FARMEKS' INSTITUTES. 387 



time fouiul witli half the stock they might keep well and selling the feed from 

 their farms. At another time they are found with double the amount they 

 ought to keeji, and poorly fed. With a steady line of action this would not be 

 so. A farmer should have about an even amount each of certain crops, meadow 

 and pasture, that to be determined by his local circumstances; but he should 

 hold to this idea for future improvement to arrange it, i. e., his rotation, so as 

 to keep the largest amount of stock possible ou his farm. 



But here will probably arise the great bug-bear of over-production. Many 

 farmers may think that if every other farmer goes to stock-raising the markets 

 will be glutted. There are several reasons why this should not be so, and first 

 of all is the fact that if all should go into tliis, — which is not at all probable, — 

 it would take some time to raise the supply to such an extent as to overstock 

 our markets; second, as the country grows older, especially our western coun- 

 try, the amount of stock cannot be so materially increased, as with increased 

 population comes tlie breaking up of immense prairie stock ranges into farms, 

 where grain will be raised, it is true, and fed to the stock, but the numbers will 

 not be so materially increased as many would at first suppose, as the land that 

 raises the grain must be idle during the summer as regards the keeping of stock 

 during that time. With the increased population will come an increased 

 demand for meat and grains. Third, The development of a trade wdthin the 

 last two years (small at present it is true) of butchers' meat, sent in quarters to 

 England and France by means of large refrigerators placed on board ships. 



This w^as begun as an exjieriment in 1875 and many considered the attempt 

 as unworthy of any considerable thought, but so important has it become that in 

 English papers of Feb. 21, 18 70, says our Commissioner of Agriculture, they 

 notice the fact of the arrival of 70 tons of beef in quarters shipped from this 

 country to London, in addition to about 300 tons in January, and the editor 

 adds: "That the possibility of landing dressed beef in a sound and sweet con- 

 dition has been clearly demonstrated." A later paragraph announces the arri- 

 val of 050 quarters or about GO tons by the White Star line. In France M. 

 Tillier has patented a process of generating cold chemically by means of certain 

 machinery and chemicals, of which one is ether, and a stock company sent their 

 first ship to the La Plata to bring a cargo of beef in April, 1870. This man, 

 by liis process, had succeeded in keeping meat at a freezing point 57 days, per- 

 fectly sweet and healthful, Avith a loss of ten per cent in weight. 



This matter was brought before prominent agriculturists and stock men in 

 the National Agricultural Congress, held at Philadelphia September 12th, by 

 Mr. Lewis F. Allen, in an address on Live Stock. He says: "That the prices 

 for which this beef has been sold in London and Liverpool have been equal to 

 those paid for the best qualities of their native beef and profitable to the ship- 

 pers." The idea is advanced, and every thinking man must agree with him in 

 saying that Ave must send them none but first quality of beef and Avhat Avill 

 compare favorably Avith their OAvn finely bred Shorthorns, Galloways, etc., and 

 to do this Ave must seek to raise a better grade of stock to supply this already 

 rapidly increasing demand. In October, 1870, six steamers of the Anchor line 

 had been provided with refrigerators for this trade, and arrangements had been 

 perfected Avhereby 200 carcasses per Aveek were to be sent alone to the city of 

 Glasgow, in Scotland. And the prospect is that this trade is but in its infancy. 

 Who may predict what the future may have in store for us? Already Ave fur- 

 nish large quantities of grain to Europe. In the not distant future our trade 

 in dressed meats may become fully as important. Then comes in following 



