We know of no country where stock, horses and sheep, do better than in
Minnesota, and we believe that it will be found true that the climate
conducive to the health of human beings is one where all kinds of
domestic animals will thrive.
We had, some time ago, a very interesting conversation with Mr.
Featherston, an English gentleman residing in Goodhue County, on this
subject.
He informed us that he had farmed in England, in the State of New York,
in Kansas, and now in Minnesota, and he was never in a place where sheep
and stock did better than here. "I attribute this," he said, "to the
dryness of our winter weather. Sheep here are not weighed down with wet
fleeces; and as for cattle, they suffer more in southern Kansas, where
they can remain out all the year, than they do here in the coldest days
of winter."
"How is that?" we asked.
"Easily accounted for," he replied. "One part of the day, in Kansas, it
will be raining, the coats of the cattle will be saturated with wet,
then it comes on to freeze, and they become sheeted with ice; this is
very injurious to the health of a beast. Sheep raising in Minnesota I
have found very profitable farming indeed."
"What about the soil of Minnesota?" we asked.
"Well," he replied, "I was home in England two years ago, traveled about
a good deal, and did not see any soil equal to the soil of Minnesota."
Now, in speaking of Minnesota for stock-raising, it must be borne in
mind that it is more expensive to keep cattle here, where they must be
fed many months in the year, than where they can run at large the whole
year; but, if properly housed during winter, young cattle fed on wild
hay--which can be put up for $1.50 per ton--will come out in the spring
in fine condition.
The opportunities of getting wild hay in the localities where our
Catholic colonies are located, are not surpassed in any part of the
State; and it will be borne in mind that if there is extra expense and
trouble in raising cattle here, there is also extra good prices to get
for them. A steer that will sell for $10 in places where, like Topsey,
he "just grows," will sell here for from $30 to $40.
The following, taken from a late report of a committee of the Chamber of
Commerce, St. Paul, will be read with interest:
"Our climate and soil appear to be peculiarly adapted for grazing
purposes. Its healthfulness for cattle of every kind is well
established. The abundant and prolific yield of both tame and wild or
natural grasses, of every description incident to the West, affords
abundant and cheap pasturage during the summer, and the choicest of hay
for winter, which is produced at less expense per ton than in most of
the States in the Union. If necessary, your committee could refer to
countless instances in regard to the profit of raising stock in the
State. The demand for horses has always been in excess of the supply.
Thousands are introduced into our midst every year from the adjoining
States. The demand will increase as the country west of us becomes
settled. Choice herds of cattle have been imported into the State during
the past few years, attended in every instance, as far as your committee
have been able to learn, with much profit to the enterprising parties
who embarked in the lucrative business. The dairy is being introduced in
the shape of cheese and butter factories in many neighborhoods and
attended with much success. It appears that shipments of both these home
products have been made to England with satisfactory results. The
sheep-fold to some extent has been neglected, but those who have engaged
in wool-growing are greatly encouraged. Flocks of sheep brought from the
East have, with their progeny, improved to such an extent by the
influence of our climate, that they have been repurchased by those from
whom they were originally bought, and transported back East to improve
the breed of their stock. The wool becomes of a finer texture when
produced in our State, also an increase in size of the carcass of the
sheep."
The advantages which our present Catholic colonies afford, abounding in
nutritious grasses and the best quality of wild hay lands, will we trust
turn the attention of settlers to stock raising, butter packing and
cheese factories, and we are informed that some enterprising parties are
going to establish one of the latter at Clontarf, in Swift County
Colony. Farming to be prosperous the industry on the farm must be
diversified; there should be rotation of crops. It will not do to depend
altogether on wheat or to be too ambitious to have a great breadth of it
under cultivation; not an acre more than the farmer knows he will be
well able to have out of the ground in good season, making no chance
calculations.