570 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



^ve have today, in round numbers, $1,000,000,000,000 when hut fifty years- 

 ago we had but $7,000,000, the per capita wealth today being $1,235, 

 when in 1850 it was only $307, and the total miles of good roads in 

 1902 was 202,132. against 9,021 in 1850. 



Now it is to be understood that with all of these changes that there 

 would be a change in the condition of the cattle of our country. 



Where once there was a free range, today there are one hundred 

 and sixty, eighty and even forty-acre farms, and towns; instead of seven, 

 you have seventy dollars, and even more valuable land, and you must 

 keep cattle or move off from your land. 



PLEAS FOR GOOD STOCK. 



Now. what kind of cattle will you have? Now, not to be blunt, stop 

 the first school boy or girl that you meet and say. Johnnie, Mr. A. has 

 five cows, and their calves will bring twenty dollars apiece at one year old, 

 or $100. Mr. B. has one cow, and its calf br'ings $100 when it is one 

 year old. Now A.'s five cows eat just five times as much as B.'s one 

 can, and A.'s five calves as much as B."s one calf. Which is the best cow 

 to keep? You say that B.'s calf won"t always bring $100? Probably 

 not, but it will sell for $100 or over oftener than less. But say $60. then. 

 You are saving the food of four head, and when B.'s pure bred calf is 

 selling low% A.'s grade are bound to be selling very low. 



You may say that is well for fancy breeders but not for a farmer. 

 What is a fancy breeder? A man that breeds pure bred stock — and the 

 most successful is the farmer who personally has the oversight of his 

 own farm. 



It is a well known fact that no scrub cattle pay and yet, like re- 

 ligion, not every man will accept it and breed pure bred cattle, but all 

 must use bulls, and good ones, too. Someone will have to produce them, 

 and the market is certainly established for them. 



They require better care than some can give them? They do require 

 good care, and they must have it, but was ever a dollar made by neglect, 

 either from a dairy cow or a beef cow? If there was, how easy it could 

 have been doubled by a litte good care. 



Then there is another point that is not a minor one. Have you 

 thought that you would like to keep your boy on the farm? Can you 

 blame him for not being interested in the scrubs? 



This is no more an age for scrub boys than it is for scrub cattle. 



Get a few thoroughbred cows, give the boys something better than 

 their neighbors, let the neighbors get equally as good as yours, and then 

 the results will be both perfect and friendly rivalry and you won"t 

 he satisfied until you have some good mares and a few sows. And some 

 fancy poultry. 



