, Kentucky, Importing
Company's sale, in 1871, of 20 head, at
an average of $985; the New York Mills
sale in 1873, of 109 head at an average
of $3,504 per head, and Col. King's sale
in 1874 of 79 head at an average of
11621 per head), may be taken as a fair
index to the favor in which they are
held by the intelligent and enterprising
cattle growers of thiB country.
;     The aggregate of all the 154 public
' sales made in the past five years is 6,201
head for the nice little sum $2,442,078,
or an average of $421 per head.   When
.': we take into consideration that there
i have been but 154 public sales made iD
\ the last five years and that there are
probably 400 or 500 active bidders in the
i  United States who have'kept their stock
\ sufficiently reduced by private sales we
',, might estimate the entire sales during
\ the five years at 15,000 to 20,000 head,
!• for which from $4,000,000 to $6,000,000
I  have   been   paid   out.    Thc  inquiring
reader who is not informed as to the real
value of Short-Ho.n cattle compared
:  with the common stock of the country
and to the extent of territory in which
! ■ they may yet be profitably introduced,
i  will naturally ask,  "Will the prices of
'  Short-Horns be sustained?" L
STATE MEWS.
Ro^ifsl C^o^tt^n^ciynycCvr,
Short-Horn BuU "ROYAL COMMANDER," the property of Hon. M. H. Cochrane, Compton, P. Q.
Indiana Farmer Family.
When to Breed Our Cows.
Domestic Animals.
t
We take the following from the editorial correspondence" of C. E. Babb, to
the 'Herald and Presbyter, Cincinnati,
who is in Central California; for; his
health:       ,.    ....  <■ ■■- " '       '"
"Tho' domestic animals are one of
God's best gifts to us. And yet how
few treat them well I How many lose
half the value of the gift by abusing it.
A horse that is thoroughly gentle and
safe is worth twice as much as one of
the same size and style that is vicious.
But the vicious horse in ninety-nine
cases out of a hundred is made so by
hareh and cruel treatment. Almost any
horse, if handled early and gently, will
be a patient and trusty servant, ready to
go when you speak the word, willing to
stand without pawing or fretting when
he knows that you want him to. We
bought a horse last year out of a livery
stable. He had been badly treated, was
hard to manage and unsafe. We tried
to convince him that .se were his friend,
and in a few weeks he would follow us
about the pasture lot, would come at onr
call, aud stand to be bridled. He is now
both a pleasant horse to handle, and
perfectly safe. Tbe time spent in gentling this horse was well invested. We
do not have to chase V.im for an hour
when we want to use him. We do not
have to watch him all lie time while
using him. And the horse teems to be
really happy now, though he was evidently suspicions and unhappy when we
bought him. He Tegards us as his protector, has confidence that we will tot
overdrive or overwork him. and will feei
him well. -When we pat his neck and
', call him a good fellow, his eye brightens
,jind he seems to understand and rejoice
■Mi our appreciation of him.- I have no
t aoubt that if this horse could talk, and
|knew that I was writing a letter for
ifty thousand people to read, he would
'int me to put in a good word for ihe
looses; to ask their owners to try kind
[e<vtment if they want good and faithful
^jtisisls. He would say, "We horses are
filing to work. We know that this is
nat we are made for. But we don't
nt to be abused when we are doing
[T best. We have only horse sense.
7i\ie C8n ^ee' 'nia8tlco and cruelty
'J the part of our masters, and are
/<F7 apt to resent it."
The following, which is taken from the
National Live Stock Journal, may seem
to give such farmers a new idea as are
in the practice of breeding their cows
for spring calves, especially late spring
calves. Cows should be held in January
and' February, or else wait until June;
then thecalves will be dropped in October and November and can be stabled,
fed and halter-broken during winter, or
they will be dropped in March, and will
be ready to wean before winter:
In answer to .this question wc have
only time now to observe (as wc intend
to discuss it more fully hereafter),' that
fall calves are usually more' profitable
than those dropped.in spring. The old
notion Jhat^the epw. should come in on
grass, originated when it was the practice to keep cattle the year round on
grass and- hay alone; and as grass was
more nutritious than hay, and espeaially
better for the calf, the practice prevailed
of breeding for spring calves. But it is
now well understood tbat the cow fresh
in milk can be profitably fed meal or
grain, and to prevent the running down
that always results, especially with good
milkers, such feed ought to be given.
And the same is true with regard to the
calf. As soon as it is old enough to eat,
shorts or meal and bran should be given,
and will be far better for the young calf
than grass. But the great point is, that
a calf dropped, say in October, November, or December, will be old enough to
wean on fresh-grass .in spring, and to
have the full benefit of the next summer's grazing, which will make it fully
equal by winter to a June or July calf
of the previous year. Besides, as good
farmers now so generally stable their
stock in winter, the feeding of the cow
and calves is of no inconvenience.
Farmers acting upon these suggestions
will see that—
Now is the Time to •Pdrchase
your Bulls.—The common notion of
waiting till spring .is a wrong notion.
They can be had cheaper note, and acting
upon the above suggestions, you will
want them for use during the winter.
THE EELATTVE MEEITS OF THE
SUFFOLK,' ESSEX, AND BERKSHIRE
Short-Horns in Ohio.
Marketing Cattle.
There has one time or another been a
great deal of humane and common sense,
and sound business principle violated in
the treatment of cattle, from the time
they leave the countryto besenttomarket until they are disposed of. Sometimes they have been treated to an excessively large feed of corn, so-as to
beat them up and make them drink
water excessively, thus giving the seller
good weights when the animals are sold.
Sometimes cattle have arrived at our
yards after a good long run on the cars,
and have been ordered off from water
and kept on bay, and sometimes corn,
until Monday morning, when they are
expected to drink an amount of water
that will weigh at least fifty or sixty
pounds per head against the buyer.
Quite a number of cattle, one time or
another, that have been thus treated,
have died in thc yards, or before they
reach the eastern market afier being
skipped from here. All abuses of this
kini need reformation, for the very
good Teaaon that it is both inhuman
and impolitic to treat the dumb animals
in this way. Honesty is the best policy;
for every good cattle buyer knows at a
glance just tbe condition that cattle are
in for weighing, jnd ho will al wavs make
his price accordingly—80 that in nine
cases out often, while the owner of cat
tie treated in the manner referred to
may congratulate himself on having
gained filty or sixty pounds per bead in
the weight of his lot, the buyer has
really taken the difference off in the
price he has given, lust as he ought tn
do in every case of the kind.—Selecttd.
ItAVKrtSWOOD BKEEDINO EftTABLIfinMKlTT, )
December 21, 1874.   ;
To the Editor of the Michigan Farmer:
The question is very often aaked me
by persons who are desirous of proouring
some ono of the improved breeds of
swine, which of these three standard
breeds do I consider best for the fanner,
and it is a question which Lfind difficult
to decide even now, after quite an extensive experience of nearly six years with
the three breeds side by side.   *   *   *
Fancy must decide the question of
beauty and appearance, and one person's
judgment in that respect is as good as
another's. Association with either for
any length of time will generally occasion prejudice in its favor, ami-either
breed possesses sufficient beauty to secure them hosts of admirers; and while
I admire alike, perfect specimens of either
breed, I believe that the improved-Berkshire display a more majestic style and
graceful appearance than any other of
the swine species; there seems to be a
stately bearing and royal mien that I
cannot help but admire as they move
about the premises, and the contrast of
the exact markings upon their beautiful black color adds another feature of
beauty.
# In regard to the more essential question however, of relative quality and
profit, I will say that there are several
things which must be taken in consideration, and one must" choose those
which combine.the greatest number ot
desirable qualitiesfor his purpose; that
is, the object in view, should decide the
question. If the object is to produce a
superior quality of delicious and wholesome pork, beautifully mixed with'lean
and fat, that is tempting and enjoyable
from' almost every part of the animal, I
can safely recommend the Berkshire.
They are also probably the most, hardy
of all the improved swine species; always
healthy, and thrifty, and generally docile
and quiet in their natures, besides being
very prolific, perhaps more so than any
other ofthe improved breeds. The sows
are invariably good milkers, and good
mothers, one often successfully rearing
from eight to twelve pigs.
In summing up the desirable qualities
which the Suffolks possess however, we
find them no lees valuable and perhaps
even more profitable for some purposes
than those of any other breed, unless we
except the Essex. They are without
question the earliest to mature, to take
on fat more readily, and prodnce more
net pork with the same amount of feed,
than any other of the hog kind. These
are certain facts, and very desirable ones
when corn is worth eighty cents per
bushel. Two pounds each per day is no
uncommon average gain through the
feeding season; and I have known an
increase of three and one-half pounds
per day for six weeks, or a total of one
hundred and forty seven pounds fo» one
pig in six weeks time.
And this propensity for fattening exists from thc time they arc sucklings;
they can be fattt-d as well at six or eight
months, as at any other age; and this is
a very desirable feature, fur spring pigs
can bc sent to the market weighing two
hundred and fifty pound-1, without much
extra exertion, and the. pork rightly
handled, will abrays bring a half dollar
and often more per hundred than will
the commoner kinds; and in reality it is
worth much more to the consumer from
the fact of its quality. The head and
feet are almost nominal appendages,
while the bones of the carcass are so
fine and small that they cause but little
loss. - .••.'■:
The breeders of Short-Horns in Ohio
met at Columbus and organized the
Ohio Short-Horn Breeders'Association.
The morning was spent in the discussion
of matters relative to stock-breeding.
A constitution was adopted and signed
by about forty persons. The following
officers werq elected: John Dunn, of
Madison, President; J. O. Kennick, of
Franklin, Vice President, and L. C.
Jones, of Delaware, G. J. Hagerty, of
Licking, L. B. Sprague, of Clarke,
George-Grimes, of Ross, It. Baker, of
Lorain,. Directors.
' .   m>   s	
Jersey Cow.
' J. Ci' King, of Elyria, Ohio, writes to
the Germantown Telegraph his experience with his Jersey cow as follows:
In the spring of 1871 I bought my
first Jersey cow. My neighbors laughed
at me for paying $250 for so small a cow;
but when I showed them the rich yellow
milk and thick cream, and such yellow
butter as they never saw before, they
thought a Jersey cow was worth having
after all. That cow has won me $189 in
premiums, and I have sold two of her
calves (one a half-blood) for $250, and I
have the cow and a nice yearling heifer
left. The increase of that cow has also
won me $147 in premiums.
THE aU AILS.
There are sixteen cases of trichinae at
Kankakee, Illinois, from diseased perk;
two have died, and Beveral persons are
in a critical condition.
To the Indiana Farmer.     .
Lsaw in your last issue au.artiele on
the quail as an insect destroyer.   I agree
with your correspondent so far.:   Now if
he will permit me I will give him some
facts in regard to increasing and perpetuating the quail on the farm.   The worst
enemy the quail has is the farmer. Some
one in the township has a net, and   finishes the flock in a mo«t cowardly way.
You generally find  him a lazy lout and
in the spring  you can   see him  and his
like along tbe rivers drawing a seine and
destroying  countless  millions of eggs
that the bass, salmon  and  game  fish
have deposited in their nest in-the sand
a few feet from the shores.   Now if this
pot hunter would let three male and
three female quails loose in the spring
they will mate and raise three broods
If the quail is left to multiply they will
emmigrate in the spring.   I   have seen
flock after flock of young birds attempt
to fly over tho Illinois river and not one
but the two old birds ever reach the opposite   shore.   Now  if the   quail   are
hunted in tbe season set  by  law  thc
flocks are broken and scattered.   In the
spring they will mate and breed.   I had
one flock on   the place three years   ago
and I shot a few for my own use.   The
rest scattered around in the fields and I
have a brood or two in every one of my
fields.   One of the worst destroyers of
this little bird is the village boy or the
fellow that goes out a little while in the
evening.  .The  female   dusting  in   the
road just off of her nest or the male bird
on the fence stake giving the call of love
to his little consort are  all   legitimate
game to the magnificent loafer and 20 or
30 eggs are left to spoil. : Use  the  gun
with judgment and you can multiply the
quail.   All   the old States have  more
than   the   new.   Because  they protect
when  the birds most  need   it.   Yours
truly, S. Haweb.
Independence, Ind.
In central Indiana the snow was sufficient to protect the wheat' during the
late cold weather. *
' The Benton county lion was poisoned
by a farmer last week, and proved to be
a- puma, next to the largest species of
the American lion.   . -:;        ■ • * i ■ - ■ ■
Ice companies are packing 120,000 tons
of that article at LaPorte this Winter.
At present 495 men and 314 horses are
employed in the work. ... _r  .
William Cook, of Mishawaka, continues bis offer of $800 reward for the villain who killed his fine team of horses
in 1873. He has strong^ hopes and
stronger purpose of hunting out the
scamp. '  '
Mr. Voorhees has withdrawn from the
candidacy for United StatesSenator. and
there are none in the field how but si. E.
McDonald, W. S. Holman and Mr.
Buchanan.. The law fixes the 19th as
the day for election..
A Jeffei-sonvilje correspondent gays:
The petition which was in circulation
praying the Legislature to enact a law forbidding the employment of convict labor
so as to conflict with free labor, has received hundreds of signatures in this
city. w :
The Fort Wayne Journal says: S. D.
Rieman, Esq., of this city, has a farm near
LaGro, Huntington county, this State,
upon whichhe raised the past year 4,200
bushels of potatoes, tha t he sold 80 cents
per bushel, realizing $3,300 gross, for the
crop.
Mrs. William A. Abbett, living three
miles southwest of Columbus, marketed
1.035 pounds of .butter in the year 1874, at
25 cents per pound, besides supplying a
large family with all the milk and butter
theyused. This froman average of five
cows.
The Jeffersonville News says: Ice
commenced floating by this city in the
Ohio river at 11 o'clock Saturdaynight,
and since that time thc river has been full
of large fields of ice. If the river was a
little lower we. would have a gorge at
Weitzel's dam.
Alexander Ferguson was found dead
near Hanover Saturday morning last.
The Madison Courier says: The unfortunate man drove over a bluff about 14
feet high, team andall. He was lying
flat on his back, and it is supposed he was
stunned by the fall and finally died of the
cold.
The two-story brick residence of
Jacob Mullendore, two miles north of
Rockville, Carroll county, was burned
Tuesday night, with all his household
goods. The family had retired, and the
fire in the old-fashioned fire-place rolled
out, and before the sleepers were aware
of it, the flames were beyond control.
Their son, John, supposing the baby had
been forgotten, rushed to the rescue,
and was severely scorced. The loss jis
about $2,000, with no insurance.
Onr Portal Card Corresrpondenoe.
NEW STYLE   OF  TJNDEBDBAINS
Editor Indiana Fanner.
In reading the Farmer I have found
much valuable information about underdraining.! Yet there is one idea for
which I have looked in vain.
The primary object of underdraining
is well understood; but are tbe good results of underdraining to be entirely at
tributed   to the mere fact of the excess
of water being carried off more Bpeedily
from the soil.   Is not   the ditch  a generator of carbonic acid gas and to this
fact may we not attribute the chief good.
Otherwise, why is it that plants grow so
much more luxuriantly about old wells
and holes in the ground?   Will some of
your scientific farmers give their views
on this subject?   And while on the sub
ject of underdraining, it may be well for
me to  tell of a   novel   way   which' I
hearda stranger describe of doing this
business.   It is as follows:   The ditch
having been dug, a  rubber hose about
fifty feet long and of the desired diameter, is provided, one end   is made  airtight; it is then greased with tallow and
laid in   the ditch   straight;  it  is   then
blown full of air by a hand bellows (your
humble servant would substitute water)
after which   it is covered with   cement
which quickly sets; then  the air  is  let
out and the long  hose   drawn   out  its
length and the process repeated and thus
the ditch is extended as wanted.   The
water torn>s in  from beneath.   If any
readers of the Farmer have had any experience in this mode of .underdraining
they would confer a favor by making it
known through the Indiana Farmer.
B. F. B.
CLINTON COUNTY.
About an average crop of wheat sown; looks
well.  Wheat ls selling here at from 9ocents to
$1.65.  Corn.55 to 65  cents.     Fork.aU  sold at
from «5 to 86.50.   Potatoes 85 to Jl  per bushel.'.
Apples scarce but good, J. A. S.   "
  ■   .- .       i
LAWRENCE COUNTY. . ,     "
Corn all gathered; worth 50 cents. Oats an en-',
tire failure. Hogs scarce. Potatoes almost a
failure.   Average crop of wheat.
J. A. Crawford.
MARSHALL COUNTY.
Plymouth, Jan. 11.
Onr wheat crop before this storm, where it
was drilled in, looked well, while that sown
broadcast looked poor. Corn is selling at 55.
Wheat at 95 and J1.05. Hogs at 86.50. ■ Weather
very cold. J. Bbowhlke.
NEWTON COUNTY.
Wheat Issnffenng very much from dry freea-
ing.   Water for stock is scarce.  Hogs al} sold.
Cattle doing well.  The price of corn has gone
down from 35 to SO centa. W. ty.
PERRY COUNTY.
Wheat crop good; growing crop looks well.
Corn crop light. Potatoes poor. Two-thirds of
a hay crop. Hog crop short. Grangers are
plenty. I have been a reader of the Farmkk
for nearly a year; think when my time ls out
I shall send for it again with some new subscribers. G. R. Dyer,
WARRICK  COUNTr.
Boone VH.J.K, Jan. 2.
Winter, so far, very mild and open. Wheat
looks well; more than an average amount
sown. Corn Is all gathered and ls being sold at
45 and 50 cents per bushel. Pork crop light:
selling at $7.50.' Lots of Grangers here but not
in good working condition. G. ty. P.
GIBSON COUNTY.
Last week the thermometer ranged from zero
upto52J>. On Friday night a snow storm came
up which lasted for 2 hours. The thermometer fell from 32° to 11" below zero. Saturday
was a terrible day. The writer rode Hi miles to
an installation of the officers of Black River
Grange, where we met a number of visitors
and the Grange members wrapped np ln Lapland style. Grangers never turn back for the
weather. ty. Mitchell.
HOWARD COUNTY.        	
We are having nice winter weather, but most
too dry for our mills. Some of the farmers are
complaining on account ofthe scarcity of water. J. H. CkaWyokd.
Wheat Is not looking well at present. Hogs
all sold. Two-thirds of a crop of corn. The
present hog crop Is short; but very few shoats
for next year. I have been a reader of your paper for six yean». Ueadkb.
BENTON COUNTY.
In looking over the columns of the Farmeb
ol December 31st, I noticed an article under
the head of "Good Corn Crops," ln which thero
are some statements that attracted my particular attention viz., that 70 pounds of dry "Dent"
corn in the ear, will shell a bushel, and that
from 72 to 75 pounds of ordinary corn, are required to do the same. We do hot grow the
"Dent" corn here, but we raise a purely yellow corn, which is both early und yieldy. I
call It the Branson corn. On a test trial this..
wlnter,68 pounds In the ear shelled out&9%
pounds of clean corn.
M. v. Bowman.
WABASH COUNTY.
It has been more like winter for a few days
past. The roads were a little rough ln somo
places, but generally smooth enough to receive
the snow-flakes that are now falling ln a business-like way, leaving such a surface as will bo
duly appreciated by many farmers who have
been waiting for lt to aid them in getting ln
their logs.
Considering the dry fall and summer, and
consequent short pasture, the stock looks
well. The winter has been favorable to them,
and to our western brethren. Wheat looks
well oh the river. Farmers coming here from
'a distance Bay that lt looks badly on the clay
soils. Fat hogs are all sold at satisfactory
prices. Grange interest ls increasing; getting
ont of the meshes of credit obligations by
adopting the cash system tts fast as circumstances will permit. H. Comstock.
The Enemies of Health.
Kefuse and waste are thc natural enemies of the health of mankind. The
products of their decomposition pervade
every household. Their offensive odors
are charitable warnings to guard against
them. From the cellar, storeroom, pantry, bed-room, sitting-room, and parlor;
from decaying vegetables, fruits, meats,
soiled clothing, old garments, old furniture, refuse of kitchen, mouldy walls,
everywhere, a microscopic germ is propagating. It contains in itself the seeds
of disease—all that is needed _is the
proper soil or condition of constitution
adapted for its reception. Each germ
may find it* specific habitat, snd hence
develop into some specific malady. Typhoid, typhus, cerebro-spinitl, relapsing
or scarlet fever, measles, small-pox, roseola, cholera or some other lorm of dis-.
ease may result.
Cleanliness, pure air, sunlight and
pure water are the antidotes. God in-'
dicates and provides these in abundance.
He who neglects Or rejects these de-,
serves to suffer, as surely he will.—San-
itarium.
c^T^
W5-
"When we read we fancy we could be
martyrs, when we come to act we cannot i
bear a provoking word.—Hannah Moore.)
•i