A STOCK BREEDING GROUND 125 



A drawback to purebred live-stock raising in Illinois, as elsewhere, 

 is the excessive transportation charge for purebred live stock in 

 express and freight rates. It is necessary only to point out that the 

 tariff is loaded with double and triple the weights of the actual ani- 

 mals, and that the rates are at the uppermost limit. It is noteworthy 

 that in Canada, where the pure-bred industry is wisely cultivated, 

 such pure-bred live stock may be transported at a reduced rate. In 

 fact, on a recent shipment of horses from White Hall, Illinois, into 

 Canada, the charge was as great to Detroit as to a point one hundred 

 miles farther on in Canada, on a through bill of lading over the 

 same road. 



WHY ILLINOIS WILL COME BACK 



The purebred business in Illinois is a going concern. That being 

 a fact, the live-stock breeder is now finding himself fairly com- 

 fortably situated as to cost of production and the imminence of his 

 market. It will be well indeed for the breeder and his community 

 when they recognize their mutual dependence and benefit. Really 

 the live-stock field in Illinois has only been summer fallowed. A 

 greater market awaits the Illinois purebred live-stock breeder within 

 the boundary of his own state lines than most men ever dreamed of 

 acquiring. The saving in railroad fares and freights, the oppor- 

 tunity of inspecting the parent breeding stock and the farm practise 

 employed, all will serve more and more to develop the home market. 



In the economy of live-stock production our comparatively 

 favorable rates to the central markets mean much. No breeder may 

 hope to reach the high rounds who invariably sells all of his best 

 productions. Again, no breeder who keeps all, or any great part, of 

 his poorer productions may hope to accomplish any good for himself 

 or his breed. The road for these poorer specimens to take, in ever 

 increasing numbers, is to the central markets. Cull, eliminate, ship 

 and repeat. Feed the best to the best and ship the rest. If this is 

 the policy, then Illinois will come back and we will come back with 

 her. 



Indeed, Illinois must come back. Her present land values de- 

 mand products of higher quality and value. The overhead of every 

 farm and this somewhat indefinite but very real item of expense is 

 quite likely to grow rather than diminish calls not only for economy 

 of production, but for quality as well. Quantity in the production 

 of live stock is not always a blessing. In fact, as has been well said, 

 there may be a "curse of prolificacy." The female that with per- 



