Yol. I.
IjNDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, MARCH 13, 1875.
No. 10.
Live Stock.
For tne Indiana Farmer.
FEEDING CATTLE.
I noticed an article in the Faemee,
from Mr. M. B. Waugh, of Coltax, in
reference to feeding cattle. I was
pleased to hear from some one on this
subject; for I consider it one of great
importance. Mr. W., Beems to think it
will not do to feed corn at 50 cents.
I well know it is expensive, but I think
it can be made profitable if fed in the
right way. I think I can show it to be
go. I have been feeding for the last ten
or twelve years the fore part of winter,
say December and January, and havo
not failed making it profitable. I will
give the figures: Suppose we take 100
head of cattle, weighing the first of December 1.-400 pounds. I feed different
from the most of farmers in this section,
and I think it best from experience. I
have troughs three feet wide and about
the same in hight, twelve or fourteen
feet long and about six steers to the
trough. In this way my cattle always
have clean corn to eat; and it is not
half the trouble to feed. In feeding
this way I have no changing of hogs. I
am confident they will do better by running with the cattle, for they get the
droppings while it is warm; in this way
there is nothing lost.
One hand can feed and break the corn
for 600 head of cattle, and have plenty
of time to rest. I think there is more
money in feeding these two months than
to feed all winter, or from February out,
anil then graze. If I want to graze until
fall or later I do not want to add so
much expense as corn will make, I can
put on 100 pounds in two months—December and January.
• Now for the trial: 1,400 pounds at 5
cents, brings $70; 100 head 17,000; 3,000
bushels of corn, 5 cents, $1,500; 18,000
pounds of bran with one-fourth shorts,
$180; 180 shocks of fodder, $45, or hay
to the same amount, that is all they will
eat, with bran. I feed 25 bushels of
eonrin the morning, and 150 pounds of
bran; at noon, 3 shocks of fodder or
hay {- 25 bushels of corn in the evening,
150 pounds of bran, with half gallon of
salt per day mixed with bran; they will
keep 125 hogs to average 100 pounds at
5i cents; cost, $687. Interest on cattle
and hogs for two months, $128; expense
of hand, $60; cost of cattle and hogs
for two months feeding, $9,600; say they
will weigh by that time 1,500 pounds.
8ome'may think' this too much, but I
have put on more than this in the same
time; 1,500 pounds at 6 cents, brings
$90; 100 head, $9,000; the hogs will
gain 90 pounds—that makes them 190
pounds at 6 cents, 125 hogs, $1,425; cattle and hogs bring $10,425; that amount
on interest for Bix months brings $521,
whieh makes $10,946; that leaves over
and above all expenses, $1,346.
Now for the late feeding we will take
the same number of cattle the first of
December, weighing 1,200 pounds at 4J
cents, $bl per head—100 head, $5,400;
125 hogs, to average 100 pounds, 5} cents,
$687; expense on cattle for two months.
$2 per; month, $400. Now we will feed
the same amount of corn in three
months we fed the others in two months,
3,000 bushels of corn at 50 cents, costs
$1,500; interest on cattle for eight
months, $360; interest on hogs for
three months, $17. Suppose we run the
cattle 'till' the first of August on grass
that k.worth $2 per month, 100 head,
$600; expense of hand for five months
feeding, $150; cost of cattle and hogs,
$9,114 at that time; suppose they weigh
1,500 pounds at 53 cents, 100 head brings
$8,625; weight of hogs, 235 pounds the
first of May, at 6 cents, 125 hogs brings
$1,762 whole amount for cattle ahd hogs,
$10,387; that leaves over and above cost,
, $1,273; this makes it in favor of early
feeding, $73. Now there are other things
in favor of early feeding. I get my
., stock off in time not to interfere with
my spring work, and another thing, I do
not have my land tramped. I can feed
oa my fields, which is quite a benefit—a
thing you cannot do in the spring with-
* out injuring your land.
jl jam neither a lawyer, preacher, or
'ga_n§er; but take a little advice from
!a^>'Jnel' do the best I can for myself.
For the Indiana Farmer.
TOO MUCH POOR STOCK.
The Celebrated Jersey Cow, "DUCHESS," Imported by Chas. L. Sharpiess, Philadelphia, Pa.
Indiana Farmer Family.
I would be pleased to hear from some
one of the many readers of the Farmer
whether I am right in my calculation or
not. James Bridges'.
P. S.—The 10th of February I weighed
out 400 head of very fine sheep averaging 136 and 8 pounds over. How is
that for Old Putnam ? . J. B.
SHORT-HORNS AND SCRUBS.
For the Indiana Farmer.
ALL   ABOUT   BREEDING   DAIRY
STOCK.
The present
for the dairy,
mode of cattle breeding
is a transaction which
does not appear to bc governed by any
definite regulation, or standard, consequently the results are varied, and
thwart the breeder, in attaining the
higher orders of merit in his stock.
There certainly is not sufficient effort
made by those most interested to avail
themselves of scientific history or well
authenticated treatises appertaining to
this business. In the breeding of this
kind of cattle and endeavoring to apply
means to the promotion of greater certainty in producing stock of merit, I
have become impressed with the belief
in the existence of markings to be found
upon all domestic animals, indicative of
their merit, in the sphere contributing
to the support of man, as well as their
prepotence in breeding.
This theory is apparently sustained,
Genesis, 30th chapter, in the record of
the cattle trade made by Laban, and his
son-in-law Jacob, who served in the
capacity of herdsman for a sufficient
time to possess himself of the knowledge
justifying him, in undertaking to produce specifically -marked cattle, which
he was to have as pay, for services rendered. The careful application of science, or his knowledge, produced the
cattle as per contract, and in the ring-
streaked we recognize the Holstein or
Dutch, the speckled, furnishes the type,
of Ayrshires and roan of the seventeens,
the grizzled affords the attractive coloring of the Channel Island cattle, (combination or blended colors). In the
array of colored cattle, we have the
type fixed by Jacob, of the most perfect
dairy cattle of this age, being reproduced without their breeders knowing
exactly how to apply scientific principles,
or give a marking, by which breeders
may select the strong, or the weak, of
herds, as Jacob did, for specific breed
ing, and make available that higher
faculty possessed by some females, of
marking their offspring otherwise, than
that of coloring the hair.
It is not too much to believe that the
investigative disposition of stock breeders, when reduced to a systematic effort,
would eventuate in finding upon their
stock, formations or markings, indicative of this peculiar faulty (which is
known to exist), as readily as Guenon
made the discovery of the markings of
the cow, which he called the milk mirror, together with other markings of
dairy stock, denoting their merit as to
quantity and quality of product.
Jno. B. Poyntz.
Alderney Farm, near Maysville, Ky.
Editor Indiana Farmer.
Mr. Thrasher talks very nice about
Short-Horns, at the same time does not
make it quite satisfactory to my mind in
regard to their origin. He says the
first Short-Horn bull, Hubbac, was
found on the commons, and was purchased by a Mr. Collins, some two hundred years ago, but does not say in what
county. He says they are a distinct
breed from all others. If they are distinct from all others and discovered onlr
two hundred years ago, they must be a
new creation. We cannot understand
in what way a distinct breed could be
produced from a single animal. If a
different breed of cows were bred to
Hubbac, there was an admixture of
blood, and consequently could not be
distinct from all other breeds. We are
not posted in regard to the origin of the
different breeds, but suppose that Mr.
Collins found a superior animal in some
man's herd, and then bred with good
judgment from year to year till they
became perfect. He claimed them to be
a distinct race. AVe admire the appearance of Short-Horn cattle, but have
always been too poor to own one, therefore must be content with common stock,
if they are not as delicate in the head
and neck, and have not such fine limbs
they are well adapted to this climate
and can be made to weigh from fourteen
to sixteen hundred in the fall after being
two years old. It is unpleasant to speak
of the bad management of my countrymen, but it is a fact that you might give
many farmers a herd of the best Short-
Horns in the State and in the space of
ten years they would have nothing better than scrubs.
Where cattle are kept in a condition to
barely live from year to year, Short-
Horns would be as poor as the poorest.
We do not believe there is any scrub
stock only as it was made so by bad
treatment. Every farmer in the land
might have saleable cattle if they would
only keep the amount they could feed
well, from calves'till disposed of. We
find it much easier to- bring cattle up to
the proper weights than it is to give
proper shape, but this can be done by
perseverance, and acting with good judgment in selecting animals to breed from.
Yes, Mr. Thrasher, let every animal
stand on its own merits. A mean animal
with a long pedigree makes a popr show.
Boone County, Ind. Granger.
For the Indiana Farmer.
JERSEYS, GUERNSEYS, AND
ALDERNEYS.
A few remarks about Jerseys, Guernseys and Alderneys, I do not think them
the most profitable bullocks for this
country. In the first place they are not
very hardy, Alderneys especially, their
skin is thin, hair short, require a warm
house and extra care. Another objection is they are not much for beef; they
feed well, but are extremely light when
fat. Another objection is they put on
more fat inside in proportion to their
beef than other animals.   A small cow,
well fed, that will net 500 pounds, will
have 100 pounds of tallow. This is an
object in countries where tallow sells at
the same price per pound as the best
points of beef, but here where so much
tallow goes for candles at a great reduction, it is a loss. If I were a dairyman
I would not keep them; that is, if I was a
conscientious one, and did not mix water
with my milk. If I was a gentleman,
just keeping a few cows for family use,
and felt that when I had friends to come
in,-. I wished to set beforo them the very
best cream and butter they ever saw, I
should keep one ofthe three breeds. If I
lived near some town, and kept a few
cows for butter, and could contract that
butter for 40 cents per pound, I should
keep one of the three breeds. A thoroughbred cow of these breeds highly
kept, and in full milk, will not increase
in flesh at all—it will all go to the milk.
When I see numbers in this country
called pure bred in full milk and just fit
for the butcher, with a small bag, they
bear but a slight resemblance to those
I have seen come direct from the islands.
If they are in full milk and poorly kept,
or too much exposed, their constitutions
will give way and death will follow.
There are large numbers shipped to the
western parts of England from the
islands, and sold by auction. They do
not sell high. As a rule, a good young
heifer, from one to four years old, will
make from $25 to $45, which is not high
where beef sells for about 16 cents per
pound and upwards. In passing through
the country you will find them largely
kept around towns and cities, and many
farmers keep a few for butter and veal
their calves, as there would be an objection to them for steers for beef. The
best cross with them I have ever seen is
the Short-Horn. They bring them up
in size and help the constitution, while
the other gives milk and good fattening
qualities.
Of the three breeds, I should rank
Guernseys first, because largest, best
formed and good for milk and butter.
Next I should put the Jerseys. Some I
have- seen nearly black, some black and
white, some white and yellow. They
are quite equal and perhaps rather better for milk and butter than the Guernseys. The Alderneys are small in the
bone, are very portly in shape, have
none of that roundness to those called
Guernseys. I have seen here that they
are the most tender of the three breeds,
but I think quite up in milk and butter,
perhaps the best in proportion to size as
to their color. They are often liver
color and white, or all of a liver color,
with other variations; but are invariably small in the bone, with small heads,
small horns, more like a deer about the
mouth than any other animal I know
of. .A. M.
We as farmers keep more stock than
we can feed, I mean and do it right.
Why do we do so? You answer to make
manure. Let us see if we are improving
our farms or not. We take all the hay
we raise on forty acres of land to feed,
six head of horses and twenty head of
cattle; say four to six of those are milch
cows. Now we raise on these forty acres,
forty tons of hay, which makes twenty
tons of manure, worth about six dollars
per ton; we spread this manure, on
twenty acres of land, and leave the other
twenty acres without anything. Then
we sell ten head of cattle in the spring,
which arc three to tour years old, at
thirty dollars per head.
Now what I want to urge is, to  keep
less and better stock, and  use artificial
manures.   First, we must not   keep   so
much stock, and second we must  keep
better stock.   We take the same  forty
acres; we have six head of horses to keep
same as with the other,  but instead of
the twenty head of cattle we only have
ten grade Short-Horns; we feed them
well the same as the others; they do not
consume as  much hay.   We have, say
eight tons left,   this we sell for   fifteen
dollars per   ton, or   one   hundred   and
twenty dollars; with this we buy artificial
manures at twenty-five dollars per ton.
So we get nearly five tons; we apply four
hundred pounds per acre, or we  apply
it to twenty-five acres, and have manure
made from the hay to  apply  to twenty
acres more, or  in   all  forty-five  acres.
This artificial manure increases the production one third   to one half the next
year.   So we get of these forty acres fifty-
three tons of good hay.   We sell  a  lot
this year again, and   buy artificial   manure.   We have six grade Short-Horns
to sell for beef, weighing from twelve to
fifteen hundred pounds each, and we get
about seventy dollars per head for them,
while with the ten common   steers  we
have only weigh about nine   hundred
pounds, at four years old. There is more
money in keeping good stock and  keeping it well, than   to have a   lot of  half
starved   common stock.   Do  not keep
more than you can feed well, see to this
matter and make money.
T. W. W. Sunman.
Spades, Indiana.
Oar Portal Card Correarpondenoe.
Editor Indiana Farmer:
Tell "A. M.,"in last week's Farmer,
to take fresh butter, warm from the
churn, (by churning), before there is
any salt or water put in the butter, grease
the wart three different times, always
with fresh butter, warmed by churning.
Dose—Butter the size of the wart well
rubbed in by the hand.
"* I have known the above tried on both
man and beast—never have known a
failure. I wish to hear from " A. M.,"
through the Farmer, in one month.
Subscriber.
Miami County, Indiana.
James J. Cunningham, Leavenworth,
Indiana, desires the address of breeders
having South-Down sheep to sell. Those
having this breed to dispose of, should
advertise in our columns.
 a    ass   a —-
Sale of Jersey Cattle—Immense Prices.
Editor Indiana Fanner.
Mr. James Bridges, of this county,
fed a flock of 398 sheep, which averaged
on the 10th of February, 136 pounds
each. He sold them to Mr. James N.
Edwards, of this county, and he to Mr.
Dille, of Benton county. Price paid
per pound, 6 cents. Who will beat it ?
J. B. Fosher.
Putnam County, Ind.
At a recent sale of Jersey cattle, at
Hargrave Park, in England, fifty-two
head brought the following prices, the
largest, we believe, ever paid for this
Particular breed :. Cows and heifers—
>uchy, 3 years old, 255 guineas, the
Duke of Bedford; Lightsome, 20 months
old, 255 guineas, Mr. H. Jenkins;
Duchess, nearly 7 years old, 215 guineas,
Col. Wilson;__ Milkmaid, nearly eight
years old, 155 guineas, Mr. Sharpiess,
Philadelphia. The eighteen cows sold
reached the extraordinary average of
£90 16s. 6d. The bull Banboy was sold
to Captain Fairman for 52 guineas, and
the two-year-old bull Ducal brought 46
guineas.     .__^________
The culture of tobacco maybe looked
upon as one of the principal pursuits of
Algeira. The tobacco crops for 1874
have been exceedingly abundant, and
the returns are double that of the previous year—namely, 3,530,607f. Since
the year 1874 it has been calculated that
the cultivation of tobacco has realized
54,000,000.
——     a   s»   s»  	
Wheat.—The London Mark Lane
Express says the weather during the
past week has been rough. The general
aspect ofthe wheat market is firmer.In
the Continental markets prices have improved ls. It is thought that the lowest prices have been reached everywhere.
MUNROE COUNTY.
Ground ls frozen hard to the depth of 2   feet.
Wheat looks bad.  Peaches are all killed. Hogs
scarce. J. H. I.
VIGO COUNTY.
Weather cold.  Feed scarce.  Hay Is scarce
and selling high.   Wheat looked well when lt
went under the snow. W. T. P.
CLARKE COUNTY.
Some of the wheat fields look promising, but
all are badly damaged.
Will some one please Inform me what kind of
soil Is best suited to potato raising? When ls
the proper time to plant? Also, what variety
of sorghum is best iormolasses? D, A. B.
1ACKS0N COUNTY.
Wheat looks tolerable well.    Hogs all sold.
Stock hogs scarce and unhealthy.    Cattlo are
looking well.   Feed is scarce.    The ground ls
frozen to the depth of 30 Inches. ty. S. S.
PIKE COUNTY.     •
The prospect for a fruit and wheat crop ls not
good.   Ice crop was good.   Grangers have done
, much to establish a cash system. J. Is. B,
RANDOLPH COUNTY.
There has been great improvement In hogs;
the Poland-China Is thought  to be  the most
profitable.  Good crop of corn.  Potatoes badly
frozen.  Wheat looks bad. Patron.
HOWARD COUNTY.
Most of the fruit and vegetables are frozen
and entirely spoiled.   Wheat looks bad.
O. H. F.
FROM AlfOTIIER.
We think the late sown wheat is badly frozen
out. A large amount of potatoes and apples
have been frozen. The ground is frozen to the
depth of two feet. Considerable sickness—
alarmingly fatal. T. J. H.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Wheat looks as though it had been scorched.
The mud has not been more than three inches
deep at any time for the last three months.
Feed is scarce. Hogs all sold. Fruit buds are
mostly killed. The Farmer is read with great
pleasure. We have "roured on" all newspapers
that do not advocate our interests,    ty. H. S.
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY.
The prospect for wheatis poor.   I see many
hogs advertised ln the FARMERand-I sent to
James Mustard and bought a pair of Poland
Chinas, which I think cannot be beaten.
J. Curuy.
FROM AXOTJIEK.
Wheat is injured to some extent.    Potatoes   •
nearly all frozen.   Cattle plenty.    Stock hogs
scarce.  Sheep scarce.   Ice 22 inches thick on
Yellow Lake.   An uuusual amount has been
put up this winter.
I like the Farmer very much and would
recommend it to other afternoon farmers as I
am myself. H. C. Smith.
INQUIRIES.
Will onions do   well in sandy soil?   What
variety is best suited to sandy soil?
Should potatoes be hilled up in sandy soil?
What variety ought I to plant in order to secure a good crop? Will It be of any benefit to
put manure in the hill with the potatoes when
planting them? D. D. H.
WHITLEY COUNTY.
Wheat in this section is badly injured.    The
corn crop was good.  L<\rge hog crop.
The Farmer has been of great valne to us and
we are all eager for each successive nnmber.
D. D. H.
BOONE COUNTY.
Wheat looks bad.   Peaches reported killed.
Apples badly damaged.    Fat hogs all sold.
Stock hogs scarce. J. D.
from another.
Peachesare all killed and the trees badly injured, wheat looks bad. The ground in many
places Is frozen from two to three feet deep.
Potatoesare nearly all frozen. Stock hogs are
scarce. Farmers are nearer out of debt than
they have been for many years, and but few of
them are contracting debts for future payment.
1. N. Barker.
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
The wheat lsln such a condition as to make
lt impossible to state whether it ls dead or
alive. Many persons say it is killed. Btock
hogs are scarce. Sheep look well. Peaches reported killed.
The Grange movement is gradually gaining
in strength. The prompt action ot the State
Grange in snubbing the political feature that
some tried to give it, has helped on the good
work ol the order. D. Wood.
FROM IOWA.
Council Bluffs.
Corn is worth SO cents; wheat 65. Crops are
mostly on hand yet. Potatoes are badly frozen.
No winter wheat is sown here. There is a demand for land to cultivate by the grasshopper
sufferers. There will be considerable. spring
wbeat'sown here. There has not been any rain
here since last September. There has been
snow on the ground aU winter. On our coldest
day the thermometer stood 21° below zero.
Hogs scarce and selling high. " Cholera prevailed during January but it has since disappeared. Our Grange ls in good condition; numbers sixty members. J. B. C.
PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.
Wheat looks bad since thesnow and ice have
gone off. There was not the usual acreage sown
last fall on account of the drouth. Fat bogs all
sold. Stock hogs scarce; a great many are dying of cholera which was brought into the
neighborhood by the grasshopperhogs.
Mr. Farmer, of Randolph county, advances a |
new idea about hogs when he says that corn
fed to sows with young pigs will give the pigs
the scours.    When  my young pigs get the 1
scours, I feed the sow for a few days on nothing '
but dry corn and water. 5
Out of the abundance of advice given In the J
Farmer, its readers will have to follow Paul's
advice to "Prove all things and hold fast that J
which ls good." ty. H. a
:/'-i