316 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



I believe it will pay a young farmer who owns a quarter section of 

 land to breed pure-bred cattle. Care should be taken to select only ani- 

 mals of good type and good breeding, disregarding fashionably bred in- 

 dividuals of undesirable quality. Many young farmers cannot become 

 expert breeders and it will pay to ascertain by experience of what is the 

 young man in question. After becoming familiar with pedigrees and if 

 the business is to his liking, let him purchase a few choice cows, always 

 using a well bred bull of quality and individuality. It will pay any farmer 

 to breed his grade cows to a choice bull. It will pay to breed pure-bred 

 cows to the best bull obtainable. A man could not afford to buy a choice 

 bull for two or three cows, but if he had a few choice cows, only two or 

 three, and a herd of what would be termed good breeding cows he could 

 then afford to buy the best bull he could find, selecting the bull first and 

 then buy him as reasonable as possible. In this way he could soon build 

 up a herd to his liking, and at comparative little expense. 



E. H. WHITE. 

 Emmet county, Iowa. 



In reply to nis query in regard to whether it will pay a young farmer 

 nearly out of debt to go into the raising of pure-bred cattle, my answer 

 would be most emphatically yes. I do not know anything he could go into 

 that would pay him better. To be sure, he must be a good practical man, 

 keep all records straight, and not be afraid of work. I would advise for 

 the start to buy some of the plainer bred females of good individuality, 

 but the bull I think should be both well bred and a strong representative 

 of his breed. If the young man attends to his business and buys at least 

 five females on the start, at the end of ten years he will find himself sur- 

 rounded with a grand lot of females (bulls sold as fast as old enough to 

 keep down expenses of herd) that he can sell and buy enough more of 

 this high-priced land to complete his section, and be all out of debt and 

 some more besides. I might add here that land is worth $80 an acre here 

 or better. WARREN E. REYNOLDS. 



Whiteside county Illinois. 



In regard to your reader wishing advice as to whether it will pay a 

 young farmer who has a quarter section of Iowa land, and practically out 

 of debt to go into the business of breeding pure-bred cattle I would unhes- 

 itatingly say yes. There are many reasons and I shall not attempt to 

 give them all. This is a question that should interest every farmer in 

 Iowa, whether he be a large or small farmer, whether wealthy or in mod- 

 erate circumstances. If he be one of the farmers in moderate 

 circumstances, he needs the improved cattle all the more. The 

 wealthy farmer can get along better with inferior stock than can the 

 farmer of moderate circumstances. Pure-bred cattle are the poor man's 

 friend. Never before was the Iowa farmer in a position where he is liter- 

 ally forced to give his careful consideration to the value of improved live 

 stock. Iowa land that not many years ago sold at $25 to $50 per acre now 

 commands from $50 to $100 and upwards. With land at present prices 



