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The County of Oceana is admirably adapted for stock raising, but the business is compartitively in its infancy as yet, it being but six years ago since anything of importance was done in this respect. The county has a fertile soil, well watered with clear spring brooks, is of a rolling, undulating nature, and from its situation the Winters are generally mild. There is not yet a single cheese factory or creamery in the county, but in time the county will be studded with these institutions. A good beginning has been made with choice breeding animals in cattle, sheep, pigs and horses, and such farmers as Browne, of Pentwater, Russell, of Hart, and otheres, have done good service in introducing blooded stock. In the sketch that follows we give an account only of the introduction of animals that are undoubtedly thorough-bred. DURHAM CATTLE. Among the first to introduce thorough-bred Durhams was Judge Russell, of Hart, who imported the Third Duke of Moscow, purchased at Chicago, whither he had been brought from Missouri. He was sold in the Fall to T. Taylor, of Hesperia, and is now owned by Blodgett of Hersey. In the Fall of 1880 it was ascertained that more than half the prize stock at the County and Hesperia fairs were from him. The next thorough-bred bull was also imported by Mr. Russell, in 1879 - Chief, who now belongs to A. Yates, who now also owns the next bull, which was imported by the Oceana County directors of the poor, for their farm. The next two were by S. A. Browne, of Pentwater, for his Golden stock farm, and T. S. Gurney, of Hart. All these were registered. When Chief was purchased, Mr. Russell also bought a cow, Ruby fifteen, which he still owns; next two cows were imported by Mr. Browne, one of which is now Mr. Gurney's, and the other A. R. See's, of Weare. These are all that have been imported, and there are now registered but thirteen Durham's. JERSEYS. Mr. Browne, on his fine stock farm, on Section 12, Golden, purchased in 1878, and containing 240 acres, has a fine herd of Jerseys, and was the first importer, purchasing a celebrated bull from Howard, of Flint, which is now owned by Pringle, of Golden. Mr. Browne has also in full-blooded Jerseys: Miss Manchester, Rosebud, Butterfly and Milkmaid. V. W. Knox, of Hart, in 1879, pirchased the first Jersey cow, and this year a bull. In all there are eight registered Jerseys. SHORT HORNS. Mr. Browne's first venture was a celebrated bull, Bruno, and he purchased several cows, still owned in the county. GALLOWAYS. In this Mr. Browne excels, having, perhaps, the finest herd in all the state. They are fourteen in number, and worth $150 a head. He considers them well adapted to this climate, being rugged, giving rich milk, always fat, and as they are hornless, they can safely graze with other animals. He imported first two bulls and four cows, and sold a bull to Gay, of Crystal. Of Herefords there are none. Of Holsteins, in 1878, Hubbard, Hosmer & Co., of Ferry, imported a bull, and Rice & Ambler, of Pentwater, another, both being still in the county. SHEEP. Four or five years ago, the flocks were largely coarse-wooled, from Canada, and claiming to be pure Cotswolds and Leicesters. To-day, the fine wool industry is quite important, Judge Russell realizing $1,000 for his clip of 1882, it being 3,275 pounds. He has, in all, 1,000 sheep. In 1865, Harvey Tower, of Claybanks, imported the first thorough-bred American merino ram from Ball, of Livingston County, Mich. The next were by Mr. Russell, in 1878, a purchase of two ram lambs and five ewes, from Dryer of Lansing. In the Spring of 1879, Mr. Russell purchased the balance of Dryer's flock - sixty-five ewes, in all. In 1879 L. M. Hartwick imported a thorough-bred, and now over half the sheep in the county are either pure or grade fine wools. This county seems admirably adapted for fine wooled sheep, and importations of choice animals are still going on. A. S. White, of Hart, imported three thorough-bred ewes at $100 each, and Mr. Russell three more. The original Dryer flock, with their descendants, and those above-named, are all the thorough-bred merinos here. As to coarse wooled, James F. Reed, brought in fity Corswolds, from Canada, in 1877; E. J. Shirts got some from Lansing, in 1876, and the rest are largely grades. PIGS. The first pure-bred Essex was imported by H. Tower, in 1868, and from his the breed has been widely disseminated. About 1870, Josiah Russell imported a pair of of Bershires. The next three imported by Mr. Browne, and then by Hubbard, Hosmer & Co., and now they are scattered all over the county. Mr. Browne is the most extensive breeder, and some of the sires from which his are derived have cost $1,000. The first Chester Whites were imported in 1870 by D. W. Crosby, and the next in 1881, by T. S. Gurney. HORSES. The Oceana Chief, imported by Dr. Weare, was for years a most noted horse, and as a trotter had a record of 2:22 1/4 on Saginaw track. The first and only Norman Stallion was Gray Marquis, by HUbbard, Hosmer & Co., who also imported Clydesdale stallions. But it is Mr. Browne that excels in trotting horses in this county, having a noble herd of trotters, and keeping about twenty head of the two and three-year-olds and fifteen brood mares, the young horses being chiefly from Grand Sentinel and Indicator. His sales of horses in 1881 were $10,000, and for the first half of this year, $6,000. In the Summer of 1882 he purchased six brood mares and fillies from Kentucky. Among his horses are: (1) Lady Turpin, record 2:23, six years old; (2) Golden Dust, stallion, record 2:29; (3) Grand Hambletonian, a stallion, record 2:28 1/4; (4) the brown mare Spinella, record 2:30. Among the brood mares are Shadow (2:27), Abdallah Belle, Richmond Belle, Peru Belle (2:27), Lady Humphrey (2:34), Scotia, dam of Spinella, and two others with a record of 2:30; Amethyst, Sea Bird, Lady Arnold, Susie Wilkes, Soprano, Spiletts, Indiana (2:39), Schottische, etc. |