A Stock Farm and Ranch.
Some years ago Prof. J. B. Turner, of Jacksonville, Ill., whom almost every reader of The Prairie Farmer in days gone by knows, personally, or by his writings, in company with one of his sons conceived the idea of running an Illinois stock farm in connection with a ranch in Texas. The young animals were to be reared on the cheap lands in the latter State where care and attention amount to a trifle, and to ship them North to finish them off for market on the blue grass and corn of the Illinois farm. To carry out this purpose they purchased nearly 10,000 acres in Coleman county, Texas, and they converted 1,000 acres in a body in Montgomery county, Illinois, into a home stock farm. Unfortunately, just as all things were in readiness for extensive operations, the son died, leaving the business to Prof. Turner, now nearly an octogenarian and entirely unable to bear the burden thus forced upon him. As a consequence, he desires to sell these large and desirable possessions, separate or together, as purchasers may offer.
The Illinois farm is well fenced and in a high state of cultivation. There are growing upon it more than 2,000 large evergreens, giving at once protection to stock and beauty to the landscape. There are also 1,500 bearing fruit trees, a vineyard, and a large quantity of raspberries, blackberries, currants, etc.
Besides a good farm-house, there is a large barn, in which there are often fed at one time 150 head of horses, with plenty of room for each animal; and an abundance of storage room in proportion for grain and hay. Also a large sheep shed, the feeding capacity of which is 3,000 head. Also a large hog house, conveniently divided into pens with bins for grain. Other numerous out-buildings, granary, hay sheds, stock and hay scales, etc., etc. There are on the farm twelve miles of Osage orange hedge, the best kind of fence in the world, in perfect trim and full growth; and four miles of good rail fence, dividing the farm off into conveniently sized fields of forty, eighty and one hundred and sixty acres each, access to which is easily obtained by means of gates which open from each field into a private central road belonging to the farm, and directly connected with the stock yards near the house, so that it is not necessary to pass over other fields in the handling of stock. Stockmen will appreciate this arrangement. Owing to its special advantages for handling stock, it has become widely known as a "Model Stock Farm." The lands are all naturally well drained; no flat or wet land, and by means of natural branches, which run through every eighty acres, the whole farm is conveniently and easily watered, by an unfailing supply. There are besides three large wind mills, with connecting troughs for watering the stock yards and remotest field. This supply of stock water has never failed. It is therefore specially adapted for all kinds of stock raising, and is well stocked. It has on it a fine drove of Hereford cattle and Norman horses, and is otherwise fully equipped with all the recent improvements in farming implements. This farm is only about fifty miles from St. Louis, Mo., two miles from a railroad station, and six miles from Litchfield, Illinois. Besides its location commercially, and its advantages for handling stock, this farm is in one of the best wheat and fruit producing sections of Illinois, and has now on it 200 acres of fine wheat.
The ranch in Texas consists of one body of 9,136 acres of choice land. By means of an unfailing supply of living water the whole ranch is well watered, and has besides a very large cistern. The soil is covered with the Curly Mesquite grass, the richest and most nutritious native stock grass known in Texas. There is also on the ranch a splendid growth of live oak trees, the leaves of which remain green the year round, furnishing shade in summer, and an ample protection for stock in winter.
There is on the ranch a large well built stone house, and also a fine sheep shed, with bins for 5,000 bushels of grain. This shed is covered with Florida Cypress shingles and affords protection for 2,000 head of sheep, and can be used just as well for other kinds of stock. Here can be bred and raised to maturity at a mere nominal cost, all kinds of cattle, horses, mules, and other stock, no feed in winter being required beyond the natural supply of grass. After the stock reaches maturity they can be shipped to the Illinois Farm; and while all the cattle easily fatten in Texas enough for the market, still as they are generally shipped to St. Louis or Chicago, it costs but little more, and greatly increases the profits, to first ship them to the Illinois Farm, and put them in prime condition, besides being near the markets, and placing the owner in position to take advantage of desirable prices at any time. With horses and mules this is a special advantage readily apparent to every one.
It will be seen at once that any individual with capital, or a stock company, or partnership of two or more men, could run this farm and ranch together at a great profit. All the improvements on both being made solely for convenience and profit and not anything expended for useless show.
I do not write this communication from any selfish motive, for I have not a penny's worth of interest in either farm or ranch, but I want to let people who are looking for stock farms know that here is one at hand such as is seldom found, and at the same time to do my life-long friend and yours a slight favor in return for the great and lasting benefits he has, in the past, so freely conferred upon the farmers of the State and country.
I know these lands can be bought far below their real value, and the purchaser will secure a rare bargain. I presume the Professor will be glad to correspond with parties, giving full particulars as to terms.
Subscriber.
Montgomery Co., Ill.