GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 



Two distinct systems of farming are practiced in the United\ 

 States (1) grain farming and (2) live-stock farming. Grain 

 farming is the growing of crops useful for food or clothing, the 

 income being derived from the sale of these crops. Live-stock 

 farming is that system in which the crops are used chiefly or 

 entirely as feed for the live stock which is produced, the income 

 being derived from the sale of animals, milk, and wool. 



The maintenance of soil fertility is more difficult under the 

 first of these two systems. Although it has been experimentally 

 demonstrated that fertility may be maintained and increased 

 by the use of commercial fertilizers and green manures without 

 the aid of live stock, nevertheless the keeping of live stock and 

 the utilization of farm manure afford the easiest method of 

 maintaining and increasing the fertility of the soil. Where 

 farming has been practiced for a long period of time, the most 

 fertile and prosperous communities are those in which much 

 live stock has been kept and the manure properly handled and 

 applied to the soil. 



Of the two systems, live-stock farming affords much greater 

 opportunity for the development and application of knowledge 

 and skill. The live-stock farmer must be equally competent 

 as a crop producer with the grain farmer, and in addition must 

 know how to handle and feed live stock economically. He must 

 have a certain practical knowledge of animals and their require- 

 ments which comes with long experience, but which can be 

 readily acquired by one who has a liking for farm animals. 



Dr. C. E. Thorne of the Ohio Experiment Station has said, 

 "While it is true that meat is an extravagantly wasteful food, 

 viewed solely from the economic standpoint, yet it is also true 

 that the ruling peoples of the earth are the meat eaters, and 

 the time is probably far in the future when in this country meat 

 will be banished from the tables of any but the improvident, 

 even though further advance in its cost should take place. The 

 outlook, therefore, is that for a long time to come the farmer 

 who possesses the ability to handle live stock successfully will 

 find ample opportunity for the exercise of his talents and ample 

 reward for the larger ability which such exercise involves." 



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