State Convention—Lessons of the Year. 329 
quite unprecedented, nearly ruined the crop which at best was 
struggling against great odds during the very cool summer, so that 
winter found most farmers with less than the usual crop of wheat 
and empty corn-cribs, while many had to dispose of stock early in 
the fall, on account of that great deficienc 3 r . But we were blessed 
with the most abundant oat-crop of many years. How can we best 
utilize this to make up the deficiency? In large portions of Wis¬ 
consin, especially where grain-growing is the exclusive business, a 
state of great depression exists. When such farmers are asked why 
they continue a course which leads to certain failure, they say they 
cannot change; have no means to fence their farms or to stock them 
when fenced. Then there are discouragements in the way of stock- 
raising. Indeed, a paper was read here last year on the horse, in 
which the question was asked, what kind of horse can be raised 
with profit in Wisconsin, and the answer was, no horse at all. 
Good farmers have assured me often that it costs $50 per year to 
raise colts which sell for $100 at three years old, and from $15 to 
$20 per head a year to raise cattle, which sell on an average for $30 
at three years, and about the same kind of talk in relation to other 
kinds of stock. Rather discouraging facts, these, when we are told 
that our only salvation is in keeping more stock and that we are to 
lose from fifteen to fifty dollars per head on all the stock we do 
raise. But are these statements correct? Doubtless they are in the 
experience of those who make them. To demonstrate a parallel 
negative in relation to some of them, I desire to cite the experience 
of a farmer of my acquaintance, who for short I will call the dea¬ 
con, and I believe some parts of his system are particularly appli¬ 
cable to meet some of the wants of the present year. 
The deacon commenced farming with no means, about the same 
time of my unsuccessful friend of last year, and on 80 acres of land* 
He has raised a family of fifteen children, gave them the benefits of 
the common school, paid all his bills and is now well fixed; his 
farm improving in productiveness, well stocked with good but in¬ 
expensive buildings, with every prospect of spending his declining 
years in comfort, surrounded by the fruits of his more active life. 
His is a dry, prairie farm, but I had heard every 3 r ear of sales of 
cattle and hogs at good, fair prices, better than the average in the 
county, and a few days since I called on him, having a desire to know 
more of his methods. He showed me a lot of two- 3 'ear old steers 
