Cattle, Sheep and Swine Feeders' Association. 



421 



The past season has done much to decrease home suppHes. 

 Deficient rainfall over a large area, short pastures, a short 

 forage crop, high-priced corn and an indifferent quality have 

 no doubt caused many of our number to have "cold feet." The 

 west will offer but scant competition in the early months, nei- 

 ther will the corn belt states be able to offer their usual supply 

 to relieve the situation. So if the year does not bring better 

 prices than now prevail you may put me down as a bad guesser. 



As to the situation ultimately,- it seems to me that one of 

 two things is going to happen. We must increase the herds of 

 our country upon the small farms and consume the waste of the 

 strictly agricultural communities, converting it into meat, or 

 else we must be content to draw upon foreign countries for our 

 beef supplies. Under the first proposition we can not hope for 

 any appreciable increase for a year or two; rather will it be five 

 years before the bovine population increases to the extent that 

 it will be a depressing factor in our home market. On the other 

 hand, if we give up our markets to the influx of foreign beef and 

 confine our efforts to a larger agriculture, then sooner than we 

 think a decadent period will halt the prosperity of the country. 

 Under such a condition the time will not be far distant when 

 the cattle industry would fall into decay, our soil would become 





This feeder believes in making his hogs heavy. 



