124 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



very material extension of grain growing, especially of the acreage de- 

 voted to corn. To secure additional areas for corn, farmers have been 

 plowing up old blue grass pastures. Elimination of pastures from a sys- 

 tem of farming is quickly followed by a very pronounced reduction in 

 the number of livestock. 



2. The most profitable production of meat animals has hitherto been 

 associated with cheap lands. The opportunities for stock raising offered 

 by these cheap lands in various sections of the west, southwest and north- 

 west have lured many successful stockmen from the state. The opportun- 

 ities of these newer sections as compared with Illinois for the ex- 

 clusive grain grower have not been equally attractive, hence there has 

 been a tendency for a large exodus of livestock producers, while the grain 

 growers have more largely remained. 



3. The great difficulty of securing tenants who have had a success- 

 ful experience in livestock management tends still further to decrease the 

 number of livestock kept. This is an important consideration, for the im- 

 pression prevails that there is a strong tendency toward landlordism 

 and tenantry. 



4. There has been, and still is, a very general lack of appreciation of 

 the value of farm manure produced by livestock on the farm. 



In a country whose agriculture is new there are few agricultural ques- 

 tions which are either difficult or complicated. As an agriculture becomes 

 older, the number of problems arising increase rapidly, and their solu- 

 tion becomes correspondingly difficult. The agriculture of the United 

 States will be very shortly called upon to settle some of the most far- 

 reaching questions which have ever been presented. 



No important branch of agriculture has experienced and survived more 

 vicissitudes than livestock production. Farmers have frequently become 

 panicky o\er it. A suggestion of such a condition now threatens the 

 industry. 



As has been noted, there has been a growing tendency to decrease 

 livestock production, and increase grain growing. Reasons for this move- 

 ment have been stated. The fact should not be lost sight of, however, 

 that some of these causes will not continue to operate with the same 

 force. On the other hand, it is safe to assume that new difficulties will 

 arise. Less than a year ago we called attention to the evident fact that 

 continually increasing the corn area and production without increasing 

 at the same time the production of livestock, would sooner or later have 

 a marked effect upon the corn market. It has come sooner than we an- 

 ticipated it would. It is a well-known fact that corn production has been 

 rapidly increasing, while there has been a tendency to actually decrease 

 meat production. In this connection, it is a significant fact tiiat eighty 

 per cent of the corn produced in the United States is fed to livestock. 



The following reasons may be given for the wisdom of continuing 

 livestock production : 



1. Intelligent livestock husbandry is more profitable than grain grow- 

 ing. The multiplicity of kinds and methods of livestock production and 

 the variations in market value both of feeds used and animals involved, 



