1878.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
411 
dition. Thousands of calves in the dairy districts 
are now “ deaconed,” or slaughtered for their hides, 
the hides selling at from 40 to 50 cents, and the ren¬ 
net from 8 to 16 cents. Many of these calves are 
surreptitiously sold in cities for veal, bringing but 
a small price This gentleman finds that calves 
can be transported to Kansas, Nebraska, and Da¬ 
kota by his method at a cost not exceeding 15 cents 
a head per day for food, during the journey, while 
the carriage from Chicago is not more than SI each. 
Once across the Missouri River, where food is plenty, 
there is a great demand for them, when they can be 
bought at moderate rates. This method of supply¬ 
ing the far West with young cattle promises, if 
successful, to become quite an extensive business. 
Cheaper Shorthorns. 
While the farmers of Kansas and Nebraska are 
bringing in from the older States many Herefords, 
Devons, Ayrshires, etc., they have a decided pref¬ 
erence for Shorthorns. Many of these are obtained 
directly from the Blue Grass regions of Kentucky; 
others are purchased from Iowa and Illinois, and 
still others come from New York and other East¬ 
ern States. During the past two years the prices of 
fancy pedigrees have materially diminished. Short¬ 
horn bulls which ranged from $200 to $400 in 1875-6, 
are now frequently to be had at from $75 to $100. 
Agricultural Machinery on "Western Farms. 
The prairie farmer is strongly tempted to invest 
in much machinery. On account of the scarcity of 
labor, and the great amount of work that can be. 
done by mowers, reapers, and other machines, he is 
very apt to run in debt, or to mortgage his land for 
means to buy them, and at once gets “ his nose on 
the grindstone,” where it is often held for many 
years. All over the Prairie States one encounters 
pre-emptionfsts and land purchasers who are worry¬ 
ing under the debts they have contracted for ma¬ 
chinery. The wonderful saving of labor by their 
use makes it desirable for the settler to secure as 
many as possible of those machines, provided they 
are good. Yet farmers with small means should be 
careful how they contract for them, without seeing 
their way clearly to payment. The crops relied 
upon to furnish the means of payment may fail, and 
then comes embarrassment. One point we would 
especially enforce, i. c., the exercise of the greatest 
care in the selection of all farm implements and 
machines. In our intercourse with the far Western 
farmers during our visit among them last year and 
the present season, we were surprised to observe 
how utterly worthless is much of this machinery. 
It easily gets out of order, and is liable to require 
frequent tinkering and repairs, and thus becomes a 
constant source of annoyance to the owner. Agents 
for farm machinery of all kinds are to be found 
offering their wares to farmers at every turn, and, 
owing to the competition, making “ special induce¬ 
ments to purchasers.” The farmer who has had 
little or no experience, is quite too apt to “ buy in 
haste, and repent at leisure.” Every stranger must 
be struck by the careless manner in which costly 
machinery is left out of doors exposed to all 
changes of weather. Some make the plausible ex¬ 
cuse that they have no farm buildings as yet, but 
it is a very easy matter to extemporize some kind 
of shelter, even if it consisted of nothing more than 
wild hay, corn stalks, or a straw shed Many thou¬ 
sands of dollars are annually lost by prairie farmers 
through neglect to properly care for implements. 
A Blessing 1 in Disguise. 
Strange as it may seem, it is the general opinion 
in far Western States, which a few years ago suf¬ 
fered so severely from grasshoppers, or locusts, 
that this visitation resulted in more good than 
harm, and that they were actually “ blessings in dis¬ 
guise.” Some prominent men of Nebraska argue 
thus : The State was rapidly tilling up with an 
indifferent class of people from the older States. 
Thousands who had failed in other localities, were 
coming to Nebraska with the expectation of get¬ 
ting a living without working for it, and as many 
others were coming without the necessary means 
to start in such a manner as would lead to success 
in the future. The new State promised to be over¬ 
run with a population that wouldprove an incubus, 
rather than a benefit. The grasshoppers came, and 
they weeded out this indifferent and unwelcome 
material, and left the land to be possessed by more 
worthy successors. After two or more years’ strug¬ 
gle with the grasshoppers, the faint-hearted gave 
out, abandoning their improvements and returning 
as they best could, to their former homes and 
friends. As a result, the farmers who remain re¬ 
present the pluck and courage of the country. It 
has been a case of “ the survival of the fittest,” and 
the present population is a splendid foundation 
upon which to rest the future success of the State. 
One of the most prominent men in Nebraska, said 
to us : “I have no doubt that the grasshopper was 
the salvation of our State, and has prevented us 
from being at this time in the midst of general dis¬ 
tress and trouble, notwithstanding the abundance 
of our crops.” The manner in which worthless 
elements were packed into this State in 1873, threat¬ 
ened not only to give an unfavorable mould and 
character to the population, but to ruin the State 
itself. The grasshoppers, however, the ravages of 
which were in many cases greatly exaggerated, 
turned back the tide, and drove away the undesira¬ 
ble classes who had already effected a lodgement 
here. Now, the destitute are few in Nebraska, 
and every one who will work, can earn a living. 
Fears of the Indians. 
All through the Western States, there has been, 
during October, an unsettled feeling, due to the 
forays of the Indians from their reservations. As 
is always the case at such times, the dangers are 
exaggerated, and farmers and stock-breeders are 
driving their cattle from long distances to points of 
safety, where they cannot be stampeded by the 
redskins. The number of U. S. troops is far too 
limited to afford protection to the frontier farmers 
or ranchmen. In the elections this fall, these 
border State men promise to make the reduction of 
the army a main issue, and assert that they will, 
without regard to past or present political pro¬ 
clivities or parties, vote together against those who 
do not publicly avow themselves in favor of 
properly increasing the forces of the regular army. 
Took the Advice— ‘‘Go West Young- Man.” 
Last Winter, an old subscriber of the American 
Agriculturist, who had been unfortunate, and was 
very much reduced in circumstances, called at 245 
Broadway, New York, for counsel and advice. He 
had a large family of children, and was very despon¬ 
dent about the future. We recommended him to 
obtain sufficient funds from his friends, to enable 
him to move to the West, and locate on a prairie 
farm. This advice was followed. He left Penn¬ 
sylvania for Nebraska, on the 28th of February 
last, and on the 16th of March, he was fairly settled 
with his family on a partially improved farm of 
480 acres, in Lancaster Co., Neb., which farm he had 
agreed to work upon shares. Wc have just called 
on him (October) in his Nebraska home, to ascertain 
what success had attended his removal hither, and 
this is his report: “ On reaching Lincoln, 1 paid 
$300 for a wagon and a strong team of horses— 
having brought the harness from the East. I 
also purchased a plow, which completed my outlay, 
the place having sufficient other implements, such 
as they were, also cattle and other stock.” With 
his four sturdy boys he planted 100 acres of corn 
and 50 acres of spring wheat and other crops. The 
butter which he made and sold during the season, 
nearly, if not quite, paid his family expenses. 
Now, at the end of six months, he estimates the 
results of his half year’s work as follows: The 
figures represent his 6hare of the crops, and the 
prices are, as will be seen, moderately estimated : 
3000 bushels of Corn, at 15 cents. $300.00 
300 bushels of Wheat at 65 cents, deducting 
$56.10 for 66 bush, of seed wheat paid for at 
the contracted price of 85c. per bushel. 138.90 
200 bushels of Oats at 25c . 50.00 
200 bushels Barley at 25c. 50.00 
250 bushels Potatoes at 20c. 50.00 
10 tons of Hay at $2.50. 25.00 
25 Pigs at $2.50. 62.50 
9 Ducks at 44c. -. 3.96 
Garden Truck. 3.00 
. Total..$683.36 
Considering that he has had a living for his fam¬ 
ily during these six months, the old subscriber 
from Pennsylvania feels wejl satisfied with the 
above figures. He asserts that to secure an early 
competence for himself, he only requires sufficient 
money to purchase cattle. His corn and other 
grain would pay him far better to feed than to 
sell it at present prices, while the prairies afford 
any amount of pasturage and wild hay for cattle. 
Shepherd Dogs. 
Some dog fancier or breeder could make a hand¬ 
some sum by giving his attention to the raising 
and training of shepherd dogs. There is a large 
demand for well-trained dogs all throughout the 
sheep-growing regions of the Wost, and as the 
flocks of sheep multiply, this demand must increase. 
Prairie Chickens. 
Prairie chickens are abundant in Western Iowa, 
and in the country beyond the Missouri, this fall. 
Two years ago, the Legislature of Nebraska, enacted 
a law, forbidding shooting these and other birds. 
The measure was so sweeping in its provisions as 
to encounter powerful opposition from sportsmen, 
and also from those farmers who desired the change 
in their diet which these birds insured. The bill 
was ultimately pronounced unconstitutional by the 
courts; not, however, until it had been enforced 
long enough to insure a very great increase in the 
number of prairie chickens and other birds, and 
the immunity which they enjoyed from sportsmen, 
affords one explanation of the unusual abund¬ 
ance of prairie chickens in Nebraska, this season. 
The Chinch Bugs 
have made serious depredations in 6ome parts of 
the far West, during the past year. Prof. Aughey, 
who has devoted much attention to the study of 
this pest, strongly advises farmers to burn their 
wheat stubble, and thus destroy the eggs which 
are generally laid at the roots of the plants. He 
assures us that, from his observations and experi¬ 
ments, he is confident this burning process will go 
far towards exterminating this dangerous foe. 
The 'Westem locust or Grasshopper—Its 
Visits no Longer Peared, 
BT PROP. S. AUGHEY. OP THE UNIVERSITY OP NEBRAKSA. 
[The following, from Prof. Aughey, the well- 
known Western Naturalist, will do much to dispel 
the apprehensions of those who hesitate to go West 
for fear of the invasions of the locusts. We may 
add that the views of Prof. A. are in accordance 
with those of the U. S. Eutomological Gobi mission 
appointed to investigate this insect.— Eds.] 
It is well known in the West, that during the 
winter and spring of 1877, I predicted that that 
season would be the last of the locust visitations 
for many years. The U. S. Entomological Commis¬ 
sion entertained the same opinion. On the 16tli of 
June, 1877, Prof. C. Thomas and myself, in a re¬ 
port to the Governor, which was published at the 
time, used the following language: “*** We 
consider the danger from the young, which have 
hatched out this season in Nebraska, over, and that 
this part of the problem is solved. We also believe 
that the long series of visitations has come to a 
close. There may be, and doubtless will be, at ir¬ 
regular periods, visitations by migrating swarms, 
but it is not at all likely that the present genera¬ 
tion will witness another such a series as that 
which has just passed.” The predictions made at 
that time, were singularly verified for that year, and 
have been for this. Our conclusions were based on 
facts that we had learned about the natural history 
of the locust, which have stood, and no doubt will 
stand, the tests of time. There need, therefore, be 
no fears of another series of visitations from these 
insects. Even if they should come again in the dis¬ 
tant future, they can not hereafter do the damage 
that characterized their last visitations. There will 
be then such a large amount of produce in the State, 
owing to the greatly increased area cultivated, that 
locusts will not be able to make much, if any, im¬ 
pression on the crops. Besides, the people have 
learned how to contend against them. They know 
now how to meet this enemy as it appears in spring, 
and it has lost all its terrors to them, especially 
to those who were hero during the spring of 1877. 
