11 



adequately represent the increased importance of dairying as a 

 factor in the cattle industry, nor the extent to which the dairy 

 type predominates in the cattle stock of the states mentioned. It 

 is a result of the extension of general farming and the neglect of 

 systematic beef-cattle breeding, together with a great tendency on 

 the part of the average farmer to cross-breed cattle of the beef 

 and dairy types, thereby deteriorating the quality of both. In this 

 way the relative number of animals worthy* of the name of milch 

 cows has been limited, and at the same time in most corn-belt 

 localities, the production of steers suitable for the feed lot has 

 very nearly approached the vanishing point. 



The marked decrease in the proportion of milch cows to the 

 total number of cattle in the four states west of Illinois, in spite 

 of a large increase in their actual numbers, is explained by the 

 general movement of range cattle into those states from the 

 Southwest and West. It is likely with increased population and 

 the adoption of intensive systems of agriculture, the proportion 

 of milch cows will approach more nearly that of the states farther 

 east. 



Further light may be thrown on the types and classes of 

 cattle kept on corn-belt farms by summarizing the returns of the 

 United States Census relating to age and sex of cattle. Figures 

 from the Twelfth Census are presented because of the more 

 minute classification it affords in this particular. 



TABLE 3. RELATIVE PROPORTION OF VARIOUS CLASSES OF CATTLE IN THE 

 CORN -BELT STATES IN 1900 1 



