18 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



cattle on the prairies of Illinois, and predicted in a few years 

 this great State, with its matchless soil, would be able to 

 break down prices so as to render the business unproductive 

 in the older States ; just as we heard, but a short time since, 

 that Texas and the Territories would soon grow beef for the 

 whole United States. But what have been the actual facts ? 

 Illinois, though surpassing the most sanguine expectations as 

 a corn and grass producing State, had, according to the last 

 census, less than one hundred and fifty millions of dollars 

 invested in live-stock ; while the old State of New York had 

 nearly one hundred and seventy-six millions. The live- 

 stock of Missouri was reported at the same time as worth 

 eighty-four millions ; while that of the old Keystone State, 

 at more than one hundred and fifteen millions, and Ohio at 

 one hundred and twenty millions. It is also noticed, that 

 while the Western States are rapidly increasing in live-stock, 

 as in all other products of agriculture, the older States are 

 making very respectable progress. Thus while Illinois, be- 

 tween 1860 and 1870, added seventy-seven millions to the 

 value of her live-stock, New York, during the same period, 

 added seventy-three millions. The increase in Pennsylvania 

 during the same period was forty-six millions, while in Mis- 

 souri it was only thirty-one millions. 



These facts are significant as indicating the prominence 

 which this great interest has, and must continue to maintain, 

 in American agriculture. It is therefore safe to assume, that 

 in the future, as in the past, the prosperous farmer will be the 

 man who handles most judiciously his live-stock; for it is un- 

 questionably true that while this branch of industry is, if prop- 

 erly managed, the most profitable, as it is the most interesting, 

 connected with our vocation, it is most disastrously unprofit- 

 able when the management is bad. If, for breeding or milch 

 cows, inferior animals or inferior blood are procured, the 

 result cannot fail to be disastrous. If we select a good cow, 

 one that will give a fair quantity of good milk, and of such 

 form and blood that her calves will be worth raising, and 

 that can be converted into a good carcass of beef when no 

 longer wanted for breeding or for milk, we shall have made 

 the most profitable investment that pertains to legitimate 

 agriculture ; while a cow with qualities the reverse of all 

 these will be the most unprofitable that could be selected. 



