496 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



this purpose the Herefords are admirably adapted. They are quick and 

 active in motion, good walkers, gentle in disposition, hardy in constitution, 

 early in development, and make, when broken to the yoke, first-class work 

 cattle. 



By this plan steers can be kept until four or five years old, always in good 

 flesh and made to gain from day to day, paying iu part for their keep by 

 work done on the farm ; and when disposed of they will weigh sixteen to 

 eighteen hundred pounds each and bring good prices for beef. The heifers 

 and cows may be kept until five or six years old, rearing two or three calves 

 before being beefed, when they will, if properly selected, weigh from twelve 

 to fourteen hundred pounds and bring the highest market price. We have 

 sold a great many such cows in our home market at five cents per pound 

 live weight. For the small farmer this latter way of producing beef is 

 most profitable. 



One of the strongest arguments in favor of baby beef — by which I mean 

 early maturing steers — is that you can dispose of twice as many that ripen 

 at two years as you can if they have to be kept for four before they are 

 ready for the market. In this early development we claim for the Here- 

 fords a superiority over all other breeds, given the ordinary care and treat- 

 ment that the average Michigan farmer gives his cattle, while under the 

 forcing and pampering processes they are equally victorious. This advan- 

 tage becomes of great importance when we remember what all feeders know, 

 that the meat that is made the first two years costs less than that put on the 

 last two. In conclusion, I may say here what I said two years ago before 

 the Brick and Tile Association that met in this city. 



"If farmers of Michigan expect to compete successfully with those of 

 States, east and west of them, they must commence at once to under-drain 

 their farms, so as to insure good crops every year, whether the season is wet 

 or dry. They must stock their farms with the best breeds of cattle and sheep 

 of meat producing qualities. They ought to be able, and must strive to 

 supply their own home markets, of Detroit, Grand Rapids, the Saginaws, 

 Bay City, and other rapidly growing manufacturing cities in our State. 

 There is always a home demand for the best the markets can furnish, and 

 at remunerative prices. 



The days of large cattle ranches of the West are rapidly drawing to a close. 

 Settlers are passing into those States and locating on lands that have hitherto 

 been used for pasturage. The public domain will soon be settled with farmers. 

 The wild bunch grass of the prairies is disappearing rapidly under continued 

 grazing; vast areas that a few years ago furnished pasture for thousands of 

 cattle are now worthless for that purpose. It will only be a few years until 

 the vast wheat belt of the west and northwest, that is now producing twenty- 

 five to thirty bushels to the acre, will, like Minnesota and Iowa, average less 

 than ten. Constant raising of one kind of crops impoverishes the land, 

 except it be meadow or pasture, which is annually top-dressed. 



Under-drainage, rotation of crops, feeding of stock, with an intelligent 

 selection of breeds for the purpose you have in view, will insure the present 

 and future farmers of Michigan security against any competition in America. 



Mr. Freeman : I have farmed 30 years and never raised a scrub nor sold 

 beef for less than five cents on foot. Today I was offered a hind quarter of 

 dressed beef for four and one-half cents. What do you raise such beef for? 

 I can raise five cent live weight beef for less per pound than you raise two 



