Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, December 20th, Dr. J. Nelson Borland, New
London, Conn., was re-elected President; Edward Norton was chosen
Secretary and Treasurer.
* * * * *
Three new cases of pleuro-pneumonia were recently discovered near West
Chester, Penn. Thus far the disease has been confined to three dairy
herds. All infected animals are promptly appraised, condemned, killed
and paid for by the State. The disease was introduced there by cows
purchased at Baltimore.
* * * * *
The twenty-ninth volume of the new series of Coates' Short-horn
Herd-Book has just been published by the English Short-horn Society. It
contains the pedigrees of bulls ranging from (47311) to (48978). The
larger half of the volume is devoted to the entry of cows with their
produce. Each breeder's entries of females are recorded together under
his own name. Her Majesty the Queen heads the list, followed by the
Prince of Wales.
* * * * *
The offices of the American Short-horn Breeders' Association in Chicago
were badly damaged by fire on Sunday, December 30. Some 1,500 pedigrees
were destroyed and many others partially destroyed. Pedigrees received
previous to December 20th, were saved. It will take time and work to
restore these pedigrees and the loss must cause some delay in the work
of the office. It will be remembered that the records of the association
had a narrow escape at the time the Evening Journal office burned.
* * * * *
The following are the officers of the National Chester-White Swine
Record Co. for 1883: Hon. Jack Hardin, Pleasureville, Ky., President;
H.W. Tonkins, Fenton, Mo., Vice-President; W.B. Wilson, Eminence, Ky.,
Treasurer; E.R. Moody, Eminence, K., Secretary. The capital stock of the
company is $5,000, in shares of $10 each. Fees are charged as follows:
Book of 100 blank pedigrees, with stub for private record and
instructions for filling, $1; for entry in Record, each pedigree, $1;
stockholders, 75 cents; Record will be furnished at cost of publication.
* * * * *
At the late meeting of the American Merino Sheep Register Association at
Burlington, Wis., the following officers were chosen: President, C.S.
Miller, Caldwell, Wis.; First Vice-President, Daniel Kelly, Wheaton,
Ill.; Second Vice-President, F.C. Gault, East Hubbardton, Vt.;
Secretary, A.H. Craig, Caldwell, Wis.; Treasurer, George Andrews,
Mukwonago, Wis.; Directors, C.A. Dingman, Troy Center, Wis.; G.B. Rhead,
Norvell, Mich.; George Peck, Geneva, Ill.; E. Campbell, Pittsfield,
Ohio; S.D. Short, Honeoye, N.Y.; John S. Goe, Brownsville. Pa.; F.C.
Gault, East Hubbardton, Vt.; E.F. Gilman, Farmington, Me.; Ward Kennedy,
Butler, Ind.; A. Wilson, Richfield, Minn.; Fayette Holmes, Russell,
Kan.; H.J. Chamberlain, Davilla, Tex. Registering committee, T.W.
Gault, Waterford, Wis.; C.A. Dingman, Troy Center, Wis.; Perry Craig,
Caldwell, Wis.
* * * * *
Here is an excellent prize winning record: S.H. Todd, of Wakeman, Ohio,
won on Chester-Whites and Poland-Chinas in 1883 as follows: At the
Tri-State Fair, at Toledo, O., sweepstakes for best herd of
Poland-Chinas, and the same on Chester-Whites. At the Michigan State
Fair he took sweepstakes on Chester-White boar; at the Illinois State
Fair, sweepstakes, for best Poland-China sow; do. for Chester-White sow,
and the grand sweepstakes of $50 for the best herd on the ground
regardless of breed. He also won in breeders' ring the prize for best
herd of Chesters, and the prize for best boar with five of his get; also
first and second prizes for sow with five of her pigs. Besides these
notable premiums Mr. Todd's stock won for him nearly 100 class prizes at
various leading fairs.
SWINE STATISTICS.
One of the Chicago dailies recently made the point that this city should
be the center of the swine and pork statistics of the country on the
ground that here is the center of trade in these products. The point is
a good one. Some years ago the bulk of the hogs of the West was marketed
at Cincinnati. At that time the Price Current of Cincinnati with
commendable enterprize established itself as an authority in swine and
pork statistics, and it has held the position from that day to this,
despite the fact that Chicago has for several years received and packed
several times as many hogs annually as has the original porkopolis. And
this year, as usual, the Chicago press is dependent upon Cincinnati for
packing statistics throughout the extensive swine-growing regions of the
country. Of course it makes no real difference to merchants or producers
where the figures emanate from so that they are comprehensive and
reliable. It is only a bit of local pride that suggests the idea that
here should the records be kept and the statistics compiled. If there is
not sufficient enterprize here to capture the business, there is no
ground for complaint. We should not have alluded to the matter,
probably, but for the fact that the Cincinnati Price Current, with its
hog-packing statistics, for the season of 1883 has just brought it to
notice. Here the figures are compared with those of last year:
Cities. 1883-84. 1882-83.
Chicago, packed 1,405,000 1,500,000
Kansas City 254,059 233,336
Cincinnati 301,000 300,000
St. Louis 200,000 207,000
Indianapolis 181,700 183,000
Milwaukee 185,000 197,000
Louisville, Ky. 142,000 118,000
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 91,618 86,965
Cleveland, O. 62,280 42,352
Keokuk, Iowa 28,601 31,411
IOWA STOCK BREEDERS.
The Iowa State Improved Stock Breeders' Association had a good
attendance at its annual meeting at Ames, last month.
SHEEP.
Hon. J. Kennedy read a paper on the subject "Will Sheep Breeding Pay."
Viewed from a financial point of view, he thought there had been no
better financial results from any commodity than from the sheep--the
wool and mutton--when given proper care and attention. Speculators and
traffickers in wool and woolen goods were failing all over the country,
but he attributed this to want of fitness for the business in which they
were engaged. Though the present depression in the wool market was
somewhat due to tariff tinkering, was more the result of
over-production--greater supply than demand.
Mr. Grinnell said that at one time he was the owner of a flock of 6,000
sheep, but wool went down in price, and he did not think it profitable
to keep so large a flock, and sold out.
Col. Lucas believed the owner of 160 acres of land could not do better
than to put upon the tract at least 100 sheep.
Hon. E. Campbell had found the business profitable where flocks were
fairly dealt with. He thought Iowa one of the best places in the world
in which to raise sheep. He believed that both sheep and cattle could be
profitably kept upon the same farm. His favorite cross is Cotswold and
Merino. The average weight of fleece in his own flock was over six
pounds.
SWINE.
Col. John Scott introduced the subject of swine by reading a compilation
of historical facts regarding them. He presented drawings, showing the
different breeds and the improvements made in them, in form and size.
Mr. Failor spoke of the Jersey-Reds as his favorite breed for docility
and other essentials.
Prof. Knapp said the most profitable hogs are those with sound
constitutions, good muscular systems, of early maturity, and in general
made to resist diseases which prevail from time to time, all over the
country.
Mr. Young said that when we want an animal for the farm, we must first
look to soundness of constitution. Breed is not of so much consequence.
A breed should not be run after merely because it is novel. He breeds
Poland-Chinas. In order to gain the most prolific breeding, the sows of
this breed should not be allowed to get too fat before dropping the
first litter; simply keep them in good condition.
C.R. Smith thought early breeding injurious to the swine interests of
the country.
H.W. Lathrop asserted that the forcing system of putting on meat had
injured the constitutions of many of our breeds of hogs. In times past,
when less pampering was in vogue and hogs were allowed wide range, there
was less disease than now.
CATTLE.
Mr. Clarkson, of Des Moines, read a paper entitled "Plain and Practical
Thoughts for Common Farmers." It treated of the breeding and care of
cattle.
Mr. Roberts said the more care there is bestowed upon cattle, the more
profitable they are. He had bred up from a good Short-horn bull. Other
members agreed upon the necessity of improving the grade of cattle. The
best demand is always for the best stock.
Hon. J.B. Grinnell read his paper upon the extent of the cattle interest
and the necessity of protecting our cattle from contagious diseases, in
this connection, the following resolutions were passed:
Resolved, That we earnestly urge upon Congress, in view of
the fact, the cattle interest is one of the most important
industries, the justice and expediency of passing laws
providing for an effectual eradication of pleuro-pneumonia
from the entire territory of the United States, and also
preventing the introduction of all contagious diseases in the
future. This is the only authority to which we can go for the
power for this purpose, as Congress has the exclusive power
to regulate commerce with other nations, as well as among the
several States; and, as there is now no law in any of the
States to prevent any man who has a herd infected with a
malignant, contagious disease, from taking them anywhere he
pleases to the herds of any of the States; to prevent which,
there must be a law more comprehensive in territorial power
and extent than any State has. Therefore, it is of the most
vital importance that the authority to regulate inter-State
commerce should promptly act to protect our great cattle
interest from total annihilation.
Resolved, That the Legislature of Iowa, as a police
regulation, should put the power in some hands, carefully and
wisely guarded from abuse and wasteful extravagance, to
arrest by isolation and destruction, if necessary, any
contagious disease which may suddenly be developed in any
neighborhood. This, however, not to include any of doubtful
contagious character, such as hog cholera; and that we
respectfully ask the Governor to call the especial attention
of the Legislature to this subject, though there is no
pleuro-pneumonia in our State now, nor has there ever been
any, but we need laws to arrest it if any should be
introduced.
Resolved, That nations, as well as individuals, who ask
justice should do justice, therefore, we insist that our
Government should as carefully and vigilantly seek to prevent
the exportation of contagious cattle diseases as to prevent
their importation. This policy would create a feeling of
national comity, and an effort to eradicate the scourge of
nations (the cattle diseases).
WOLVES, DOGS, SHEEP.
The committee on resolutions submitted the following, which was adopted:
Whereas, It has become impossible to keep sheep in safety in
many parts of this State, owing to the loss occasioned by the
ravage of wolves and dogs: therefore, be it
Resolved, That this association petition the State Legislature
to increase the bounty on wolves and the tax on dogs.
Resolved, That the President of this association be requested
to appoint a committee to draft a bill embodying the sense of
this meeting in reference to a wolf and dog law.
BUSINESS.
The next meeting of the Association will be held at Ottumwa, commencing
the first Tuesday in December next.
Col. Scott is to prepare and publish the proceedings of this meeting.
The edition will be 5,000 copies.
The following are the officers for 1884: President, C.F. Clarkson;
Vice-presidents, H.C. Wheeler, B.F. Elbert, R. Stockdale, H. Wallace,
W.H. Jordan, E.W. Lucas, and P. Nichols; Secretary and Treasurer, Fitch
B. Stacy.
THE HORSE AND HIS TREATMENT.
NUMBER ONE.
History chronicles no improvement in the horse made by the agency of
man. The horses of the days of Pharaoh, or of Homer, have their
superiors in no part of the civilized world to-day. The Arabs have for
ages been noted for the excellence of their horses, but that excellence
was not created, nor has it been increased by the arts of man. Since the
time of Cromwell the horses of England have steadily degenerated. Those
most conversant with the matter say that this degeneracy has been the
most marked and rapid during the last fifty years. The horses of this
country lack the value of their ancestors of the Revolutionary period.
Nowhere, or at no time, can man boast of improving the horse by the arts
of breeding. What is the reason of this?
The horse, the ox, the hog, and the sheep comprise the four great
classes of domesticated farm animals. In certain directions man has
improved these three last. These improvements have made them more
valuable. The ox has been bred to make more flesh from the same amount
of food, and to lay on fat at an earlier age; the cow has been bred to
give instead of a supply of milk barely large enough to sustain her
young, a bountiful yield, and of a richer quality; the hog has been bred
into a veritable machine to convert food into pork; the sheep has been
bred to yield more wool, and of a finer texture, and to make more
mutton. All these changes have been beneficial because the value of the
animal lay in its production of beef, milk, pork, wool, or mutton, as
the case might be. It is true that these changes have been accomplished
at the expense of vigor and endurance. These two qualities are important
in the hog, ox, or sheep, but those that have been developed so far
overshadow their lessening that on the whole we can say that the arts of
man have improved our kine, swine, and sheep.
But it is not so with the horse. Its value does not depend upon the
quantity and quality of its flesh, milk, or bodily covering. Unlike the
others its value depends upon the work it can do. Hence vigor and
endurance are the prime essentials of a good horse. But as man has
lessened the vigor and endurance of the hog, ox, and sheep, so he has of
the horse. This is the invariable result of human art. Whenever man
tampers with the work of nature he is certain to lessen bodily vigor. It
could not be otherwise. For the course of nature, undisturbed and
undeflected, is always towards the greatest health. Man changes the
course of nature and the result is lessened vigor and endurance.
Man has improved some qualities of the horse. He has increased its
speed, perhaps, but only for short distances. Our race horses of to-day
would make a sorry record with those of days no longer past than those
of the "pony express," to say nothing of the couriers of centuries ago,
because they have been made to deteriorate in vigor and endurance. We
have ponderous, heavy horses to-day; but they can not do as much work
before the plow or dray as those of the eighteenth century. We can not
point anywhere to horses produced by breeding that are the equals of the
horses of the days of chivalry. They lack not only in vigor and
hardihood, but in intelligence. As the perfect symmetry of development
by the course of nature has been destroyed by man the intelligence of
the animal lessened. Whenever the hand of man has touched his equine
friend it has been only to mar.
This decrease in the excellence of the horse can not be shifted from man
to time. One instance alone demonstrates the unfairness of this. The
Andalusians are now mere ponies, yet they are the descendants of those
noble beasts ridden to victory by the Spanish chivalry in the days when
the valor of the horse was as important as the valor of the knightly
rider. Taken from their hills and valleys to serve in the haunts of men,
and to be subjected to the arts of breeding, they have sadly
degenerated. But the horses of the Spanish explorers of both North and
South America escaped, and to-day the descendants of these same Spanish
horses are, under the nurture of nature and nature's ways, the superb
wild horses of the new world. They are the work of nature; the
Andalusian ponies are the work of man's art.
As this degeneracy is the necessary co-existent of man's breeding, so
far as it is produced by this cause it can not be escaped. But a good
part of the evil is not the necessary sequence of breeding per se. It is
also attributable to errors in treatment so palpable and easy of
correction that it behooves us to note and avoid them. In my next I
shall briefly mention a few of the most important of these.
* * * * *
Breeder and Sportsman: The old story of the countryman and his deceptive
plug was recently repeated in Jersey, where people are supposed to have
their eye-teeth cut. It was an old gray pacer this time, attached to a
dilapidated wagon by cords and odd ends of harness. The astute hotel
proprietor refused to give $20 for the outfit. Owner then replied that
he would pace the horse over a good track in three minutes. Landlord
bets $100 to $50 that he can't do it. Money was then put up, and owner
wanted to draw, as the track was a good way off, and he could not spare
the time to attend to the matter. Landlord insisted that the horse must
pace or pay forfeit. A sulky and harness were borrowed, and judge placed
in the stand, according to Hoyle. Owner claims the right to three
trials, according to National Association rules. Point conceded. Old
crowbait is scored up and given the word. Works off the mile very slick
in 2:43. Landlord feels small, and $100 goes into owner's pocket.
Another greenhorn bets $100 that horse can't beat 2:43. Rips off another
mile 2:42, and owner pockets the money. Landlord feels better; owner
better yet. Latest advices: same old side-wheeler won two or three
hundred same way at Flemington, some more at Paterson, and has had a
little pacing circuit all to himself. "What fools these mortals be!"
* * * * *
The following by Richard White in the New York Sun, might very
properly have been dedicated to those trichinae-frightened twins,
Bismarck and Paul Bert.
Sing, heavenly muse, the noble quadruped,
Whom Orientals oft presume to scorn,
Who glorifies the food that he is fed,
Extracting carbon from convenient corn.
Peaceful his life, his death almost sublime,
His end a grand effect of modern art;
Scarce has he bid a sharp adieu to time,
When he is packed and ready for the mart.
He goes abroad, our land to represent;
The earth, from pole to tropic, is his range;
He fills the bill for use and ornament,
Greases the world, and regulates exchange.
Though ministers abroad may lightly treat
The rights that only appertain to men,
They must protect our Western corn-fed meat,
Defending our four-footed citizen.
If Bismarck bars our barrels, tubs, or cans,
Forcing our pork to make its way incog,
Upset his schemes, and overthrow his plans,
And clear a pathway for the native hog.
* * * * *
Dr. Detmers, V.S., stationed at the Union Stock Yards at Chicago, by the
Department of Agriculture for the purpose of inspecting swine, alleges
that during the last four months he has examined at one packing-house
not less than four thousand hogs and has seen at least ten times that
number, but has not seen the slightest trace of disease, as he certainly
should if any had existed. During the last two years but very little
swine plague has prevailed anywhere, and, as far as he knows, no
diseased hogs have been shipped; nearly if not all the small rendering
tanks having been closed.
* * * * *
M. Pasteur, the eminent French scientist, says epizootic hog-cholera,
even of the most virulent type, can be prevented by inocculation with
the attenuated virulent virus. He also says it is proven that the period
of immunity is more than a year; that, consequently, this is long enough
for the requirements of hog-raising, since the period of fattening does
not generally exceed a year. Yet, in spite of these happy results, I
repeat that the question of the use of vaccination for different breeds
needs new investigation, so that the vaccination of swine may be made
general.
THE DAIRY
Dairymen, Write for Your Paper.
WINTER FEED FOR COWS.
The increasing demand for milk in our cities and villages, and for
gilt-edged butter during the winter season, is leading some of our most
intelligent farmers to study more carefully the problem of winter
dairying. "It costs more to make butter in winter than in summer," says
the American Agriculturalist, "but if a select class of customers in
cities or elsewhere, are willing to pay for the increased cost of
producing it fresh in zero weather, then there is no good reason why
they should not be gratified. Its feasibility is already established on
a small scale, and there seems to be no discernible limit to the demand
for a first-class article during the six months when the pastures are
barren. The farmer who has the capital can readily provide a barn that
will make his cows nearly as comfortable and healthy in winter as in
summer, and shelter all the food they need to keep up a constant flow of
rich milk. We have not attained, perhaps, all the information necessary
to secure the best rations for winter milking, yet we are approximating
toward that knowledge. Some think they have found in ensilage the one
thing needful. Yet, some of the parties dealing in gilt-edge butter
begin to complain of that made from rations consisting largely of
ensilage. We shall probably have to put down early cut hay with the
flavor of June grass in it as an essential part of the winter rations
for first-class butter. We doubt if the bouquet of the June made article
can be found elsewhere. Another ration will be Indian meal, our great
national cereal, which is abundant and cheap and likely to continue so.
Then we want green, succulent food with the dry fodder to sharpen the
appetite and help the digestion. This suggests roots as another ration.
We have carrots, mangolds and sugar beets; all easily raised, and
cheaply stored in barn cellars or pits. And from our own experience in
using them during several winters in connection with dry feed, we judge
them to be a safe ration in butter-making. Cabbage also is available,
and in districts remote from large markets, might be grown for this
purpose. Near cities it is probably worth more for human food than for
fodder. The whole subject is yet in the tentative state, and all are
looking for further light!"
CHURNING TEMPERATURE.
A correspondent of the New England Homestead found difficulty in making
the butter "come" from cream raised in the Cooley Creamer. In a later
issue several correspondents tried to help her through the difficulty.
One said:
First of all be sure your cream is ready to come before you churn it. If
you have no floating thermometer, please get one right away. Deep set
cream needs not only to be ripened, but the temperature must be
right--not less than 62 degrees, and 65 degrees is better. Don't guess
at it, but be sure. Mix each skimming with the others thoroughly, and
keep the cream pail in a warm place at all times.
Another said: Keep the cream at 60 degrees to 65 degrees all the time
before it goes into the churn. Take care to thoroughly mix the different
skimmings. Sometimes in cold weather the butter will nearly come, and
then hold on without any advance. In such cases, put into a thirty-quart
churning, half a cupful of salt and four quarts of water heated to 55
degrees; it will cut the butter from the buttermilk in five minutes. My
butter sells for fifty cents a pound and this is the way I manage.
Another: Sour your cream before churning and have it as near 62 degrees
as you can, and you will have no trouble. The first fall we had the
Cooley we had one churning that would not come into butter. I found it
was perfectly sweet. Since then I have been particular to have it ripe
and have had no trouble.
SEAS OF MILK.
A newspaper correspondent contributes the following which is of course
made up of a mixture of facts and guesses. But as it is somewhere near
the truth, as a general thing, we do as all the rest of the papers are
doing, print it.