LECTURES AND ESSAYS. 493 



The simple fact that a farmer receives a large crop of wheat or grass from 

 year to year excites no special comment or interest because the sight of it is 

 only for a few days or weeks and it goes to the manufacturer. But the 

 farmer who also breeds and brings to perfection fine and valuable specimens 

 of horses, cattle, sheep, swine and poultry in connection whith his choice 

 crops of grain and hay becomes a man of consideration. He is visited 

 in order that what he is doing may be seen by others. Methods of 

 breeding and feeding are dicussed. Authorities on these subjects are 

 consulted and a general interchange of thought is constantly going on to 

 the advantage of all. Social habits are thus encouraged, farmers mingle 

 more with each other at their farms and firesides, and those inside the house 

 become much more interested than they could possibly be in the mere 

 matter of grain raising. Boys and girls become interested because some- 

 thing is being done with which they have a growing interest, and when they 

 have finished their school studies and return home, there is something there 

 besides simply plowing, planting and digging, and the sensible, well 

 educated boy will be quite inclined to try the reality of a well managed farm 

 rather than chase fame and fortune in the already over-crowded professions 

 or positions. 



HEREFORD— BREEDING AND FEEDING. 



BY DR. .TAS. C. WILLSON, OF FLINT, JANUARY 30, 1889. 



I was one of a party, with the late Senator Chandler, when he once visited 

 the "Crapofarm" in Gaines. In conversation, to illustrate what "he 

 knew about farming," he told a story which he applied to himself. He said 

 Senator Sumner had made a long and eloquent speech in the Senate on 

 finance, banks, banking, and our currency. After he got through he went 

 around to Chandler and asked him how he liked his speech. He replied : 

 "Oh! it sounded very well, it will read admirably in the newspapers; but 

 my criticism of it is, that you don't know anything about the subject on 

 which you talked." 



I fear some of my more experienced and practical farmer friends in this 

 convention may look on my effort to impart knowledge and instruction on 

 the breeding and feeding of stock somewhat in the same light that Chandler 

 did Sumner's speech on finance. But my connection with the management 

 of the Crapo stock farm, for more than twenty years, has enabled me to 

 store away a few facts and ideas in connection with stock raising, their 

 breeding, care, and feeding, which I think may be useful to those who are 

 planning to engage in the business. 



The first and most important step in starting out is the selection of a 

 thoroughbred sire. Whichever breed your fancy or experience may have led 

 you to choose, in order to produce in the grade or cross-bred steers the beef 

 qualities of the best specimens of that breed, you must get the best bull 

 possible for your herd. Like begets like in breeding for beef, as it does for 

 milk, butter, or bones. You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, 

 no more can you breed and feed profitably, for beef, our native scrubs and 

 scallawags, made up principally of head and horns, belly and bones. To 

 breed beef cattle, for the shambles, at a profit, you must therefore not only 

 have the best breed but also the best individuals of the breed for these 

 purposes. "Aye," but I hear some one say, " I cannot afford to pay the price ; 



