FAKMERS' INSTITUTES. 333 



Their beef also is darker, and not so attractive in appearance as tliat of other 

 cattle. 



Wm. Ball.-r-The only aim brought forward in the discussion is money. We 

 should have more than this. The Galloways are the careless man's cattle; we 

 should have stock for whicli we will care and in which we will be interested. I 

 am opposed to Galloways. 



E. E. Trowbridge. — Two years ago I bought some steers to feed, and among 

 them was a grade Galloway, picked up in the road, for which I paid §25 the 

 first of October and sold to Lansing butchers for $75 six months afterwards. 

 This steer was fed the same as the others, but did much better. 



Eev. L. B. Potter, of Lansing, read the following paper on 



HOW TO M\KE STOCK PAY. 



This problem, though a hard one, is readily solved by these two rules : 



Rule 1st. — Keep the best only. 



Eule 2d. — Treat all you do keep intelligently and kindly. 



But perhaps I ought to explain my position, and will try to do so as briefly as 

 possible. When I say '' Jceej) only the best," you need not understand me to 

 insist on your keeping the most fancy strains of the most fancy breeds, — not 

 that. The moment one decides to keep or raise stock at all lie should have a 

 definite object in view, and should then decide upon and obtain the very best 

 animal or animals for accomplishing that object. If beef be the ultimate 

 object Ave must choose those animals that will yield the greatest weight of the 

 best quality in the shortest time, the cost of feed being considered. 



My friend Wood, I presume, will say the Short-horns are the only breed that 

 can fill this requirement, while brother Smith would as confidently claim the 

 same honor for the Galloways; others might name Herefords; and I have no 

 doubt these are the three leading breeds in this climate, — perhaps in any cli- 

 mate, — and that they and their best grades may be made to pay well in beef. 

 If the object be to produce butter, every man of observation or experience ought 

 to know that some cows are expressly valuable for this purpose, and these only 

 should be chosen. So there are cows specially adapted to the cheese dairy, and 

 they only should be selected for that purpose. 



If one thinks to engage in sheep husbandry, he must decide whether his loca- 

 tion and surroundings are best adapted to the production of wool or meat as a 

 specialty, or whether he can make more money by combining the two objects in 

 one. I have no doubt the hardy, fine-wooled, pure Spanish, and their high 

 American grades, when kept expressly for the production of fibre, are far supe- 

 rior to any long, or middle wools ; while the great Cotswold or Leicester, if kept 

 for carcass, where there are proper markets may give better returns than other 

 breeds ; yet if meat and wool as a double object be desired, the Southdowns are 

 par excellence. 



In horse breeding, any man would be deemed a fit candidate for Kalamazoo 

 who should select a Clydesdale, a Connestoga, or even a Percheron to produce 

 fast trotters, fleet racers, or even good roadsters ; and I apprehend the man is 

 just about as insane who attempts to breed the best farm and draft teams by 

 combining ponies and thoroughbred runners or trotters. 



I have thus suggested my general idea of rule 1st, and will only add, under 

 that head, this : ^ot only should the best class of animals be chosen, but the 

 best individuals from the best families should, as far as practicable, be constantly 

 sought. Animals with serious defects must be sternly rejected, though they 

 may trace an unbroken jDedigree back to Noah's choice herd. 



