GROWING CATTLE FOR BEEP. 275 



management of our agricultural college farms that not one 

 has yet given us a careful experiment, or, in fact, any ex- 

 periment, to show the cost of raising a bullock. These 

 farms are designed for this special work, in regions where 

 cattle-feeding is one of the principal elements of agricul- 

 ture. Here should be all the facilities for conducting 

 accurate experiments, and just the talent required to make 

 them in all respects complete. How many years must yet 

 elapse before these institutions shall comprehend their 

 mission ? 



GROWING CATTLE FOR BEEF. 



When the farmer shall fully understand that all his suc- 

 cess in cattle-feeding must depend upon skill in breeding 

 and feeding, he will then commence the study of this sub- 

 ject in earnest. He will not expect to find a breed with 

 such wonderful characteristics as to grow into capacious 

 forms of beauty and profit without an equivalent expendi- 

 ture of food. 



We have treated of feeding young animals, and especially 

 the calf, and made some estimates of the cost of raising a 

 first-rate calf to one year old. We have illustrated the law 

 of growth, by English examples, and by the premiums 

 awarded at Chicago on the "cost of production," quoting 

 also from the experiments of Sir J. B. Lawes on the cost of 

 food to produce a pound live-weight, illustrated by English, 

 French and American cattle, all proving, conclusively, the 

 economy of early maturity. 



We now propose to take these animals of a year or more 

 old, and discuss their feeding till ripened for the market. 

 And this subject grows more and more important every 

 year. The history of the exportation of beef to England 

 during the last few years, fully realizes the reasonable 

 expectations of American cattle-growers. And, what ren- 

 ders the situation the more pleasant, the English farmers 

 are becoming quite reconciled to this importation of dressed 



