380 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



The value of the liquid and solid droppings of a 

 Bteer so fed are, therefore, worth, theoretically, 72 

 cents ; and in this section, they can not be pur- 

 chased in any form for a less sum. 



Even deducting the value of the manure, there- 

 fore, we have still a loss in feeding a steer in win- 

 ter equal to 46 cents a week I 



"But," you will say, "farmers do feed cattle in 

 winter, and feed at a profit." Very trne; but, it 

 is not owing simply to the increase of leef, but 

 rather, also, to the increased value per pound of 

 the beef. The following extract from the report 

 of the New York cattle market for last week will 

 throw light on the subject : 



" Beef cattle were in good demand, and sold \g. 

 higher than last week, a few of the best at lie. per 

 pound, estimated dressed weight, but generally at 

 10c. to lO^c. for fat cattle, and 8c. to 9c. for me 

 diura .to fair steers, with a large number of very 

 poor animals at 7c." 



Tliere is here a difference oi Jive cents per pound 

 between good and poor cattle. Now, sui)posing a 

 steer which we have been feeding at a cost of 

 $2.38 per week, had been sold at 7c. per pound for 

 the beef, he would have brought at the outside 

 $38.50.* Now if this same steer was fed for 16 

 weeks, and increased 20 pounds per week, he would 

 then weigh 1,320 pounds and dress at least 726 

 pounds ; and aS this would be of good quality, it 

 would bring 11 cents per pound instead of 7 cents. 

 He would bring, therefore, $79.86. In other 

 words, we should get $41.36 for the food con- 

 sumed in 16 weeks. This, as we have before as- 

 gumed, would cost $2.38 per week, or $38.08, and 

 would leave a profit of $3.28 exclusive of the 

 value of the manure. 



This calculation is based merely on thQ present 

 difference between the price of poor and good 

 beef. The probability is, however, that in four 

 months from this time beef will be much higher 

 than it is now. This at least is usually the case, 

 and there is no reason to apprehend that the pre- 

 sent winter will prove an exception. 



Tiie same remarks apply to fattening sheep. 

 The mere increase of the sheep will not p^y for the 

 food consumed. The profit of fattening sheep in 

 winter is due principally to the fact tliat mutton 

 commands a much hit;her price in February and 

 March than it does in October and November. 



Farmers who took our advice at this time last 

 year to " keep the sheep at home," made money by 



• MttUium catlle aJTird about 66 per cent ol beef. Thi€ Bteer, 

 therefore, weighing lnoo poundn alive, wonid have dressed not to 

 •xoeed 650 pn^nd^ which, at 7c. per pound, is $8S.60. The fat- 

 t*r the animal the higher U the percentage of beef to \\i* weight. 



so doinf?. By reference to our market report for 

 November, 1862, we find that mutton at this time 

 last year, in some instances, sold jn New York as 

 low as two cents per pound I In February follow- 

 ing mutton w,is worth 8 cents per ])ound; and in 

 some in^itances good sheep brought 13 cents per 

 pound, live weight! It needs no figures to show 

 that fattening sheep last winter was highly profit- 

 able. 



Ilow it will be the coming winter is a doubtful 

 question. Mutton in New York now brings 7 to 

 8 cents per pound ; and if there should be no ad- 

 vance in pelts, mutton must bring an extravagant 

 price after Christmas to make sheep feeding profit- 

 able at the present high price of grain. 



It is highly probable, however, that wool and 

 pelts will advance, and that it will be better to 

 winter the sheep than to sell them in a half-fat 

 condition. 



SALT AS A HAIflTBE. 



Joseph Harris, Esq. : In your address delivered 

 at the Fair of tl)e Monroe County Agricultural 

 Society and International Wheat Show, among 

 other mannres for enriching the soil you strongly 

 recommend the use of common salt as one calcu- 

 lated to increase vegetation autl im|)rove the quality 

 of wheat. My object in writing is to ascertain 

 upon what variety of soils it is best adapted — 

 whether clay, gravelly, sand or loams; when is 

 the best time to a|)ply it, and what quantity to use 

 on the different soils? If it will not impose too 

 much on your time, your answer in your valuable 

 paper will much oblige. C. Yalb. 



St. Catharines, C. W., October, 1863. 



As a general rule salt is of more use on rich 

 land than on poor land. Mr. Johnston's soil, on 

 which it has such a good effect, is a rather heavy 

 clay loam, thoroughly underdrained and in high 

 condition. Mr. Johnston feeds a large flock of 

 sheep every year, giving them more or less grain 

 and oilcake, thus making a large quantity of rich 

 manure. 



The probability is that salt would not be as use- 

 ful on his land if he made less manure. There ie 

 no '' royal road " to success in agriculture — no easy 

 way of getting large crops. Salt alone will not do it 

 on any soil for any length of time; but taken in con- 

 nection with good, rich barn-yard manure it is fre- 

 quently very beneficial. 



Mr. Johnston applies a barrel of salt per acre 

 on his fallows previous to sowing the wheat. — Eds. 



The annual consumption of bread in the city of 

 Paris, amounts to 850,000,000 pounds, or at th« 

 rate cf 15 ounces per head, daily. 



