DIGEST OF STATE REPORTS. 373 



depends, of course, to some extent upon the cowa to whicli be is used. Great extremes 

 between sire and dam seldom nick well together. The intelligent breeder, in making 

 selection of bis breeding-bull, will have regard to the cows with which he is to be 

 coupled. If they are under size, he will select a bull of good size, one that is not too 

 large. Great extremes don't mix well. If his cows are large and inclined to breed too 

 much bone for the amount of flesh, he will select a bull of rather compact form and 

 good fleshy qualities, but one that is not too much under size. The skillful breeder, 

 before selecting his bull, should determine what he wants, and should be able to give 

 an intelligent reason why he wants him ; and, after having made his purchase, S'hould 

 know how to use him. The ability to answer intelligently to what, why, and how, is 

 us indispensable to the intelligent breeder of neat-cattle as it is to the man in any other 

 profession. 



Mr. S. F. Lockritlge read a paper on Indiana as a grazing State, which 

 elicited some discussion. Mr. Thrasher desired to call attention more 

 fully tlian the writer had to the importance of underdraining past- 

 ures, lie stated that while it is found almost impossible in many por- 

 tions of the State to raise corn without underdraining, bu-t little atten- 

 tion is given to underdraining grass-lands. Farmers seem to think that 

 grass will grow any way. In his opinion, it was just as necessar3^ and 

 important to drain grass as grain lands, and the effects will be seen in 

 the grass and upon the cattle as readily as upon grain. In most past- 

 ures there are low places not fit for grazing, and these places are 

 shunned by the stock whenever they can do better. It is only when 

 they are compelled by scarcity of grass elsewhere that they will eat the 

 inferior grasses of these low places. Notbing is better for winter forage 

 than blue-grass, and to have this grass in winter a field should be past- 

 ured closely until about from the 1st to the 10th of June, when the stock 

 should be taken off, allowing it to grow up and fall over in one dense 

 mass. His reason for pasturing early is, the blue-grass seeds early, 

 and pasturing at this period prevents the seed-stalk from forming, and 

 then, when the stalk is removed, the grass branches out into heavy foli- 

 age — nothing but blade upon blade. Such pasture in winter is better 

 than the best of hay. Indeed, cattle can be wintered exclusively upon 

 such pasture and come out in the spring in fine condition, having made 

 some growth all through the winter. As to the value of blue-grass. Dr. 

 Stevenson said : 



Blue-grass, I believe, was styled by my friend Lockridge the grass of grasses. I 

 think, probably, he was about right ; but the trouble with us is, when we get a good 

 thing wo use it sometimes a little too much. Land has become very valuable with us. 

 In many places it is worth a hundred dollars an acre. The question is this with blue- 

 grass : There is no doubt about its making the best winter pasture we have ; there is 

 nothing equal to it ; it stands the frost and the breezes ; keeps green with me until 

 about the middle of February or the 1st of March. Would it be more profitable, taking 

 into consideration the value of the land, worth from fifty to one hundred dollars an 

 acre, to secure hay enough for your stock by cutting your grass and stacking it, and 

 then feeding upon the cured grass rather than upon this winter grass in the fields ? Of 

 course you save the expense of cutting it ; but it only affords green grazing. Would it 

 not be a matter of economy to use meadows where land is very expensive, because it 

 gives much more upon which to keep your stock ? It might be best for those who have 

 cheap land to have more winter pasture, and to the interest of those who have high- 

 priced land to make more hay for the winter feed and to keep their cattle in houses. 



As to the profits of grazing. Dr. Stevenson said: 



My impression is that grazing is the great interest of the country, for, as I have 

 already said, it does not wear out our lands, and it produces almost everything we need 

 as a matter of subsistence. There is nothing, in my opinion, equal to beef as a meat. 

 I think it is encouraging to short-horn breeders to know that the consumption of beef 

 is rapidly increasing. Every farmer is using it almost exclusively. They can have 

 good beef through the winter and the summer without running the plow at all. You 

 have the flesh to eat, the hides for shoes, the tallow for lamps, the bones for manure, 

 and the hair for plastering. There is nothing about the cow that is not valuable. You 

 can raise your sheep and kill them yourselves ; so th'at your grass produces almost 

 everything that you need. 



