TllK BUM.KTIN. "^1 



If live stock had been put on these hills long ago they would not only have 

 been making our butter, beef, mutton, pork, etc., but we would have improved our 

 land so it would be producing corn, from .50 to 100 bushels per acre, and hay for 

 our stock instead of our having to buy most of it from the West. Now the aver- 

 age corn yield in North Carolina is only 1G.8 bushels per acre, cotton about one- 

 half bale per acre, wheat not over 10 "bushels. I have seen 60 bushels of oats 

 grown on one acre, 2 bales of cotton, and 226I/2 bushels of corn per acre. Inquir- 

 ing into this, we find these yields to be made by a generous supply of manure. 



If these yields can be made in North Carolina, why not use our hills for live 

 stock and use the manure for the level fields for intensified farming? There is 

 no farm the size of 50 to 100 acres that has not some rough land, that should be 

 pasturing live stock, and we generally find on these farms not more than five or 

 ten head" of live stock, including the work stock, but not including the doffs. of 

 which there are too many. 



There must be some kind of live stock grown on these farms. I'm not saying 

 what kind — either horses, cows, hogs, sheep, and the breed you like best is the 

 best breed for you. Of course, I am a dairyman and partial to the dairy cow. 

 All in one community should breed one kind. If a dairy section, breed the best 

 dairy type. Holstein for milk, Guernsey, Ayrshire or Jersey for butter. If you 

 live in a beef raising section, then all breed one kind of beef cattle. The Short 

 Horn, Hereford, Aberdeen Angus are all fine beef breeds. All should, I think, 

 breed the same for the reason that when we have selected a pure bred sire to 

 breed on our -cows and he has proven to be worth thousands of dollars he should 

 not be killed at beef price, and to keep from in-breeding we can exchange bulls 

 with our neighbors and keep right on without expense. Another reason is, when 

 our surplus is for sale a man can come and buy a carload of cattle in one neigh- 

 borhood, all the same size and color, and this will bring a higher price than if 

 they were of different breeds and colors. Do you know the Aberdeen Angus steers, 

 sold last year on Chicago market at one year old, weighing about 1,000 pounds 

 each, for $8.00 a hundredweight? Now what is a scrub steer bringing on the 

 market? Not over $10.00. It doesn't take any more time to grow an $80.00 

 steer than a $10.00 one; takes more feed, but he always gives value returned and 

 much more. In my opinion, there is no general-purpose cow. I am convinced 

 of this more and more every day. If growing beef cattle and you want milk and 

 butter for your family, buy a dairy cow. Neither will a dairy cow make good 

 beef. I have never seen a man that could do everything; neither can we expect 

 our lower animals to do all. 



I wouldn't advise jumping into buying a lot of pure-bred cattle, but buy a 

 pure-bred sire, because you haven't had experience in raising them and the 

 average man hasn't the money. A good male can be bought for about $100.00. 

 If you can't get one for that, pay more. I'd rather have a fourth or eighth 

 interest in a good bull from good ancestors than to own a cheap bull all by 

 myself. In buying a beef bull, select him from good ancestors and breed him on 

 grades. He should show up his type in the choice cuts of beef if he is any good. 

 If you have this, stick to him, don't get scared of him and kill him. 



In buying a dairy bull it is a little diflferent, and the risk is great. You want 

 to buy him from a sire whose mother made a good record and from a good record 

 dam, also granddam and great granddam and the whole dam family. 



When the calves come you can't tell at first whether you have a good bull or 

 not, but must wait until these calves are fresh, and then after a year's record work 

 you will discover whether you have a good bull. He will be five or six years old 

 by this time, so if you made a mistake in selecting him you are six years behind 

 in breeding cattle, and must start all over again. A man would hardly buy more 

 than six or eight bulls in his lifetime. You may think I am extravagant in 

 buying a good male, but let us figure a little. Suppose you are breeding a herd 

 of twenty to a scrub bull. Say one-half the calves Avill be heifers and one-half 

 bulls. The bulls will be sold for veal at about $1.00 each, all ten being worth 

 only $10.00. The heifers, very likely, if kept, will not pay you for their feed. 

 Pardon me for referring to myself. I have a bull out of a 700-pound cow. 

 Several years ago I began testing my cows and keeping record, so sold out all the 



