Live Stock Breeders' Association. 245 



fourths of all the tremendous losses by abortion, especially among 

 cows, if carefully investigated, could directly or indirectly be traced 

 to the presence of horns." 



Converted into dollars and cents, the foregoing represents 

 truly an enormous sum. I tsometimes think we agriculturists and 

 stockmen are a slow lot. We just go along breeding a certain kind 

 of cattle because our grandfather, it was said, had some grades of 

 that breed. Then we come to the father. He had a bull or a cow 

 that could have had the papers if he asked for them, and then on 

 down to the son, who makes up his mind to get some pure-bred 

 stock, and without investigating, says the same kind is good enough 

 for me that was good enough for dad and grandpap. The same 

 applies to improved methods of farming, etc.; therefore, I repeat, 

 are we slow and heedless? 



In conclusion, I wish to state that it took considerable time and 

 investigation before I became convinced of the superior merits of 

 the Aberdeen-Angus cattle. I do not want to leave the impression 

 with you that I am prejudiced and cannot see the good qualities 

 in any of the other breeds. I delight in viewing a first-class animal 

 of any of the other kinds, and shall cultivate that disposition, al- 

 ways striving to be broad-minded enough to give credit where 

 credit is due. The other beef breeds are being conformed to the 

 Angus type, which is a hardy, low down, hornless animal, that 

 will take on more flesh for the same number of pounds of feed 

 in a shorter space of time, will be smoother, evener, more uniform, 

 take excellent care of their calves, and the butcher's delight when 

 on the hooks in his market. 



Then why not be an Angus breeder, for life is all too short to 

 waste time and labor experimenting to bring about that which is 

 already here. 



MAINTAINING SOIL FERTILITY IN SYSTEMS OF PERMA- 

 NENT AGRICULTURE. 



(Dr. O. G. Hopkins, Experiment Station, Urbana, III.) 



To permanently maintain profitable systems of agriculture is 

 the most important material problem of the United States, because 

 every other important industry in America depends upon agricul- 

 ture for support. Every form of agriculture rests, first of all, 

 upon the fertility of the soil, whether it be grain farming, fruit 

 growing, market gardening, or live stock husbandry. 



